Becoming a RSO

  • What is a RSO?
    • A RSO is a volunteer group of enrolled students organized to obtain certain goals and objectives. 
    • The goals and objectives of a RSO are met through education, social, cultural, religious, or philanthropic activities. These activities should enhance and support MSU students, the university and the community.
    • It is the responsibility of each (RSO) to adhere to the mission of the university and its supporting bylaws and statutes. 
    • A RSO’s goals, objectives and activities are not to deviate from established University policies or regulations.
  • Benefits of Being a RSO

    Being a RSO at MSU provides many benefits, including:

    • Having an active page on Involve@State.
    • Access to participation in Sparticipation and Springticipation.
    • Access to on-campus meeting and event spaces.
    • Discounted rates for locations on campus for events.
    • Discounted rates for campus services.
    • Free consulting to support student organizations.
    • Access to enhanced training and workshops.
    • Access to institutional marketing.
    • Access to leadership development opportunities
    • Ability to accept institutional funding.
    • Ability to have an institutional account.
    • Ability to have a MSUFCU off-campus account
    • Ability to have a free RSO MSU email and Microsoft Teams account.
    • Eligible for the Department of Student Involvement and Leadership Awards.
  • Registering a RETURNING RSO

    A RETURNING RSO is a RSO who was registered in any capacity (returning or new) for the 2022-2023 year.

    RSOs must register each year via Involve@State. Registration for returning student organizations can begin as early as August 1, but dates for registration will be announced no later than 1 May each year. Registration is valid from the date an RSO’s registration is APPROVED through the end of the 2nd week of the fall semester of the following academic year.

    Requirements:

    The following information is required to register:

    • Name of the RSO.
    • The purpose of the RSO, such as mission, vision, values.
    • RSO self-selected categories and interests.
    • RSO photo or logo.
      • Please note all logos must abide by MSU licensing rules. Refer to the Marketing section of this handbook for more details on logos.
    • Address of any property owned or rented by the RSO. 
    • The positions and contact information of at least four (4) currently enrolled student members.
    • Name, email, and phone number for president, vice-president, treasurer, and secretary.
      • They will be required to accept the Terms & Conditions of their respective roles on Involve@State.
    • Name, email, and phone number for an MSU adviser
      • RSOs open only to undergraduate students may have an adviser who is a MSU faculty member, staff member, or graduate student.
      • RSOs open to undergraduate and graduate students or only graduate students must have an adviser who is a MSU faculty or staff member.
    • Current constitution which contains the following:
      • The purpose of the organization.
      • A clause that indicates that only currently enrolled Michigan State University students are eligible to be members and officers.
      • The full MSU anti-discrimination clause:
        • “The organization will not discriminate on the basis of age, color, gender, gender identity, disability status, height, marital status, national origin, political persuasion, race, religion, sexual orientation, veteran status or weight”.
        • If you are a single-sex social fraternity or sorority, affiliated fraternity or sorority, or otherwise have Title IX exempt status, see the section related to “Single-Sex Membership Organizations”.
      • Information regarding necessary operating procedures, such as rules of order, officer positions and descriptions, elections, membership removal, and committees.
      • Procedures for amending the constitution.
      • Procedure for disbanding the organization.
      • If you are creating or rewriting a constitution and need a template or sample, visit the “Starting a New RSO” section of the  Registered Student Organization Resources website.
    • Organization account number (if renewing).
    • If applicable, RSOs should submit information about national affiliations.

     

    Process:

    • Registration will be based on your organization type:
      • Affiliated Organizations will begin on 1 June.
      • Returning Organizations will begin on 1 July.
    • At the time of registration for your organization, follow the steps below:
      • Be sure to have all required pieces of information listed in the previous paragraphs to ensure an easy and efficient registration submission process.
      • Any of the following officer positions will be able to re-register the RSO:
        • President
        • Vice President
        • Treasurer
        • Secretary
        • Primary Contact
      • Log into Involve@State.
      • Go to your RSO Page.
      • You have 2 option to get to your registration form:
        • Select “Manage Organization” button in the upper right corner.
        • Or click the gear icon that appears over laid your club logo on the left side of the menu and then select “Manage Home”
      • Select the blue “Re-Register” button.
        • If there is no blue “Re-Register” button, then you are a currently registered RSO
        • The  blue box will indicate when registration will open for your RSO.
      • Read all instructions thoroughly.
      • Use ONLY MSU email addresses throughout the form.
      • All items with a red asterisk (*) are required.
      • Follow up with student officers and adviser(s) to ensure they have created their Involve@State profile and accepted their role(s) in the organization.
        • To accept the role and terms and conditions options are:
          1. Via Email:
            • Follow the link(s) in the email you receive
          2. Via Involve@State:
            • Log into Involve@State.
            • Click on the circle in the upper right corner that has either your uploaded photo or first initial.
            • Select "Memberships".
            • Scroll to find the RSO and the role.
              • The role will be highlighted in red. 
            • Select "Review".
            • Read the Terms & Conditions
            • Click "I have read and accept these Terms & Conditions"
            • Click "Accept"
  • Registering a NEW RSO

    A NEW RSO is a RSO who was not registered in any capacity (returning or new) for the 2023-2024 year. This can include groups who have never registered or are reviving a RSO.

    Registration for new student organizations can begin as early as August 1*, but dates for registration will be announced no later than May. Registration is valid from the date an RSO’s registration is APPROVED through the end of the 2nd week of the fall semester of the following academic year.

