Student Life - Registered Student Organizations

www.kellogg.edu/student-life

The purpose of Student Life is to provide learning opportunities beyond the classroom and promote student-driven programming. Through campus partnerships and cooperative planning, the Student Life office works to promote a positive KCC student experience by providing programs rooted in diversity, education, leadership, community service, and social interaction. The Student Life office coordinates a wide range of opportunities for you to gain experience including: campus activities, Registered Student Organizations (RSOs) and honors societies, student-driven programming, The Bruin newspaper, Student Leadership Institute, and so much more. You are encouraged to participate in campus activities in an effort to seek a well-rounded education that will prepare you to be successful in new challenges.

When you participate in Student Life programs and services, it is our intention that you will meet one or both of the following learning outcomes:

1. Students who engage with Student Life programs and services will develop their ability to problem solve and communicate on a professional level.
2. Students who engage with Student Life programs and services will develop and understand their leadership skills.

Registered Student Organizations (RSOs)
www.kellogg.edu/student-life/rsos/

Registered Student Organizations (RSOs) are a great way to get involved on campus. RSOs are a way for students to connect with other students who share similar passions. Additionally, they are a fun way to learn skills often utilized in the workforce. Here is what that would look like … let’s say that a fictional RSO called the Disney Princess Club organizes a Disney Princess Ball. The students in the RSO are responsible for developing the event idea, its design, as well as implementing and carrying out the whole program. Students in RSOs will need to organize its membership to help with advertising; hiring outside vendors, such as DJ and professional Disney characters; and make sure there is food at the Ball. Additionally, RSOs need to make important decisions such as: whether to charge money for the event and/or if fundraisers need to be conducted to cover program costs. Peer management, advertising skills, and vendor relations are all skills used in putting together the Disney Princess Ball and they are all skills that employers find valuable in the workforce.

RSOs support the student learning outcomes of the College and, more specifically, the student learning outcomes of Student Life. RSOs operate based on voluntary participation and self-governance. RSOs are a critical part of the College community and, as such, are obligated to contribute to the development of the individual student. RSOs offer the individual student an opportunity to broaden their environment, skills, and experience gained through membership in student organizations and serve as valuable supplements to the formal curriculum.

Currently enrolled KCC students are able to come together to form RSOs around common interests. RSOs cover a range of topics and interests, including but not limited to: academic, political, advocacy, sports, culture, religious, and much more. Student Life stands ready to support the endeavors of all RSOs and assist students through the registration process to create new RSOs.

Current list of RSOs and contact information. 

RSO Rights, Responsibilities, and Campus Safety

The RSO, as a group and representative of the College, along with its individual student members, are expected to adhere to the Student Code of Conduct   and all other Policies, Procedures, and Other Regulations   including the Sexual Harassment, Sexual Misconduct, and Retaliation (Title IX)    policy. 

Students should report alleged violations of the Student Code of Conduct at http://www.kellogg.edu/reportanincident/. Emergency situations should be reported directly to KCC Public Safety at 269-965-4147 or by calling 911. Students may also use the yellow call boxes located throughout campus to reach KCC Public Safety.

RSO Essentials

Registering a New RSO

Students are encouraged to form new student organizations. The Student Life staff is available to help guide students through this process. An organized group of enrolled KCC students, coming together for a common purpose, may begin a new RSO.

To register a new RSO, follow these steps:

• Ensure that your organization is unique to currently active RSOs.
  • If an RSO is currently inactive that you wish to reactivate, schedule a meeting with Student Life to discuss the process of reactivation, which may include all or a portion of these steps.
• Write the RSOs Constitution, which must include:
  • Name of the organization
  • Objectives and purpose
  • Membership (open or selective, enrolled students only or open, etc.)
  • Officers and duties (if not applicable, state that in the Constitution)
  • Meetings (frequency, openness, etc.)
  • KCC non-discrimination clause
  • Compliance statement regarding adherence to the Student Code of Conduct and all College policies
  • Other RSO related information you deem critical to the organization’s purpose and function
  • Signature and date lines for:
  1. The student initiating the RSO
  2. The advisor
  3. Student Life
• Advisor(s) name and position title as an employee of the College.
  • College faculty and administrators are eligible to serve as lead advisors
• Current list of student members, including student K-ID numbers and contact information.

