Participation, volunteering, or involvement in Stanford student organization activities is a privilege granted to a limited number of community members who, otherwise, lack affiliation with Stanford. In most instances, that community member brings a level of subject-matter expertise that would benefit the learning and development of that student community.

All involvement is managed by the Office of Student Engagement. As always, student health & safety are the foremost considerations.

As a non-student participant, you must complete this form before you begin any participation in student organizations at Stanford.

If you have any questions, reach out to the Office of Student Engagement at studentengagement@stanford.edu. 

Advisor - Anyone who plays a significant role in overseeing the general functions of the group, provides insight on group operations, and otherwise assists the group in a regular way. Advisors can be University staff, faculty, alumni, chapter advisors, or community members with expertise or knowledge. Advisors are generally unpaid roles but many Stanford staff serve as advisors to groups in their official university capacity.

University Advisor/Coordinator - Anyone who is employed by Stanford for the purposes of advising or overseeing one or more student organizations. (e.g. OSE staff, Community center staff, Professional school student life office)

Ongoing Coach/Instructor - Anyone who has significant or ongoing contact with the group to provide expertise or direction regarding a specific activity or skill. Coaches and instructors may be employed by Stanford, contracted for payment by the student organization, or serve as volunteers, the latter of which may be provided some payment at the discretion of the group. A coach may also serve as an advisor, but that is not assumed.

Non-Student Participant - Anyone other than a currently enrolled Stanford student who has significant contact or involvement with the group. While non-students may participate in some ways, they should never be considered “members” or take leadership roles within a group.

Stanford Affiliate - Anyone with an active Stanford ID card, including postdoctoral students and spouses with Courtesy Cards. Alumni are not considered “Stanford Affiliates” by this definition.

“Significant” Contact - Contact with the group or its leadership more than twice a month. In addition, any sort of overnight travel with the group is considered “significant” contact.

Involvement in voluntary student organizations– whether as a coach, instructor, volunteer advisor, or non-student participant – is a privilege afforded on the expectation that certain expectations are met. These include the specific expectations, such as complicance with the policies outlined  below, as well as the general expectations of the Principles mentioned previously. Stanford reserves the right to revoke participation or involvement in a student organization’s activities at any time.

Issues regarding improper behavior from non-students will be reviewed by OSE and/or the student organization's University Advisor to ensure due process is given. If the non-student participant is employed by Stanford, conversations may also involve Stanford HR. 

Reference Materials:

• University's Code of Conduct Policy
• University's Sexual Harassment Policy
• University's Policy on Controlled Substances and Alcohol
• University's Hazing Policy
• Stanford's Core 10 Policies for Student Organizations

This assignment is contingent upon your successful completion and passing of a background check. If you do not successfully complete and pass the background check, your assignment will be withdrawn. Therefore, you should not rely upon this acknowledgement form until the condition of successfully completing and passing the background check has been satisfied. HireRight, our background check vendor, will email you instructions to initiate the background check process. Please complete your section of the process within three (3) business days of receiving their email.

Stanford University conducts reference checks by phone ("Reference Checks"), and background checks through a screening vendor (“Background Checks.”) Background Checks include searches of a credit bureau for address history, criminal databases, and court records; and in addition, depending on the nature of the position for which you are applying, a motor vehicle driving report, a verification of the highest education level you have completed, a credit report, and/or ID checks in other non-U.S. countries may be included.

The Background Checks will only be run after an applicant has been assigned as an Advisor (Non-Stanford) and/or On-Going Non-Student Participant. Before any Background Check is performed, applicants will be given Background Check disclosure and consent forms under state and federal law, such as the Fair Credit Reporting Act and the Investigative Consumer Reporting Agencies Act. Existence of a criminal record is not an automatic bar to participation. An assessment will be made about whether the conviction has a direct and adverse relationship to the role in question. Consideration will be given to the nature of the position being sought, the specific offense, the period of time which has elapsed since the commission of the offense and completion of any sentence, and any extenuating circumstances.

I authorize Reference Checks and release from all liability and responsibility all persons or entities requesting or supplying information in connection with such checks.

I certify that statements made on the application, on a resume, attachments hereto, or other supplementary materials provided by me are full and complete statements of the facts. I understand that false, misleading or omitted information can result in refusal of employment or termination in cases where erroneous information is discovered after employment has begun.

I understand that if I accept this assignment, this consent form becomes part of the terms and conditions of my appointment. I understand that participation is contingent on supplying of documents for Employment Eligibility Verification. For participants assigned to work on certain federal contracts, employment verification must be completed using the E-Verify system.

By submitting this consent form, I hereby consent to Stanford University’s collection and processing of any sensitive personal data contained in my registration form to evaluate my appointment or for the purposes of evaluating its hiring process, better understanding candidates and academic research.