Using Cru's Model Constitution

In order to register your Chartered Cru chapter (or other Cru ministry chapter) on a campus, you will need to use one of our model constitutions. The climate on many campuses is getting more challenging, with religious groups finding themselves not as welcome. Our model constitutions are intended to strongly articulate our mission and purpose as well as to ensure that we have common standards for student leadership that will protect us as an organization and allow us to love and serve each campus while preserving our teachings and messages.

In summary, we want to register our student clubs on our various campuses with club constitutions that have many things in common: 1) they acknowledge a connection to Cru (or the ministry of Cru involved), 2) they articulate Cru’s purpose, 3) they reference our Statement of Faith, and 4) they hold to common standards for the leadership and direction of the group.

• Cru
• Cru High School
• Athletes in Action
• Bridges International
• Destino Movement
• Epic Movement
• Nations
• SOON
• Valor

Note that the model constitution expects you to do leadership selection a certain way. In order for our Chapters to function with integrity, we want to make sure we do what our constitution says we are doing. Please ask your staff contact for our leadership application and any other resources you need.

Once you have downloaded the appropriate constitution:

• Read the constitution and make sure your group can function consistently with what it says.
• Look at your school’s specific requirements for clubs and for constitution/bylaws. Pay special attention to the nondiscrimination clause and whether it applies to leadership selection.
• Adjust the model according to your school’s requirements and submit it.
• Let your staff contact know if the campus rejects it for any substantive reasons.

For help, email Lori Kepner with any questions regarding this process or how to adjust the model constitution to your school's requirements.

Side note: You need to be aware that some schools have begun to require language for student club constitutions that conflict with our policies. This primarily occurs when the school requires that no religious or faith-based criteria may be used in selecting or electing leaders to the group. Usually, this happens when the school applies its nondiscrimination clause to both the membership and leadership of student groups. We agree to nondiscrimination clauses fully for membership and always have membership open to any interested students. Because students in leadership, however, determine the direction and vision of the group, we believe they need to support our faith and mission.

Please contact us if you see this language, as it puts our ability to preserve our mission and purpose at risk. We have to address it on an individual basis at each school, and are trying to pursue a uniform strategy around the country. That is why you need to involve the Cru legal team for advice.