Students interested in forming a new organization at UNA should first review the Student Organization and Activities Handbook. The handbook is available on the Student Activities website (una.edu/student-activities) or in the Office of Student Engagement.  

To register a new organization, students must meet the following criteria:

1. Recruit 3 students as members of the organization. Members must be currently enrolled students at the university.
2. Obtain a faculty or staff advisor. Advisors may be full-time or part-time university employees.
3. Draft a constitution under which the proposed organization plans to operate. A sample Constitution may be found on the Student Activities website (una.edu/student-activities).  Organizations affiliated with an inter/national organization may utilize the format approved by their affiliated organization. 
4. Organizations affiliated with an inter/national organization or governing board must submit a letter of authorization from the inter/national organization or external governing board. These letters should be on the inter/national organization’s official letterhead and it should identify a point of contact for the inter/national organization or governing board.
5. Finally, organizations must acknowledge they meet all registration certification requirements as outlined in this handbook.

Once the above requirements for starting a new organization have been met, the charter member must register the organization on Campus Groups using the following steps:

1. Log in to Campus Groups on a desktop, laptop, or tablet. campusgroups.com
2. When logged in, click on “Groups” located at the top of the page.
3. Click on “Register New Organization”
4. Complete the information requested and submit.

The deadlines for submitting new organization information are as follows:

• Fall semester: by October 1^st
• Spring semester: by February 15^th

The Office of Student Engagement will review the submitted information and approve, ask for modifications, or reject the request. Requiring modifications means that there is information that needs to be corrected before the request can be approved. Once the Office of Student Engagement has approved the registration form, the organization is entitled to all the rights and privileges of a Registered Student Organization and must follow the proper steps to maintain good standing with the university.  All new organizations must wait one semester after approval before the group is eligible to request Student Allocation Funding.

All recognized student organizations must re-register with the Student Engagement Center each year and follow the timeline listed below in order to remain in good-standing on campus and utilize the available resources. 

1. Update the organization’s Campus Groups Portal between the first day of class in the fall semester and October 1^st.  Any changes in RSO officers or advisors must be made during this time.  

Organizations that do not meet these requirements by October 1 will lose their good standing status and all resource privileges for the remainder of the fall semester.  These organizations may redeem their good-standing status for the spring semester if they update their RSO Campus Groups online portal by February 15.  Any organizations that do not meet these requirements by February 15 will be deactivated and assumed to no longer function as a student organization. 

If a RSO member needs access to the group portal, please contact studentengagement@una.edu for assistance. 

1. Students interested in re-registering an inactive student organization must follow the same guidelines and procedures as starting a new organization.
2. The Office of Student Engagement will review the former student organization’s information to confirm there were no records of violation of university policies, outstanding bills, or other required documentation. If any matters initiating the closure of the organization are unresolved, the new organization will be denied registration until such matters are
3. If the organization is eligible for reactivation, they will be approved on Campus Groups.

• Sample Constitution

Student organizations are encouraged to register all events on Campus Groups and track attendance at those events. A detailed video on how to both create an event and track participation can be viewed below. 

*This video was originally recorded for allocation training. There may be references to allocations throughout the video. 

Student organizations in good-standing have the opportunity to utilize Student Engagement resources. A full list of available equipment that can be checked out can be found on the online reservation form). In order to check out equipment, organizations must complete the following:

1. Submit the equipment reservation form no later than 24 hours in advance of the date/time needed. 
2. A staff member will review the reservation and confirm that the items are available for the requested dates and times.
3. The student organization is responsible for picking up the equipment during the Office of Student Engagement’s hours of operation (Monday - Friday, 8am-4:30pm). At this time, the equipment will be checked out directly to the individual. 
4. All checked out equipment must be returned back to the office no later than 24 hours after the event ends. If the event ends on a Friday, or on a day that has a weekend or holiday following, the equipment must be turned in by the next available business day.

Any damages to equipment may result in a fine to the individual who checked out the equipment or the organization may be responsible for replacing the damaged items. 

The University Print Shop is available for a number of print needs for your organization’s events. Any RSO wishing to utilize the print shop will need to first set up a Student Printing Account through the Print Shop website (una.webdeskprint.com/psp/app/). For questions, students may also meet with the Print Room Operator located in the basement of Cramer Way for a consultation. Please note that fees will apply based on your print needs.

RSOs may also add digital graphics to the LED Screen in the GUC Atrium as well as the TV outside of the Student Engagement office. Graphics must be formatted in a landscape, 16x9 aspect ratio and emailed to Bethany Green at bloliver@una.edu. 

The Guillot University Center (GUC) is scheduled through the Department of University Center Operations and Events Management.

