Texas Students Against the Death Penalty is building a network of anti-death penalty chapters at schools across Texas. Through their activities, these groups help promote death penalty awareness and activism in their schools and communities. In addition, chapter activities provide the opportunity for students to develop both professional and leadership skills. Members are encouraged to attend TSADP's annual Anti-Death Penalty Alternative Spring Break, where you will learn skills to go back home and create or improve your anti-death penalty organization.

Follow these steps to set up your chapter:

1. Form a group of at least 2-3 interested students, willing to participate in, and carry out the chapter's mission.

    

2. Get a sponsor/advisor for your chapter. This person could be a professor or staff member in your college (This is optional, but your school may require that you have a sponsor to register as a student organization).
   

    

3. Elect officers out of your group to run chapter business.

    

4. Register your group officially with your school. TSADP does not require specific names, at UT-Austin there is a group called Longhorns Against the Death Penalty and a chapter of Campaign to End the Death Penalty.
5. Get your chapter affiliated with Texas Students Against the Death Penalty. To begin the chartering process, complete the registration form, and bylaws for your student group.
   
   
6. Responsibilities of the Student Chapter Sponsor/Faculty Advisor: The Student Chapter Sponsor shall be generally responsible for the activities of the Chapter. Specifically, the Sponsor:
   1. helps provide continuity from year to year as student leadership and personnel change;
   2. promotes good student-faculty relationships;
   3. helps maintain university standards in all activities of the Chapter;
   4. exercises financial supervision, if necessary, by:
      1. promoting prompt payment of bills and collection of dues, and
      2. overseeing the settlement of all accounts in the event of dissolution of the Chapter; and
   5. represents the Chapter interests to the faculty and administration.
   6. for high school chapters and underage students, the chapter sponsor must be in attendance at every meeting that is held in the evening. In the event that the appointed sponsor is not available, another faculty member may chaperone the meeting. If both are not available, a local area professional, previously investigated and approved by the school, can be assigned to chaperone evening meetings.

Join the TSADP email list!

Texas Students Against the Death Penalty strongly encourages all chapter members to join as student members. Membership in TSADP has many benefits, including:

• Leadership and community service experience.
  
• Opportunities to network with other anti-death penalty students across Texas.
  

If you have any questions about chapter formation, please contact us at:

(210) 601-7231