Student Engagement & Leadership RSO FAQ

What does RSO mean?

RSO stands for Registered Student Organization. RSO’s contribute to the enrichment of students’ social and extracurricular lives on campus.

How can I get my new club approved?

To register a new organization, please visit the Organizations page on The Hub. There will be a REGISTER AN ORGANIZATION button on the left side of the page. After clicking this button, there will be a Register New button at the bottom left of the page (made available the first week of 2021 fall semester).

Do I have to reapply for approval every semester?

No. Once your group is approved, there is no need to reapply. However, all organizations will need to re-register each year to remain in good standing.

Who has to complete yearly training?

E-Board members are expected to complete RSO training every year. Previously, only one member of each organization had to do this training.

What kind of training do I need to complete every school year?

Yearly training covers important topics related to RSO policy. While training changes from year to year, typical topics include budgeting, funding, and social policy.

How can I appoint new e-board members on the hub?

On your organization’s Roster page of the Hub, find the user for whom you would like to add, change, or remove a Position. Click the edit button under Positions to the far right of that user's name. A list of all available Positions will populate. Click the check box next to the position you would like to add or remove from that user, and then select Save. The user's permissions within the organization will be updated based on the Positions they hold.

How many e-board members does a club need?

At minimum, an organization needs a president/chair and a treasurer. However, the specific needs of your organization can merit a variety of e-board positions!

How do I add new club members to the hub roster?

If you want to invite specific users to join your organization, navigate to the Action Center for your organization and click on the Roster tool from the organization tool drawer. At the top of the page, click Invite People. Enter the campus e-mail addresses you'd like to send membership invitations to. You can enter up to 500 e-mail addresses in the text box. Make sure to use the email addresses associated with the users' accounts! After you have added the e-mail address, click +Add E-mail Addresses. Once you have entered the e-mail(s), you can select which Position you would like the user(s) to hold once they accept their invitation. Click Send Invitations when all people have been added to the list. Note: If you want different invited members to hold different Positions in the organization, you will need to invite them separately. You can always invite every user as a general "Member" and then manage individual Positions.

Can I be on the e-board of more than one club?

Yes. You only need to complete training once.

How can I sign up for the monthly newsletter?

E-Board members are automatically put on the newsletter mailing list at the beginning of the school year. If you would like to add yourself to this list, please fill out the RSO Newsletter Mailing List Sign-Up Form.

Is there an appeal process for groups that are not approved?

There is no formal appeals process. However, members of an unapproved club are able to make an appointment with Student Engagement and Leadership (sel@amherst.edu) to go over tactics that will help improve your chances of approval the next time you apply.

How do I apply for event funding? 

There are a number of ways to go about funding your event. Please reference the Funding an Event page for more information.

How far in advance do I have to request funding?

In order to secure funding, please put in your request at least 5-10 business days before your event

Can virtual events be funded?

Yes! Virtual events are available to be funded.

Who can request funding? Does a specific member or e-board representative need to request funding?

Generally, the treasurer of an RSO is expected to request on behalf of the organization. However, anyone can request funding. Additionally any student is allowed to request discretionary funding for an event regardless of affiliation with an RSO.

Is my group required to meet a certain number of times throughout the year?

Not necessarily. It is up to the discretion of the group to decide how often they would like to meet/put on events. Most RSO groups meet on a monthly to weekly basis.

Are clubs open to everyone?

In order to qualify for school funding, an organization must be open to all students. However, some groups require tryouts and will take members on a case-by-case basis.

I missed the get involved fair but want to reach out to clubs I’m interested in? How do I do this?

Please refer to the Hub, Amherst’s RSO directory. All student groups should have information and contact details on their page.