Student Life has a sample Constitution that may be useful to you and can assist with the writing process, should you need it. You should also work closely with your advisor during the writing process.

Once you and your advisor have agreed upon the Constitution, you should both sign it and schedule a meeting with Student Life for final approval. Once your organization meets the registration requirements, it will be granted active status. Active status will allow your organization to take advantage of the privileges granted to RSOs. This includes access to funding from various campus resources (i.e. Student Life, other supporting campus departments).

Annual Registration for Current RSOs

Student Life requires RSOs to register annually to maintain active status. By registering, RSOs renew access to RSO privileges granted by KCC. To register, RSOs must submit the following information to Student Life:

• Name of RSO
• A Re-affirmed Constitution, including:
  • Name of the organization
  • Objectives and purpose
  • Membership (open or selective, enrolled students only or open, etc.)
  • Officers and duties (if not applicable, state that in the Constitution)
  • Meetings (frequency, openness, etc.)
  • KCC non-discrimination clause
  • Compliance statement regarding adherence to the Student Code of Conduct and all College policies
  • Other RSO related information you deem critical to the organization’s purpose and function
  • Reaffirmation date and advisor signature
• Advisor(s) name and position with KCC.
  • College faculty and administrators are eligible to serve as lead advisors
• Current list of officers (if applicable) and members, including student K-ID numbers and contact information.
  • Students who are listed as RSO members or officers must be enrolled KCC students during the current academic year and must meet the membership criteria as stated in the RSOs Constitution.
• Meeting information - date(s), time(s), and location

This information can be sent electronically to studentlife@kellogg.edu. Failure to register your RSO will result in your organization’s status being moved to inactive and loss of privileges.

The registration deadline will be announced at the beginning of each fall semester. Participation in the annual Bruin Blast event indicates intent to register but does not count as registration.

RSO Privileges

Privileges are granted only to those organizations that officially register and have earned official recognition by the College.

• The Bruin Advertising - RSOs can advertise in The Bruin student newspaper for free. Submit requests electronically to Student Life at studentlife@kellogg.edu.
• Campus-Wide Postings - RSOs can request to have promotional materials posted campus-wide. See Student Life Rules and Regulations for more information on this process.
• Financial Account - RSOs will have two accounts with KCC, one for expenditures and one for revenue. RSOs wishing to make a deposit must contact Student Life. Off-campus accounts are not permitted. A KCC financial account allows campus departments to easily transfer funds as a means of support for your organization. Throughout the academic year, Student Life will send an updated account balance to advisors.
• Media Design - To render these services, RSO officers and members should first discuss their marketing plan with their advisor. The advisor should then plan time to share these details with Media Design. Allow at least two weeks for the staff to develop a design and allow at least one additional week for proofing the design. Upon final approval of the proof from the RSO, Media Design will send the artwork to the KCC Print and Document Services for printing. Media Design has the right to verify with Student Life at any time if the organization submitting a design request is currently registered and active.
• Official Recognition by the College - KCC will officially recognize student organizations that meet the aforementioned criteria.
• Printing Costs - Student Life supports RSOs in their marketing efforts by paying for internal printing costs associated with activities directly affiliated with RSOs.
• RSO Website - RSOs can request a webpage on the www.kellogg.edu website through Student Life.
• Student Life Co-Sponsorship - As a co-sponsor of RSO events, Student Life can provide a variety of services to support your organization. Support may come in the form of funding, assistance with event planning, promotion of your event and/or organization, access to leadership development for officers and members, and/or use of Student Life supplies.

