Club Recognition and Reorganization

Student Name and Constitution Changes

Changes to your organization’s constitution or changing your organization’s name must be reviewed and approved by Student Involvement and Leadership.

If you plan to make any changes, please follow the instructions below. If you have any questions, please email neworgs@echo.rutgers.edu. Keep in mind that all changes are subject to approval. You may not consider your constitution valid until it is officially approved by our office.

Note: All changes must be submitted between October 1 and March 1.

Constitution Changes

You should review your constitution periodically to make sure:

• You are including all required items. Review the sample constitution for items that are required in all constitutions.
• You are following your election guidelines.
• You are following your amendment guidelines.
• Your officer positions are defined in your constitution.

If you make any changes, you need to:

• Notify your Advisor.
• Upload the updated constitution (in Microsoft Word) to the getINVOLVED forms page.

Your updated constitution will be reviewed, and you will be notified via email if you need to make any corrections or if it is approved. Once approved, the updated constitution will be uploaded on getINVOLVED and saved in the Student Involvement and Leadership office files.

Name Changes

You will need to request a constitution review if you are changing the name of your student organization. The name of your student organization should already define your mission/purpose. Thus, student organizations should not be changing their name or constitution frequently or at all, as this interrupts the history and promotion of your organization.

Name changes will only be approved if the name doesn’t represent the mission/purpose well or students are not able to connect with the organization because the name is too vague or misleading.

Many departments need to be notified when an organization changes their name so that they can update their records, websites, social media, etc. If you wish to request a name or constitution change, you must do the following:

• Review your constitution as outlined under Constitution Changes
• Upload the updated constitution (in Microsoft Word) to the getINVOLVED forms page.

You will be notified via email if you need to make any corrections. Once your name and updated constitution have been approved, the updated constitution will be uploaded on getINVOLVED and saved in Student Involvement and Leadership files. All the appropriate university departments will also be notified.

Purpose/Mission Changes

You will need to request a constitution review if you are changing your organization’s mission statement. Ideally, student organizations should not be revising their mission statements. However, if your organization’s mission no longer matches the needs or interests of your members, you must request a constitution review.

Keep in mind that a change in mission may result in you needing to apply as a new organization.

Please follow the steps outlined in Constitution Changes if you wish to change your purpose/mission.

Registration Requirements for Student Organizations

Officer Requirements

All student organizations are required to have a minimum of three officers.

Student organization officers must be fully registered, full-time undergraduate students at any school on the New Brunswick Campus of Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, with at least a 2.0 cumulative GPA earned at Rutgers. First semester students are not eligible to serve as officers.

Exceptions to these requirements are as follows:

• A new organization applying for recognition may have officers who are first semester transfer students. These students must have at least a 2.0 cumulative GPA at their previous institution, and must provide transcripts proving this to Student Involvement and Leadership for review. New organizations cannot have any officer changes during their provisional period.
• A student in their final semester who is registered only part-time may be accepted as an officer only with the approval of the organization’s advisor, as long as they meet all other eligibility requirements.

Please note: All candidates running for elected student government positions are required to have a minimum GPA of 2.5.

Constitution

All organizations must provide Student Involvement and Leadership with a constitution. If you are registering with the online registration system for the first time, you will be instructed on how to submit the constitution. If you have used this online system before, you were notified as to whether or not you need to turn in a constitution. Student organizations will be required to update their constitution every three years. Your organization will be notified by our office once your organization is required to update your constitution.

Faculty/Staff Advisor

All organizations need to choose a full-time faculty/staff member to serve as your organization’s Advisor. When deciding on a potential faculty/staff Advisor you should ask yourself the following questions:

• Is there an individual on campus that has expertise related to our organization?
• Is there someone who has expressed interest in our group’s activities?

The faculty/staff Advisor must be a full-time faculty or staff member who works on the New Brunswick/Piscataway campus. In addition, they cannot be on leave or sabbatical during the time they serve as your Advisor.

