Thank you for your interest in establishing a new student organization at Kennesaw State University! Registered Student Organizations (RSOs) are an integral part of the co-curricular experience here at KSU. Student Organizations allow KSU students the opportunity to make connections, gain valuable experiences, build resume skills, and add some fun to their college experience. The Department of Student Activities’ staff is excited that you are ready and willing to provide another avenue for KSU students to get involved and we are here to support you along the way.
New Student Organizations can only be registered during the academic year between
September and March. The New Student Organization Initial Registration process for the 2023-2024 academic year will become available on Friday, September 1, 2023 at 8:00 AM. The process must be completed in its entirety completed in its entirety by Wednesday, May 1, 2024 at 5:00 PM. If you have questions, please contact the Department of Student Activities at studentactivities@kennesaw.edu.
Students interested in starting a new Club Sports team should contact the Department of Sports and Recreation. Student interested in starting a new Social Greek organization should contact the Department of Fraternity & Sorority Life.
Steps to start a new Registered Student Organization
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Step 1: Develop a Mission and Purpose
Search the Organization Directory in Owl Life to make sure that your new student organization does not have a similar purpose as an existing KSU organization. -
Step 2: Find Members
Find 6 currently enrolled KSU students who are interested in being members of the organization and record their names, KSU e-mail addresses, and net-IDs to submit in the “New Student Organization Registration” form (step 4). Also determine who will serve in leadership positions for the group, including the required positions of president, treasurer and reservation delegate. -
Step 3: Find an On-Campus Advisor
Find a full-time employee of KSU that would like to serve as the organization's advisor (faculty or staff) and record their name, KSU e-mail address, and KSU office phone number to submit in the “New Student Organization Registration” form. RSOs are allowed to have more than one advisor; however, the primary advisor must be a full-time employee of KSU. The Advisor must be listed on the Owl Life roster and accept the Terms and Conditions. -
Step 4: Create a Constitution
Create a constitution for the organization with the required KSU articles and positions. See our Sample Constitution for assistance! -
Step 5: Online Officer Training
The President, Treasurer, and Reservation Delegate must complete the following trainings:
Officer RSO Basics Module Reservation Requests and Event Planning Module **FERPA Training President X X X Reservation Delegate X Treasurer X To access the online trainings:
- Log on to CampusTraining with your Net-ID and password.
- Scroll down to the "Student Affairs" section.
- Select the course "Student Organization Training AY 2022-2023."
- Enroll in course.
- Officers must complete all videos and quizzes included in the required modules per each position.
- Download the Certificate of Completion for each module.
**President must submit a Buckley Form (link to form on this website). President must select that they are a "staff" member and list your On-Campus Advisor's name and email address as the Supervisor.
Students will not receive credit for the course until they view all videos and pass the quiz for the appropriate course(s). Officers must receive a passing grade of 80% on their respective module quizzes. You will need to upload the Certificates of Completion in the Owl Life Registration Form as proof of completion.
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Step 6: Owl Life Registration Form
Complete the “New Student Organization Registration” form in its entirety. You will need to log in to Owl Life with your Net-ID and password. Go to owllife.kennesaw.edu/register and then click the blue “Register a New Organization” button to begin the form. Please note that RSO names cannot start with "KSU" or "Kennesaw State University." If you would like to use KSU in your RSO's name, it may be listed as "[RSO] at Kennesaw State University."
Once submitted, please allow at least 3-5 business days for the submission to be processed.
NOTE: Only KSU email addresses (@students.kennesaw.edu or @kennesaw.edu) can be used in this form.
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Step 7: Getting Started Meeting
After completion of these steps a Student Activities staff member will contact the officers & advisor to schedule a “Getting Started” meeting. The President and Advisor are required to attend the “Getting Started” meeting to discuss ways the organization be successful. This meeting will be scheduled after your “New Student Organization Registration” form is approved by Student Activities staff.
Reactivating an inactive RSO? Email studentactivities@kennesaw.edu for assistance before submitting this form.
Resources for Starting a New RSO
- Sample Constitution: Use this document as a guide in structuring your constitution. Take note of the required constitution article and be sure to include page numbers.
- RSO Categories: Below are the different RSO Categories. Determine which one best aligns with the purpose of your organization before you complete the new RSO registration form in Owl Life (Step 5 listed above).
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Academic and Professional
Organizations that promote academic and/or professional growth by focusing on a particular major or academic program. -
Applied Academic Competition Team
Organizations that compete on a local, state or national level in primarily applied academic competitions. -
Community Service
Organizations that provide volunteer and community service opportunities including, but not limited to, philanthropy activities, advocacy work, and hands-on service opportunities. -
Cultural-Based and International
Organizations that act as a means for students of a particular culture or nationality to interact with others of the same affiliation and/or to share their respective culture with the broader campus community. -
Faith-Based and Spiritual
Organizations that act as a means for students of a particular denomination or religious affiliation to interact with others of the same affiliation or to explore ideas and topics related to faith and spirituality. -
Fraternities and Sororities
Fraternities, Sororities and supporting Councils include the Greek-lettered organizations that are recognized as part of the College Panhellenic Council, Interfraternity Council, National Pan-Hellenic Council, and Multicultural Greek Council. These organizations and councils are supported by the Department of Fraternity and Sorority and should contact Fraternity & Sorority Life for information regarding expansion. -
Graduate
Organizations that exist to provide benefits, support and services to graduate students primarily. -
Honor Societies
Organizations that recognize students and select membership based on academic and personal achievement. -
Military
Organizations that support and advocate for military veterans and military members. -
Performance and Fine Arts
Organizations that promote the enjoyment and/or performance of the arts and music. -
Political
Organizations that relate to, or deal with, the structure and affairs of government, politics, or the state (partisan or non-partisan). -
Publications and Media
Organizations that exist in order to provide information related to their purpose through means of mass communication, such as newspapers, magazines, radio, or television. -
Social Action
Organizations that discuss, encourage, and/or engage in reform work related to a particular cause or movement for social change. -
Special Interest
Organizations that focus on a specific set of interests or topics and work to advance members understanding in that specific area or engage in a particular past time or leisure pursuit.