RSO Advisors

RSO advisors are important not only because they are role models for students, but also because of their involvement in the organization itself provides learning experiences that are transferable to situations beyond college. RSO advisors must be employees of KCC. In order to assist the advisor and the RSO in understanding the roles of an effective advisor, Student Life offers the following list of responsibilities:

Advisor Responsibilities to the RSO

• Assist officers in understanding their duties, administering programs and plans, organizing projects, and making appropriate transitions.
• Preserve the continuity of the organization through the constitution, traditions, files, and meeting minutes.
• Encourage the use of procedures to ensure that the meetings run in an orderly and efficient manner.
• Attend as many organization meetings and events as possible.
• Articulate campus policies and procedures. 
• Support officers and be available for the evaluation of ideas.
• Maintain the ability to deal with the same issues each year and remain open to new ideas.
• Facilitate discussions among officers and between officers and members.
• Be familiar with national structure and services, if relevant.
• Assist with specific KCC services, for example, obtaining organization account information and reserving campus space.
• Consult on programs.
• Advise individual students as necessary.
• Assist the organization as needed.
• Aid in the marketing and recruitment of the organization.

RSO Responsibilities to the Advisor

• Notify the advisor of all meetings and events.
• Confer with the advisor on plans, projects, and events.
• Consult with the advisor before making structure or policy changes.
• Understand that although the advisor has no vote, they have speaking privileges and reserve the right to deter plans in case of violation.
• Remember the responsibility for the success or failure of group projects rests ultimately with the group, not the advisor.
• Acknowledge the advisor’s time and energy and express appropriate appreciation.
• State clearly and openly the expectations of the advisor.
• Evaluate the advisor and periodically give feedback.
• Declare the advisor’s length of service to the organization.

RSO Event Planning

Pre-Planning

Before you start planning an event or activity, consider these questions first:

• Has this activity been reviewed with your RSO advisor?
• What liability does the organization run the risk of incurring? Is the potential liability for the organization worth the potential benefits to the organization?
• What state laws or city ordinances have the potential of being violated? What safeguards will be used to keep these laws from being violated?
• How will security be maintained during the event?
• List the possible problem situations that could present themselves at the event and how the organization will resolve each possible problem.
• Do you have an established timeline to plan the event?
• What campus resources are available to your organization to ensure a successful event?
• Does your organization need to develop a sub-committee for this event? Who will serve on that sub-committee and who will chair the sub-committee?
• What is the purpose/goal of the event?
• Who is your target audience for the event?

Checklist for Event Planning

Checklist for RSO Event Planning    

Tips for Success

• Hold consistent meetings of key players for effective communication. Always be sure the advisor is kept updated.
• Create an event timeline - go backwards. Often times, starting an event timeline from event backwards can be most effective.
• Stay healthy. Check-in with yourself often, ask for help when you need it, get good rest and eat healthy.
• Use your resources! There are huge pockets of resources on campus to help your organization be successful - your advisor can help identify these resources.
• Be honest. An important sign of a strong leader is one who is honest; tell your key players when you are unsure of something.
• Engage your help. Utilizing your team helps for a great event and with your stress level.
• Write down your goals and share them. This is essential for good communication; when you and your team are all moving in the same direction, you are more likely to be successful because you have driven down the same road.
• Consult with Kampus Activities Board to see if there is any way they can help.

Field Trips and Overnight Travel

Registered Student Organizations (RSOs) may wish to plan activities that require travel. Any and all student organization functions involving travel are limited to organization members and approved guests as deemed by Student Life. An advisor for the student organization, or another appropriate KCC employee, must be in attendance for the entire duration of any RSO travel.

An advisor for the RSO should initiate the travel approval process by contacting Student Life. A Field Trip Request form, with all appropriate signatures, should be submitted to the Human Resources office for appropriate action not less than two (2) days prior to departure. Travel outside of the state will require additional signatures as deemed by Student Life.

