Student Life

A look at student organization requirements and retention

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by Chianna Schoenthaler

Colorado State University- Pueblo’s campus is home to over 60 student organizations and clubs, each catering to a specific demographic of the student body.

To start a recognized student organizations, the students are required to go through a specific process established in a student organization handbook.

Every recognized student organization is required to have one CSU-Pueblo faculty or staff advisor, at least four officers who are current students maintaining six credit hours with a grade point average above a 2.0, a mission statement, a PACKLINK profile, a 900 university account, renewing the organization yearly and other various trainings.

A university 900 account is where all money receive or raised by a student organization is placed.

“The main reason that most orgs do not make it is the students that create them graduate and they do not have enough members remaining to sustain the org. We hold trainings about transition and planning to try and prevent this from happening,” said Gena Alfonso, the director of student engagement and leadership.

On PACKLINK, registered student organizations are given a specific category including academic, cultural, campus-life, honor society, special interest, or limited membership based on the overall premise of the society.

“ Normally three to four student organizations created each year, with some being orgs that we have had in the past that have “died” and are being re-established,” said Alfonso.

Organizations who have “died” off often are re-established by current students taking over from past students and recreating the establishment of being registered as a recognized student organization.

“The Student Veterans of America was re-established this year and they are going amazing,” said Alfonso.

The student engagement and leadership office also requires communication and publicity between the office and the organization.

Each organization is required to follow set policies created by student engagement and leadership include a non-discrimination, anti-hazing, sublet hazing and harassment hazing. If an organization fails to adhere to these regulations they could be put onto sanctions, appeals or lose the registration of a recognized student organization.

Every group is required to have an executive board that serves as the leadership team. The most common team includes a president, vice president, secretary, treasurer and advisor. The team’s duties are outlined in the constitution created by the student organization.

All organization put on various events throughout the semester. Some events include fundraising while others are educational. The university student org handbook lists various items that should be taken into account before an event takes place.

 

More information about creating a student organization can be found on PACKLINK at https://csupueblo.collegiatelink.net/ or the university student org handbook at https://www.csupueblo.edu/student-engagement-and-leadership/_doc/student-organization-handbook-2016-2017.pdf