Student Organizations

UAlbany hosts more than 250 student organizations focused on politics, culture, religion, development, academia and more. Active student groups are listed on MyInvolvement and a login is not required to search for them.  

Recognition

All official student organizations must be recognized by the University at Albany and by either  

• the Student Association (SA)
• the Graduate Student Association (GSA)
• a campus department or office

If a campus department or office recognizes an organization, it must assign a member of its staff to serve as the organization’s faculty advisor.  

Some organizations serving as chapters of a national organization may also have to meet its specific requirements to maintain recognition and operate on the UAlbany campus.

Join a Group

To join a group, log in to MyInvolvement with your campus NetID and password. You'll see a "Join Organization" link next to the group's listing if the group has activated that feature.  

There may be membership requirements you must meet, but once your request to join is approved by the group's Executive Board, you’ll be added to its MyInvolvement roster. If you don’t want to be listed on its roster, update your Privacy Settings by clicking on your name at the top of the page once you’ve logged in.

Form a New Group

It’s easy to create a new group!  

• Start a new undergraduate student organization through the Student Association
• Start a new graduate student organization through the Graduate Student Association

Some organizations are recognized by University departments and offices, especially when membership in the organization is restricted to those with a particular GPA, major or class year, for example. Contact the appropriate academic department or office for more information. 

All student group presidents must register their groups annually with the Office of Student Activities (OSA) via their MyInvolvement page. To do so you must:

• Login to MyInvolvement with your personal UAlbany NetID and password.  
• Click on your name in the upper right corner of the MyInvolvement page and choose the Involvement option.
• Select the appropriate option from the list of organizations that appears and choose “Organization Site.” If your organization doesn’t appear in the list, contact [email protected] for a link to the organization’s page.
• Click the “Register” button.
• During registration, identify no more than two Reservations Coordinators (RCs) for the organization, provide contact information for its officers and upload a copy of its most recent Constitution or by-laws.

For the completed registration to be considered, the group’s faculty or staff advisor must also submit the advisor acknowledgement form. Once it's received, your registration will be approved, but you must also complete mandatory training to retain your organization’s active status.  

Mandatory training includes:

• Sexual violence prevention/Bystander
• Hazing prevention

If you are required to attend these training sessions, scheduling and sign-up information will be sent to you by OSA.

Hazing Prevention

Hazing threatens athletic teams, fraternities, sororities, sports clubs, student groups and many other organizations. To counter hazing’s threats, OSA requires the hazing prevention module be completed by:

• SA and GSA recognized organization’s president, vice president, secretary and treasurer annually.
• All Fraternity & Sorority Life active members each semester.  

Faculty advisors are required for all student organizations. An advisor offers continuity from one year to the next and provides guidance and support. When you approach faculty or staff about serving as an advisor to your organization, share the following with them:  

Faculty/Staff Advisor Relationship Statement

Student organizations must select an advisor who is a faculty or staff member at the University at Albany. Organization officers are responsible for all communication with their advisor. Advisors should meet early with organization members to discuss expectations with each other.  

Role and Responsibilities of Advisors

Advisors are volunteers. They are expected to mentor club officers and will be invited to attend an advisor training meeting with OSA. Advisors may also be invited to attend group meetings and events, but the choice to attend lies with the advisor. The length of an advisor’s commitment is negotiable but can last for as long as the advisor feels it’s a productive relationship. Many advisors serve for at least a full year but most serve for multiple years.

Tips for Advisors

As an advisor, you should:

• Be familiar with your organization’s governing documents. Constitutions and by‐laws can be found in the Documents section of its MyInvolvement page.
• Encourage members to adhere to these policies and local, state and national laws.
• Be listed on the organization’s roster on MyInvolvement.
• Meet regularly with the officers to inform the club’s decision‐making processes, but do not assume a leadership role.  
• Help develop leaders by encouraging initiative, responsibility and leadership in student officers and members.
• Lend experience, judgment and knowledge to help officers and members develop the club.
• Provide continuity and historical context of policies and procedures.
• Help to develop and oversee the club budget.
• Assist with officer transitions.
• Obtain copies of agendas, minutes, calendars and organizational materials to inform members and future members.  
• Challenge members to excel academically.
• Encourage students to use risk management strategies to ensure safe travel and off‐campus events. 

OSA and the staff of SORC help coordinate and approve student organizations' events on and off-campus. Events can include banquets, conferences, concerts and performances to name a few things.

Reserve Event Space

The following groups can reserve space:  

• student organizations recognized by the Student Association or Graduate Student Association
• organizations recognized by a department  
• fraternities and sororities recognized by the OSA

For on-campus events, reserve space in one of these ways:

Use Virtual EMS

Most venue reservations can be made through Virtual EMS. This includes:

• Campus Center Rooms & Tables
• LC’s & Classrooms
• Performing Arts Center
• Campus Recreation facilities
• Athletic venues
• Specials requests to use a space not available on Virtual EMS should be directed to your SORC liaison. 

You can access Virtual EMS only if  

• Your organization’s registration on MyInvolvement was approved and a notification was received by your group’s president
• You accepted your president’s formal invitation for the position of Reservation Coordinator through MyInvolvement

Updates to registration and reservation coordinators on MyInvolvement require up to 2 business days.

Register Your Event

Student organizations must submit an Event Registration Request Form and their Virtual EMS request for both on- and off-campus events:

• On-Campus Event Application
• Off-Campus Event Registration: LOCAL EVENT
• Off-Campus Event Registration: TRAVEL

You do not need to complete an event application if your event meets all the following criteria:

• Closed event (organization members only)
• Less than 50 guests
• No amplified sound, external vendors/performers/speakers, food, paint or crafts 

Use the Student Organization Resource Center (SORC)

The SORC Office is located in Campus Center 183 (above Starbucks). SORC staff can also be reached at [email protected] and 518-442-4139.

Stop by the office for assistance with:

• Virtual EMS and MyInvolvement troubleshooting
• Event application and registration submissions
• Event planning and budgeting
• Check-ins and conversations with your organization's liaison

Promote Your Event

In addition to utilizing social media, you may wish to consider posting your event flyer on-campus using:

• Podium flyers
• MyInvolvement events

Fund Your Event 

Students pay a student activity fee which funds the undergraduate student government (Student Association) and graduate student government (Graduate Student Association). Both organizations use the fee to fund student groups and campus events.  

Student organizations can also receive help to fund events from:

• Student Association Sponsorship Lines and Appropriations Funding  
• UAS Program Fund Grants  

To receive funding, your group must hold permanently recognized student organization (RSO) status with the SA or GSA. Groups with RSO status can complete a funding request form, available in the SA office in Campus Center 116 or GSA offices in Campus Center 307 and 308. Additional funding, regardless of recognition, may be obtained from University Auxiliary Services (UAS) Program Funds. 

Student organizations can obtain email accounts by submitting an Email Account request form. You’ll be asked to log in with your NetID and password to submit the form.