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Student Organization & Advisor Agreement

We are in the process of updating documents for advisors to use in discussing expectations in the relationship with their student organization. In the meantime, all advisors should initial and sign the 2024-25 RSO Advisor Acknowledgement Form and make sure your student organization emails to joseph.lattal@northwestern.edu if the advisor is new to the group or as part of annual requirements in the spring term. In the meantime, see below for information about requirements and the typical cycle of an organization.

Annual Requirements

There are relatively few requirements for an RSO to maintain good standing with SOA and recognized status. The two central items are:

• Completing annual registration on the Wildcat Connection platform each spring.
  • Includes providing information about the group's activities in the academic year, reviewing the group's constitution, uploading advisor/transition documents, and other items in the 100% virtual process.
• Participating in annual training for incoming officers.
  • In past years, this has been an in-person event called the Student Organization Symposium. Starting in 2018-19, look for changes in this program as SOA has started to use Canvas Learning Management Software to replace some of the in-person sessions.

More information about RSO annual requirements is here.

Common Annual Events

While leadership transition (via election or appointment) and signature events vary for different groups based on their needs, there is a general blueprint of activity for most RSOs.

• Before Fall Quarter
  • Week TBA: Executive leadership retreat
    • Some groups participate in an intensive planning session-either on- or off-campus, in efforts to plan out the year's initiatives, develop relationships, and get started for the year
  • Wildcat Welcome Week: Performing Arts Events
    • While formal recruitment does not begin until the All-Organization Fair, Wildcat Welcome often invites the performing arts groups to showcase their talent at Rhythm Nation, A Cappella Fest, Comedy Showcase, and more. It's a positive introduction to opportunities for new students to get involved.

•  Fall
  • Week 1: All-Student Organization Fair at Norris
    • Recruiting interested students
  • Week 1-3: New member meeting, auditions, tryouts
    • Further engaging interested students to join- in some cases, appointments to specific roles or committees
  • Week 3-7: B-Status Funding
    • Around 90 RSOs are categorized as ASG B-Status, which has quarterly funding requests and allocations. Student organizations are responsible for meeting funding request deadlines. 

• Winter
  • • Week 2-4: Winter Organization Fair at Norris
      • Recruiting interested students
    • Week 3-7: B-Status Funding
      • Around 90 RSOs are categorized as ASG B-Status, which has quarterly funding requests and allocations. Student organizations are responsible for meeting funding request deadlines.
• Spring
  • Week 1-5: Wildcat Connection Registration
    • All RSOs are required to complete Wildcat Connection registration in order to maintain RSO privileges for the following year. 
  • Week 1-5: Role Transitions
    • While this varies greatly in most groups, this is the most common window for most RSOs to transition roles in preparation for the upcoming academic year. The timing is early enough to allow for proper communication between outgoing and incoming officers.
  • Week 1-5: A-Status Funding
    • Around 35 RSOs are categorized as ASG A-Status, which has annual funding requests and allocations. Student organizations are responsible for meeting funding request deadlines.
  • Week 3-7: B-Status Funding
    • Around 90 RSOs are categorized as ASG B-Status, which has quarterly funding requests and allocations. Student organizations are responsible for meeting funding request deadlines.
  • Week 4-6: Student Organization Symposium
    • All RSOs are required to participate in our annual spring training for incoming officers. Some modules will likely migrate to Canvas, though there will be an in-person component required.