How to Join or Start a Student Organization at Santa Clara University (Full Transcript)

Speaker 1: There are many ways to get involved at Santa Clara. One of the best ways to meet new people, make friends, explore your passions, and gain leadership experience is by joining a student organization. Here at Santa Clara, we have over 170 registered student organizations, RSOs, and 9 chartered student organizations, CSOs. RSOs include student clubs, professional fraternities, performance arts organizations, and so much more.

Speaker 2: There are so many unique organizations out there to join, and you can search through the whole list of active RSOs using the RSO directory located on our website. But what if you were looking forward to joining a specific organization that isn't on the list? Don't worry, you aren't out of luck. In just 5 simple steps, you can start your own student organization, and this video will

Speaker 1: walk you through that process. If you are interested in starting a new organization, there are a few things you should know. Before you are an approved RSO, your organization must have at least 2 undergraduate students who serve as club officers, particularly president and treasurer. You must also have at least 15 self-selecting members. This may include club officers. All club officers must be undergraduate students, and a majority of members must be undergraduate students. Lastly, you must create a club constitution that meets the required guidelines found in our constitution template.

Speaker 2: But don't worry, you can get the process started before you satisfy these requirements. The registration process is as follows. Step 1. Review the RSO directory to ensure that no current group exists with the same name or mission and vision. Step 2. Meet with the Assistant Director for Student Organizations in the Center for Student Involvement to describe your RSO and see if there are any additional requirements that need to be fulfilled or any issues that need to be addressed before you move on to the subsequent steps. Step 3. Review the Student Organization Handbook and the SCU Student Handbook. Step 4. Submit the Provisional Student Organization, or PSO, application, which can be found on the CSI website. And Step 5. Attend one Provisional Student Organization Workshop. Dates for these workshops will be announced each quarter.

Speaker 1: You must complete these five steps prior to the registration deadline, which is the Monday of Week 2 of the Spring Quarter by 5 o'clock p.m. If you do so, your club will be approved as a Provisional Student Organization. All Provisional Student Organizations are then voted on by the Associated Student Government, ASG, during the fourth week of the Spring Quarter. If your organization is approved by ASG, then you become a Registered Student Organization.

Speaker 2: For more information on the Provisional Student Organization process and the privileges of being a Provisional Student Organization, please visit the CSI website and read our Provisional Status Organization Packet, starting in Organization 101.