    Requirements:

    • The following information is required to register:
      • Name of the RSO.
      • The purpose of the RSO, such as mission, vision, values.
      • RSO self-selected categories and interests.
      • RSO photo or logo.
        • Please note all logos must abide by MSU licensing rules. Refer to the Marketing section of this handbook for more details on logos.
      • Address of any property owned or rented by the RSO.
      • The positions and contact information of at least four (4) currently enrolled student members.
      • Name, email, and phone number for president, vice-president, treasurer, and secretary.
        • They will be required to accept the Terms & Conditions of their respective roles on Involve@State.
      • Name, email, and phone number for an MSU adviser
        • RSOs open only to undergraduate students may have an adviser who is a MSU faculty member, staff member, or graduate student.
        • RSOs open to undergraduate and graduate students or only graduate students must have an adviser who is a MSU faculty or staff member.
      • Current constitution which contains the following:
        • The purpose of the organization.
        • A clause that indicates that only currently enrolled Michigan State University students are eligible to be members and officers.
        • The full MSU anti-discrimination clause:
          • “The organization will not discriminate on the basis of age, color, gender, gender identity, disability status, height, marital status, national origin, political persuasion, race, religion, sexual orientation, veteran status or weight”.
          • If you are a single-sex social fraternity or sorority, affiliated fraternity or sorority, or otherwise have Title IX exempt status, see the section related to “Single-Sex Membership Organizations”.
        • Information regarding necessary operating procedures, such as rules of order, officer positions and descriptions, elections, membership removal, and committees.
        • Procedures for amending the constitution.
        • Procedure for disbanding the organization.
        • If you are creating or rewriting a constitution and need a template or sample, visit the “Starting a New RSO” section of the Registered Student Organization Resources website.
      • If applicable, RSOs should submit information about national affiliations.
      • Confirmation of having met with the RSO TEam
      • Confirm that there is not a similar organization on Involve@State.

     

    Process:

    • The RSO is required to meet with the RSO Team prior to registering their new RSO.
    • After meeting with the RSO Team and once ready to register, please follow the steps below:
      • Be sure to have all required pieces of information listed in the Annual Re-Registration and New Student Organization Registration Requirements section to ensure an easy and efficient registration submission process.
      • Log into Involve@State.
      • Select “Organizations” in the top horizontal menu bar.
      • Select “Register an Organization” in the left vertical menu bar.
      • Select the blue “Register a New Organization” option at the bottom of the page.
      • Read all instructions thoroughly.
      • Use only MSU email addresses for all members on the roster.
      • All items with a red asterisk (*) are required.
      • Follow up with student officers and adviser(s) to ensure they have created their Involve@State profile and accepted their role(s) in the organization.
        • To accept the role and terms and conditions options are:
          1. Via Email:
            • Follow the link(s) in the email you receive
          2. Via Involve@State:
            • Log into Involve@State.
            • Click on the circle in the upper right corner that has either your uploaded photo or first initial.
            • Select "Memberships".
            • Scroll to find the RSO and the role.
              • The role will be highlighted in red. 
            • Select "Review".
            • Read the Terms & Conditions
            • Click "I have read and accept these Terms & Conditions"
            • Click "Accept"
  • Registering Social Greek Letter Fraternities and Sororities

    Social Greek Letter Organizations must meet two additional requirements in order to receive Registered Student Organization Status: (1) Validation of Single-Sex Membership and (2) Validation of 100% chapter membership’s participation in Greeks Take the Lead.

    Validation of Single-Sex Membership:

    • In accordance with Title IX, the university does not allow affiliated organizations to discriminate based on sex. Title IX allows certain single-sex social sororities and fraternities an exemption from such requirements. To qualify, the sorority/fraternity must meet all of the following criteria:
      • The organization must have tax-exempt status under Section 501 of the Internal Revenue Code.
      • Members must be limited to students, staff or faculty at MSU.
      • The organization must be a “social fraternity/sorority” as defined by the Department of Education.
        • The Department of Education defines a “social fraternity/sorority” as a group that can answer “no” to the following questions:
          • Is the organization’s membership limited to persons pursuing or having interest in a particular field of study, profession or academic discipline?
          • Is the membership limited to individuals who have a high level of achievement in scholarship or any other endeavor?
          • Are the members permitted to hold membership in other fraternities or sororities at the university?
        • If a group answers “yes” to any of the questions, it is not a “social fraternity/sorority” and is not exempt from the requirements of Title IX, and therefore must meet all required criteria of a regular RSO.
      • If the sorority or fraternity meets the above exemption criteria, it may register as a RSO, even if the sex-discrimination-related clause is not included within its existing constitution. 
        • Copy of a chapter constitution with the MSU non-discrimination clause in it or the supplmenetal chapter constitution provided by the RSO Team
        • Copy of validation of tax exempt state  under Section 501 of the Internal Revenue Code

     

    Greeks Take the Lead:

    To maintain status as RSOs, full membership of all sororities and fraternities are required to participate in annual MSU “Greeks Take the Lead” sexual harassment and assault prevention training. Failure to participate in annual training will result in the inability to register as a RSO and/or revocation of RSO status. For information regarding “Greeks Take the Lead” programming and to schedule a training session, contact the MSU Prevention Outreach & Education Coordinator at (517) 355-3865 or gttl@msu.edu.

Becoming a RSO PDF

Updated 12 August 2022

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