Coordination of Religious Activities Operating Procedures

Office of the Vice President for Student Affairs

Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey is committed to the principle of free inquiry on a non-discriminatory basis and recognizes that freedom of religious expression is an important educational function for students. Freedom of expression is consistent with the role of a public university: to foster the exchange of ideas without involvement or preference towards any particular moral and political opinion. Provision for the religious needs of students is the responsibility of religious agencies rather than the university which has as its sole obligation the protection of academic freedom. Therefore, the university operates under a policy that it is an open forum, in which religious groups may, in a non-coercive manner, express their views and invite student participation. The use of university buildings or grounds for purposes of religious worship or teaching is subject to university regulations and procedures applicable to all non-university sponsored groups. Student religious organizations are entitled to the same privileges in the use of facilities as non-religious student organizations.

Office of the Vice President for Student Affairs

The Vice President for Student Affairs oversees all recognized student groups organized and functioning under the direct responsibility of the Dean of Students Office in each college. The Vice President for Student Affairs serves as the liaison between the university community and religious groups that are recognized as non-university affiliated advisors to students and to student groups organized within the colleges.

Recognition of Campus Ministries 

Guidelines have been established to govern the registration and recognition of religious organizations as non-university affiliated campus ministry in the university community. The guidelines for considering applications are as follows:

(1) Identify the religious affiliation and the purpose in seeking recognition;

(2) Provide evidence that the applicant is a true representative of the faith or denomination;

(3) Provide evidence of educational training and prior experience;

(4) Furnish evidence of student interest in the university community by the presence of a representative student group or an active student church on campus.

(5) Agree to abide by university regulations and procedures pertaining to the use of university facilities; and

(6) Agree to perform the work of the ministry in a non-coercive and non-intrusive manner on campus, and to refrain in using the name of the university to sponsor or endorse activities.

If the application has satisfied these guidelines, the Vice President for Student Affairs will approve annually the registration of the religious agency as a non-university affiliated group and extend to the religious advisor and/or campus ministry a letter of invitation providing certain privileges.

A recognized campus ministry will be extended the following privileges:

Courtesy parking.

Listing in the campus directory and other student publications.

Use of university buildings and grounds in accordance with the regulations and procedures for space administered by the University Scheduling and Space Utilization or by the Deans of Students Offices.

Receive information on matters of interest from the Office of the Vice President for Student Affairs.

Student religious organizations may also receive religious preference information in order to invite new student members.

The Vice President for Student Affairs will coordinate certain services with the campus ministries on an individual basis or collectively through the Association of Campus Ministries. These services will include the descriptions of religious organizations in university publications for student reference, the distribution of religious preference material and information, the coordination of the drop-in counseling program established by the campus ministries, and advising the campus ministries on matters of general interest and concern.

August 1994

Last Updated: 09/25/2007