KCC vehicles may be requested by KCC RSOs for approved travel when accompanied by the advisor. KCC employees must complete the Driving Safety Training and Road Test to be able to drive KCC vehicles (both College-owned and rented). Students are not permitted to drive vehicles rented through KCC or KCC owned vehicles. Students choosing to drive their own vehicle to a destination for the purpose of a RSO sponsored trip still need to be identified on the Field Trip Request Form.

The RSO advisor should obtain all the necessary information and turn in the completed form to Student Life for final approval. Once approved, the completed Field Trip Requests are held on file with the Human Resources office.

Overnight Travel

RSO officers, members, and/or advisors planning on overnight travel must submit a Field Trip Request Form and a Travel Request Form along with detailed information about the trip. When KCC funds are being used, including RSO funds, to fund overnight trips, it is required that an advisor (or appropriate delegate who is a KCC employee, as determined by Student Life in advance) will be present for the duration of the trip. Employees are prohibited from sharing overnight lodging with students.

Fundraising for RSOs

Student Life encourages its Registered Student Organizations (RSOs) to participate in fundraising activities. College departments, programs, and RSOs are those whose relationship to the institution is formally recognized and, therefore, fall within acceptable parameters to use the College’s name along with its non-profit status when seeking donations of any kind. Fundraising is defined as an activity whereby a College department, program, or RSO seeks a charitable donation, either monetary or in the form of goods or services, from an external agency for the purpose of financial benefit to the College department, program, or RSO. During such activities when the College’s name is incited in association with any fundraising activity, the College requires that departments, programs, and RSOs acquire written permission from the College prior to beginning fundraising. Inciting the College’s name while engaging in unapproved fundraising activities is strictly prohibited.

RSOs are encouraged to participate in fundraising activities in order to produce revenue for the organization. Student Life must approve all fundraising activities and all fundraising activities must comply with the College’s Fundraising policy .

Any registered student organization on campus wishing to raise funds must obtain approval by the Student Life office prior to beginning any fundraising activities. All fundraising activities must adhere to the Student Code of Conduct. RSOs that engage in fundraising activities without prior approval may be in jeopardy of being placed on probation or losing official registration status.

An advisor or student may initiate the fundraising approval process by completing a Fundraising Request form, which should be submitted within ten (10) business days prior to the date of the fundraiser.

All RSO fundraising activities must be approved by Student Life in advance. Applications can be picked up in Student Life. RSOs must file a revenue report at the completion of all fundraising activities within ten (10) days of the conclusion of the approved fundraising activity. Student Life reserves the right to deny any fundraising activity that may be deemed harmful and/or in violation of KCC policy.

Table Scheduling

RSOs, and other active students, who wish to schedule a promotional table in the Student Center, or other designated location on campus, must complete a Table Request Form, available in Student Life. Tables are scheduled on a first-come, first-served basis.

Students are expected to have their tables staffed at all times and comply fully with the College’s policies (see the Policies, Procedures, and Other Regulations  section of Student Handbook for further details). The College is not responsible for any lost, damaged, or stolen items.

The College takes seriously students’ rights to a safe campus, where the free exchange of thoughts and ideas is encouraged. Tables will be monitored to ensure compliance with College policies, including Freedom of Expression.

Room Reservations and Meeting Space

RSOs can reserve rooms through their advisors or Student Life. When using space at KCC such as classrooms or conference rooms for meetings, an advisor must be present. If an advisor cannot attend, RSOs may use any public space at KCC (i.e. Student Center) to meet without an advisor.

RSO members and officers should discuss room reservations with the advisor. The advisor or Student Life will make the official request following the established guidelines put forth by the Scheduling Manager.

When making a request, be sure to have made the following considerations:

• Number of people expected
• If there will be food at the program/event (not all rooms allow for food)
• Media needs
• Location, especially for attendees who may not be familiar with campus

A request for a specific room can be made; however, there is no guarantee the request can be met. KCC reserves the right to alter room reservations at any time in order to better meet the needs of the KCC community. Every opportunity will be made to minimize this potential inconvenience, including but not limited to, reasonable notification of change and offering of another similar space.