Student Organization Basics
If you don't see an existing organization that matches with your passions, here's what you need to know to start and keep up with your own club.
How To Start An Organization
To establish a new organization on campus, you must complete the online application when it is open. This is while the SGA Committee on Student Organizations (CSO) is in session during the fall and spring semesters of the academic year except for academic breaks, the two weeks prior to pre-finals and finals week. Once your application is successfully submitted and reviewed, you will be contacted to meet with the CSO to discuss your application, constitution, and organization.
Please read the instructions below completely before submitting the application.
You will be contacted by email when your application is ready to be reviewed, so watch
for an email from sgacso@okstate.edu
Application Checklist
- Step 1
Review the section of the Student Organization Code of Conduct that pertains to student organizations to make sure your group meets the University requirements and is aware of university regulations.
- Step 2
You will need the following information to complete the application. Tip: Organize all this information before you begin.
- Name, CWID, GPA, phone number, and OSU email address for the President, VP, Secretary, and Treasurer of the group.
- Name, Department, Campus Address, Campus Phone and OSU email for the organization's advisor and co-advisor (if applicable). Advisors must be full-time OSU staff or faculty.
- A brief (2-3 sentence) statement explaining the purpose of the organization.
- The basic requirements for membership in this organization
- The names and CWID’s of at least 10 charter members in addition to the 4 officers mentioned above.
- A constitution for your new student organization. Use this template as a guide. Constitutions that do not closely adhere to the template will not be accepted and may delay your organization's review.
- Step 3
Once you have written your constitution, save it in a format you can readily access (such as a Google Document or Word) so you can upload the document at the appropriate step in the application process.
- Step 4
Organizations that wish to give detailed requirements or instructions for membership, elections, dues, additional officer positions, etc. should include these requirements or instructions in their Bylaws, not the constitution. Organizations do not have to submit their Bylaws as part of this application.
- Additional requirements for some clubs
- Competitive Sports Clubs must contact the Competitive Sports Office regarding your intentions to form a new club sport, complete the Club Sports Interest Form and upload the Sports Club Council Sponsorship Form, and the other items in the packet.
- Graduate Student organizations must also complete and upload the GPSGA Sponsorship Form and the other items in the packet.
- If the group is organized for the primary purpose of individual training in an art or skill, and if individual tuition is charged and/or the instructor is compensated for services rendered, such group is considered a class and will not be chartered as a student organization.
- Important to know
- All new student organizations approved by the Student Government Association will automatically be assigned Registered status for a period of 16 academic weeks. After this period, groups that qualify and wish to have their status changed to Sponsored, must fill out a Change of Status form along with an Intent to Sponsor form. Forms may be obtained online on CampusLink.
- All new groups, once approved by SGA must also create a CampusLink page within the first 30 days after approval. Failure to do so will result in loss of status.
- Be sure to also visit the Student Organization Resources page or contact Campus Life with questions at campuslife@okstate.edu.
- The Department of Risk Management works to mitigate and manage risks on campus. Their website has frequently asked questions, forms, and video information on health and safety. The Department of Risk Management can also provide safety training for your organization's members as well as provide information on Emergency Management. For more information contact 405-744-8899.
Different Types of Organizations
- Registered Organizations
- Most organization have Registered status
- This can be any group formed by at least 14 OSU students (4 officers and 10 additional members) that also has an OSU full-time faculty or staff member as an advisor.
- A registered organization is affiliated with the University because their membership is made up of students, but it does not qualify for Sponsored status.
- All student organizations, with the exception of Graduate organizations sponsored by the Graduate and Professional Student Association (GPSGA) and Sports Clubs sponsored by the Sports Club Council, start out as Registered organizations.
- Examples of Registered organizations are religious or political organizations, the knitting club, the international dance club, etc.
- Those Registered Organizations who qualify and wish to become Sponsored must request that status online and go through a review process.
- A group must have been established and been Registered at OSU for at least 16 school weeks before being eligible to become Sponsored.
- The primary differences between the Registered and Sponsored organizations are related to their purpose, the use of the University’s name, the opportunity to request the use of University vehicles for travel that is considered University business and the amount and type of activity fees for which the group is eligible to apply.
Registered Organizations May:
- Request fees from the SGA Co-Sponsorship fund (up to $500/semester for Registered).
- Request fees from the SGA Multicultural Affairs Committee (MAC)
- Use University facilities (normally at no cost), for regularly scheduled business meeting in designated areas including scheduling the use of grounds, Chi-O Clock tabling, etc.
- Use the unrestricted bulletin boards on campus with proper approval from Student Union Meeting and Conference Services (SU 179).
- Sponsored Organizations
Sponsored organizations have a purpose which relates directly to the academic mission of the University as demonstrated through it’s affiliation with a college student council, departmental sponsorship, or is an organization recognizing scholarship or leadership; (Examples of these groups would be Blue Key Honor Society, Therapeutic Recreation Majors Club, Native American Student Association etc.)
OR Have been granted Sponsored status by the University administration via the OSU Board of Regents. These groups are:- The Student Government Association (SGA)
- Graduate and Professional Student Government Association (GPSGA)
- Interfraternity Council (IFC)
- Panhellenic Council (PHC)
- National PanHellenic Council (NPHC)
- Multicultural Greek Council (MGC
- Off-Campus Student Association (OCSA)
- Residence Halls Association (RHA)
- International Student Organization (ISO)
- Student Union Activities Board (SUAB)
Sponsoring or Registration of organizations does not mean that the University supports or adheres to the views held or positions taken by such groups. Responsibility for any action which violates federal, state, or local laws or University regulations must be assumed by the individual groups and their individual officers and members. All student organizations are required to maintain funds derived from activity fees or dues assessed of the members in the University banking services (this is the organization’s on-campus Fund).
*Sponsored Organizations are not sponsored by Oklahoma State University, but by another, larger student organization like a college's student council or those listed above. This is often known as the organization's "umbrella organization."
Sponsored Organizations May:
- Request fees from the SGA Co-Sponsorship fund (up to $1500/semester for Sponsored);
- Request fees from the SGA Multicultural Affairs Committee (MAC)
- Use University facilities (normally at no cost), for regularly scheduled business meeting in designated areas including scheduling the use of grounds, Chi-O Clock tabling, etc.
- Use the unrestricted bulletin boards on campus with proper approval from Student Union Meeting and Conference Services (SU 179)
- Ad Hoc Organizations
Short-term Ad Hoc groups to support a specific candidate during their candidacy (usually only one semester or less) or organizations set up for a specific short-term reason such as a one-time competition or conference can be created and can be given a CampusLink page and an accounting Fund Code (an on-campus account number) for a limited amount of time. These organizations are not eligible for SGA funding of any kind.
- Administrative Organizations
- Occasionally, a department or a specific program managed by an Academic or Student Affairs unit will ask to create an organization for students to join or be placed into.
- In this case, Campus Life can create a CampusLink page for the organization so they can use the administrative features within CampusLink to help run the program.
- These organizations are usually managed exclusively by faculty or staff.
- These organizations are not eligible for SGA funding of any kind.
Expectations, Benefits, & Responsibilities
Visit the link below to view the benefits and standards for student organizations.