Additional Documentation

During completion of the online registration, you will update your organization’s profile, upload a membership roster, invite members/officers/Advisors to confirm their membership via a link emailed from the system, electronically sign a hazing compliance form, and request meeting rooms for your group.

Administrative Advising

Student organizations are also assigned an administrative Advisor from Student Involvement and Leadership. Groups must develop a working relationship with their Administrative Adviser who will assist with program, planning, and navigating the policies and procedures related to being a student organization at Rutgers University. The Administrative Adviser is assigned to organizations once they become provisionally or fully registered.

Student Organization Registration and New Organization Recognition

Student organizations at Rutgers University provide students with an opportunity to explore interests, sharpen skills, and learn about themselves and others while enhancing the academic mission of the university. Organizational involvement allows students to develop skills that will prepare them for their career and civic responsibilities for beyond the university.

For an organization to be fully operational at Rutgers University, recognition must occur. Recognition grants many on-campus privileges to student organizations. All recognized organizations must complete the online registration process on an annual basis in order to retain the privileges associated with recognition.

Some of the benefits of recognition include:

• An up-to-date organization database maintained by Student Involvement and Leadership.
• Authorized use of Rutgers University facilities and university services.
• Ability to request funds from the RUSA Allocations Board.
• Participation in Rutgers University events including the annual Involvement Fair and more.
• Priority in scheduling Student Center meeting and/or program space.
• Being in the “information loop” for organizations at Rutgers University.
• A free account at the Student Activities Business Office to maintain your organization’s funds.
• Advising on program and event planning, trip facilitation, budgeting, and risk management.
• Free webspace and listservs on the Rutgers University Server.
• An organization profile on getINVOLVED.
• Various leadership development and training programs to enhance your officers’ and members’ skills.
• Free exposure/advertisement of the organization through Student Center and Activities.
• Opportunity to work with a Faculty/Staff Mentor who will provide support and guidance for your organization.

New Organization Recognition

To start a new Engineering, Pharmacy, Recreation Sports Club, or Graduate Student Organization, please contact the respective Departments/Governing Associations.

To start a new Fraternity or Sorority chapter, please go to: greeklife.rutgers.edu.

To start a RUSA, RBS or SEBS-affiliated organization, follow the steps below. If you have any immediate questions, please email neworgs@echo.rutgers.edu.

Recognition Deadlines for the next Academic Year for Undergraduate Student Organizations funded by:

• Rutgers University Student Assembly (RUSA)
• Rutgers Business Governing Association (RBGA)
• School of Environmental and Biological Sciences (SEBS)

Note: Student Involvement and Leadership does not recognize organizations that come under the areas listed below. You must contact these departments directly.

• Fraternities and Sororities
• School of Engineering
• School of Pharmacy
• Douglass Residential College
• Recreation Sports Clubs & Intramurals
• Graduate Student Organizations

Recognition Deadlines for the next Academic Year for Undergraduate Student Organizations funded by RUSA, RBGA and SEBS

Early Deadline: January 11 – March 20
Note: If approved, you will be notified in August, but will not be recognized until September. You will be able to participate in the Fall Involvement Fair. 

Late Deadline: September 1 – October 1 
Note: If approved, you will not be notified and recognized until November/December. 

Provisional Status: If approved, new organizations are considered provisional for one academic year and must complete several requirements by March 1. These requirements teach organizations about the various policies and procedures they must follow, how to plan and budget for events, how to recruit members and use the getINVOLVED platform, the appropriate way to represent Rutgers, and more. 

If the requirements are met, the organization will receive confirmation via email by the end of the Spring semester with instructions on re-registering the organization for the following academic year. During this re-registration period, the provisional status will be removed for the next academic year. If the requirements are not met, the organization will be de-recognized and notified via email. 

Please review the Step By Step Guide to better understand the requirements necessary to successfully complete this application process. 

