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What does it mean to be a REGISTERED Student Organization?
Even without the group earning “registered” status with the Office of Student Involvement, all UCF students are allowed to associate in organizations. That being said, only REGISTERED student organizations have certain privileges/benefits on campus. Only when a group is approved and registered (and maintains its registration each semester) will it be able to participate in activities such as charging dues, holding fundraisers, reserving rooms, etc. Please familiarize yourself with the privileges/benefits and make sure that your organization is not participating in these types of activities unless and until it gets registered.
Eligibility to be a Registered Student Organization
In order to be a Registered Student Organization (RSO), two main requirements must be met:
- The organization's objectives must be "consistent with the broad organizational goals of the University" (6C7-5.0021 F.A.C.).
- Membership and leadership must meet the criteria as stated in the most recent version of The Golden Rule, Section 15.
To begin the registration process, the New Student Organization Registration Form and a copy of the organization's Constitution must be submitted to the Office of Student Involvement (SU 208).
Proposed student organizations, whose mission/purpose appears to be a duplication of an existing organization, may not be registered. Additionally, no student organization may be set up so that any individual benefits monetarily from its existence.
Note regarding Greek Social groups: In order to be registered as a Greek Social organization, groups must follow the expansion guidelines of its respective Greek governance council (NPHC, PHC, DGC, or IFC). OSI will request a recommendation from Fraternity and Sorority Life regarding the registration of the proposed organization, and will use that as part of the decision to register/not register the group.
Note regarding Religious/Spiritual groups: OSI will request a recommendation from Campus Faiths and Ministries regarding the registration of the proposed organization, and will use that as part of the decision to register/not register the group.
New Student Organization Registration Form
Please read all instructions in order to complete the New Student Organization Registration Form. The form is checked for both accuracy and student eligibility (membership and leadership) according to University standards as stated in the most recent version of The Golden Rule, Section 15. Any errors on the form will be reported to the Contact Person listed on the form.
For assistance in selecting an organization classification, click HERE.
What if my Organization does not have a Constitution?
A sample is available for use in creating the constitution of a new student organization. Follow the sample provided and insert the specifics of the organization into the document. Student organizations may use (and are encouraged to use) the exact wording provided in the sample. In fact, groups are strongly encouraged to follow the sample closely, in order to save time and move the approval process along as quickly as possible.
A constitution checklist is also provided for use in creating the constitution. The checklist is what the Office of Student Involvement will follow during the review of the submitted constitution. Before submitting a constitution, please utilize the checklist to ensure that all required information is included.
Constitution Approval Process
The organization's Constitution is checked for completion, using the Constitution Checklist as the rubric. The Constitution must be approved by the following people:
- Graduate Assistant of Student Involvement
- Assistant Director of Student Involvement
- Attorney General of Student Government
- President of Student Government
- Director of Student Involvement
Once a new student organization constitution and registration form is submitted to the Office of Student Involvement, the contact person will be sent a confirmation email explaining the remainder of the registration process. Shortly after that (typically within a week or two of paperwork submission), a request for a meeting will be sent to the contact person. After that initial meeting, the organization may be asked to resubmit a new constitution that reflects any changes or additions that have been made. After all of the necessary changes have been made, the constitution will be sent to each of the individuals listed above for their review and approval.
To expedite this process, it is highly recommended that groups follow the Sample Constitution closely. The length of the process is not definite and is dependent upon several factors. The first is the time of the year. There are no deadlines for submitting a new student organization registration; however, the first month of each semester is the busiest in OSI, which means that the process may take longer during those times. Another factor is how quickly the contact person can be reached for meetings with the Office of Student Involvement, as well as how quickly he or she makes any required corrections to the constitution. The number of changes and revisions that have to be made will also affect the length of the process (i.e., the more complicated the constitution is, the more time it will take to review). As a reminder, the more an organization adheres to the format and verbiage provided in the sample constitution, the quicker it can be processed by the necessary individuals. The average time of the approval process is approximately 10 weeks from the first submission of the constitution to the final approval/disapproval by the Director of Student Involvement.
Orientation
In addition to submitting a New Student Organization Registration Form and getting a constitution approved, each group must attend an orientation in order to become registered. Potential organizations should send at least one officer (as indicated on the Registration Form), either while the paperwork is in process or after the group is approved, to this orientation. Attending while the paperwork is being processed will save time. Advisors are encouraged to attend. For more information, click HERE.
Changes and Updates
After the organization is approved and registered for the first time, the Office of Student Involvement will need to have accurate and updated information at all times. If any of the organization’s information (officer, advisor, etc.) needs to be changed or updated, please submit an Update Form to OSI. Please note that, in order to take effect, any changes made must be completed online on the Update Form, printed and signed by all required parties, and then submitted to OSI (SU 208). This ensures that communication with and about the organization is directed to the appropriate person.
If the organization amends the Constitution in any way, it is the organization’s responsibility to notify OSI and provide an updated version for its file. Please note that this includes any change in the name of the organization. Additionally, if the organization fails to submit a name change to the Office of Student Involvement, it will have difficulty exercising the privileges of registered organizations. Once submitted, the amended constitution will go through the approval process, which should not affect the organization’s registration status (as long as the RSO maintains a current Update Form and orientation attendance). Submitting amended constitutions ensures that a copy of the most recent constitution is available to the organization in the event that it is lost or does not get passed down from year to year.
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