Rooms can be tentatively scheduled through the University Center Operations and Event Management Office.  Reservation forms are available in GUC 107 and on the Department Webpage and should be returned to GUC 107.  Checking the University Events Calendar is helpful in selecting dates for major events and avoiding conflict with previously scheduled events. Unless you receive confirmation, do not consider your event as booked. Completion of a form does not constitute a booked event. Reservations are not confirmed until a Reservation Form has been completed and received by the University Center Operations and Event Management Office and a confirmation email is received by the requestor stating that the request has been processed and on the calendar.  Reservation requests for academic areas can be made after classes have been in session for two weeks of the current semester.

Campus Reservation Forms and a full list of GUC Operations policies can be accessed on the University Center Operations and Events Management web page: una.edu/events/reservation-forms 

Good standing for currently Recognized Student Organizations is defined as the certification that grants the student organization official status as part of UNA’s educational and/or extracurricular program.  RSOs must be in good standing with the university to be eligible to use RSO resources including: RSO resources in the Student Engagement office, booking spaces on-campus, setting up promotional tables, team participation in university events, and applying for Student Allocation Funding*.  To remain in good standing:

• The organization must maintain at least three active members who are currently enrolled in classes at UNA (does not include the summer term). 
• The organization must have no outstanding balance beyond 30 days with the university.
• The organization must have at least one representative complete the RSO training on Campus Groups.
• The organization must have an active campus advisor at all times. 
• The organization must have fully completed the annual renewal process by the deadline.
• The organization must have up-to-date information in their Campus Groups portal, specifically the President and Advisor positions. 
• All officers/leadership positions in the organization must be held by enrolled students.

Student Engagement may revoke good standing status if an organization is violating university policies, the student handbook, the RSO Handbook, or violates any conditions of registration or recognition. Organizations suspended from campus automatically lose good standing status. 

*Please note that there are additional requirements that must be met in order for an organization to qualify for Student Allocation Funding.  Please refer to the current Student Allocation Manual for these requirements.

Transitioning leadership is the process of outgoing leaders/officers meeting with newly elected officers.  Organizations that fail to do this struggle to maintain long-term organizational success.  During registration and annual renewal, organizations identify when they host elections.  Those that host elections in the Fall should update their Campus Groups portal by December 1. Organizations that host elections in the Spring should update their Campus Groups portal by May 1. That means that the outgoing officers can update who can access certain Student Engagement resources and who will receive communication.

Transitioning by the deadline ensures the correct individuals receive important communication.  Until updates are made, the organization is unable to utilize electronic resources and former officers will receive organization communication.  If the outgoing officers fail to make the necessary updates by the deadline, new officers may schedule an appointment with Student Engagement to become oriented with Campus Groups and make the updates. 

The placement of flyers is restricted to public bulletin boards and is limited to one flyer per bulletin board. Flyers shall be no larger than 11”x17”. Flyers are NOT to be taped to windows, walls, doors, or any painted surface. Signs, posters, banners, or flyers advertising the sale of alcoholic beverages are prohibited and shall be removed. We reserve the right to remove advertisements containing subject matter considered to be offensive or in poor taste. 

To utilize the GUC Atrium Video display, email the file (JPG or MP4 or a direct YouTube link) to studentengagement@una.edu. The file needs to be in a 16:9 aspect ratio or in a film format designed in a landscape layout. The file should be provided no later than a week prior to the event. No profanity, marketing of other universities, or alcohol/drugs/nudity.

No notices of any kind may be displayed on glass doors or on walls of campus buildings. Prior permission from the office concerned must be obtained before notices may be placed on the bulletin boards of the administrative offices or academic departments. Contacts for building coordinators can be found at una.edu/facilities/environmental-health-and-safety.

No sidewalk chalk may be used on campus. Publicity materials with adhesive or gummed surfaces are prohibited in all locations.

Anyone wishing to hang a banner or set out yard signs anywhere on campus besides the Guillot University Center must secure approval from the Director of Student Engagement, GUC Student Engagement Center.

All student organizations are expected to follow the Code of Student Conduct.

The Code of Student Conduct and the student conduct process apply to the conduct of students and University of North Alabama affiliated student organizations.  The Code of Student Conduct applies to behaviors that take place on campus, and at UNA-sponsored events and may also apply off-campus when the Director of Student Conduct or designee determines that the off-campus conduct may present a danger or threat to the health or safety of him/herself or others; and/or impinges upon the rights, property or achievements of self or others or significantly breaches the peace and/or causes social disorder; and/or is detrimental to the educational mission and/or interests of the University.  The Code of Student Conduct and the Student Conduct Process can be found and reviewed here.