Use the checklist below to ensure that you have all of the mandatory information necessary to proceed with the application:

• Official name
• Summary or description of your organization, including a clearly defined organizational purpose
• Acronym for your organization to be entered as part of your profile on getINVOLVED
• Full name, position, NetID, phone number, and email of three Rutgers University undergraduate student officers with a minimum GPA of 2.0:
  • Primary officer (i.e., President, Editor-In-Chief, General Manager)
  • Treasurer
  • Additional officer (i.e., Vice President, Co-President, Managing Editor, Assistant Editor)
  • Faculty/staff mentor (recommended but not required)
• Seven additional Rutgers University undergraduate students with an interest in the organization to serve as members. Must have their full name, NetID and email address
  • All officers and members must approve the membership request and have a completed profile on getINVOLVED
• If your organization has a national affiliation, you must request an authorized letter of approval from the national organization*
• Completed constitution ready to be uploaded (Use this Sample Constitution as a guide)

To submit the application:

• Visit getINVOLVED
• Log in
• Click on “Organizations”
• Select “Recognize New Student Organization”

Note: All applications will be reviewed in detail, and if necessary, you will be contacted for any clarification. All organization’s primary contacts will be notified of a decision via email or through their getINVOLVED profile. If you would like to schedule a meeting with a New Student Organization Peer Advisor, or have any questions or concerns, please email neworgs@echo.rutgers.edu.

*The national affiliation approval letter must be submitted to Student Involvement and Leadership within two weeks after submitting your application. Paperwork can be submitted to neworgs@echo.rutgers.edu or dropped off with the Student Involvement and Leadership team at the Student Activities Center, 613 George Street (lower level), New Brunswick, NJ 08901.

New Student Organization Recognition Appeal Process

If your student organization is denied recognition and you wish to appeal, you must follow the procedures below:

• Within two weeks of your denial notification, you must re-submit your application from your original submission with a new constitution and/or updates based on the reason for your denial.
  • If you re-submit your application after this time frame, you will be denied. You must wait for the next recognition cycle to appeal.
  • If your appeal is received on time and is denied, you must wait to re-apply during the next recognition cycle.
  • If your appeal is received on time and approved, you will be notified via email.
  • If you re-submit the same application with no changes, your organization will automatically be denied.
• Note: Any organization that is denied recognition due to university regulations is not eligible to appeal.

If you have any questions, please email neworgs@echo.rutgers.edu.

Re-Registering Your Student Organization

All student organizations registered with Student Involvement and Leadership are required to re-register for the upcoming academic year. 

Please keep in mind when you complete this process that you should submit the officers that will be serving the next year–not your current board.  

Re-registration time period: Re-registration opens on March 1 and closes May 1 every year. 
 
Please follow your group’s constitution regarding the election of new officers, prior to beginning the re-registration process. We recommend holding elections in March and transitioning officers in early April.   

If your group was new to the university in the 2022-2023 academic year, then your group must have successfully completed the New Organization Recognition process in order to be eligible for re-registration.  

Organizations MUST re-register EVERY year by May 1 to be considered an active organization for the following academic year. 

This guide will provide you with detailed instructions as to how to submit re-registration. If you encounter any issues with the Re-Registration Process, please email orgregistration@echo.rutgers.edu 

If you would like to simply review the items you need to prepare to complete re-registration quickly, download the checklist here. 

If your organization is currently inactive and wishes to be recognized again, please contact orgregistration@echo.rutgers.edu for further instructions. 

Student Organization Registration Directions for New and Returning Organizations

These steps will help you register or re-register your organization.

Go to https://rutgers.collegiatelink.net.

Once you log in (by clicking on the icon at the top right corner and using your NetID and password), click on the Organizations tab. Then if you are a:

New Organization - click on the left-hand side icon for “Register a New Organization.”

Returning Organization - search for your group in the organization index and click the “Re-Register This Group” button located under the group’s name and description.

