Collective Responsibility

All Stanford student groups must abide by all relevant University policies. Collective responsibility is the concept that student groups bear a certain level of responsibility, and can be held accountable, for the individual actions of their members when this behavior is reasonably connected to the group.  The Stanford Group Accountability Process may be used to impose sanctions upon an entire group.

Collective responsibility applies to all student groups. Some student groups have the privilege of choosing their own members. With this privilege comes an even greater responsibility of governing their group’s behavior in a way consistent with the University's policies. 

It is not the number of members involved in an activity that is crucial to a determination that the group is responsible. The focus is whether the activity is related to a student group rather than a private activity by persons who happen to be members of the same group. A number of factors may be considered when determining a group’s responsibility for the individual actions of its members, including but not limited to the following: 

1. Whether a member of a group violated the law or university policy and other members present failed to indicate their disapproval, or by their continued presence without objection implicitly condoning the behavior;
2. Whether the acts grew out of or were directly related to the group’s activities or an environment (either physical or cultural) created by the group;
3. Whether the acts were those of guests of a group, or by persons authorized or permitted to represent themselves as connected with the group;
4. Whether a group either intentionally or unintentionally created power dynamics and hazing occured;
5. Whether the group or its leaders officially sanctioned or implicitly encouraged the activity even though they did not "officially” sanction it;
6. Whether a substantial number of the group’s members or leaders were aware, in advance, that the activity might take place;
7. Whether the group’s members or leaders were aware of the misconduct after the fact and did not take steps to correct the problem(s) that occurred;
8. Whether the group failed to document and/or utilize accountability mechanisms to address member behavior when it was not aligned with group standards and/or university policy;
9. Whether there have been previous similar incidents with members of the group;
10. If the group claims this is an isolated incident by renegade members, whether other members of the group also engaged in "isolated" incidents themselves, such that a pattern of misbehavior and group norms emerges from otherwise seemingly isolated incidents.

If one or more of the factors listed above is present, there is a basis for finding the group responsible for the behavior of its members based on the principle of collective responsibility.

In order to ensure that student group behavior aligns with university policy, student leaders are expected to: 

• Know, and seek to understand, the relevant university policies and expectations; communicating all relevant information to group members and other key stakeholders.
• Establish healthy norms for the group congruent with the values of the University, Office of Student Engagement, and other relevant university offices.
• Document and utilize accountability mechanisms to ensure healthy norms and uphold university policies and relevant laws.
• Embody the values of the Fundamental Standard, utilizing these core policies as a basis for values driven decision-making by the leadership and membership.