Step 1: Introduction/Checklist

A checklist of items will then appear. Be sure to have all needed information and materials that are outlined in the checklist before you begin the registration process.

Step 2: Profile/General/Organization Contact Information

You will need to input the following:

• Official Name
• Acronym/Nickname
• Organization Description Summary
• Organization Description

Organization Web Site URL (usually the acronym for your group)

• External Website, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram
• General Group Email
• Full address if the group has an office; otherwise, use 613 George Street, New Brunswick, NJ 08901
• Phone and Fax Number are not needed
• Submission Date of Constitution

Step 3: Interests

Select interests that represent your organization. For example, if I am part of the Livingston Theatre Company, one of the categories I would select is “Art “and then the sub-interest is “Performance.” (Feel free to assign more than one interest, and note that there are sub-interests available once you click on a given folder icon!)

You can also rank the interests by simply dragging them higher or lower in order. These interests help new students get matched with your organization.

Step 4: Categories

Based on the categories provided, you will assign the categories that your organization belongs in. For example, if I am part of the Livingston Theatre Company, one of the categories I would select is “Performing Arts.”

Step 5: Upload a New Profile Picture

Keep in mind that this is representative of your organization, so make sure it is appropriate and appealing!

Step 6: Constitution

All new organizations are required to submit a constitution when they initially register, and will be asked to have their constitution reviewed and revised every three years.

Re-registering groups do not need to upload this document as there should already be a copy attached to their profile.

Step 7: Roster

You will need to provide names and emails for the following:

• At least 1 Faculty/Staff Mentor 
• At least 1 President 
• At least 1 Treasurer 
• At least 10 total participants (for returning groups)
  • New groups need only four members during the provisional status, and 10 to reach full registration status. These members must be current undergraduates registered at Rutgers-New Brunswick.

Following the completion of the requirements checklist in the top right corner, hit “Next” and then submit your organization for approval.

All organizations are required to have at least three officers, one of which is to be titled the Primary Officer (this will be your President, Chair, Editor-in-Chief, etc.), but for registration purposes should be called the “Primary Officer.” The second required position is the Treasurer. The other officer positions are of your choosing.  

The name of the person submitting the registration will appear in the first box. Choose the title from the pull-down menu that most closely resembles your position (Primary Officer and Treasurer are in the menu).  

To add your other officers, please click on Add Member. One officer should also be listed as the Primary Contact – this position can add and delete items on the profile. 

Step 8: Rutgers University Hazing Policy Compliance Form (TWO PAGES)

Read the entire form, mark off the boxes at the bottom, and simply sign your name (it can be any officer), stating that you understand all policies. You will electronically sign your name at the bottom of the pages of the hazing form.  

Please communicate these policies to your organization’s members. 

Step 9: Student Organization Meeting Room Request (for Returning Groups only)

1. Check the box, stating that you understand the room request information.
2. Input the information being asked for (organization name, affiliation, etc).

Go through the THREE pages and fill out when you generally prefer meetings. The form will ask you to rank the top three preferences for campus, day of the week, and time of day. 

Step 10: Registration Signature Form 

Each group must have the Primary Officer, Treasurer, and Faculty/Staff Mentor fill out and sign the Registration Signature Form. This form is located as the last step in registration for new groups and is emailed to re-registering groups in the spring semester. 

When you finish adding your information, please click to submit your registration. Once you do this, your request will be reviewed by Student Involvement and Leadership staff members. Staff members will review your constitution, as well as the eligibility of members, officers, and the Faculty/Staff Mentor. Once your profile is approved, you will receive an email. 

The Primary Contact will receive additional instructions regarding necessary revisions or regarding granting of provisional or full registration status. Please read these emails carefully. 

The signature forms and membership list must be completed and submitted to Student Involvement and Leadership in the Student Activities Center. 

All registration correspondence will be emailed to your Rutgers email address.