The Committee on Recognized Student Organizations (CORSO) reviews applications and makes recommendations to the Director of the Center for Leadership & Involvement on which prospective organizations should receive RSO status.
Applications for the 2023-2024 cycle are CURRENTLY OPEN. Applications are due by 5:00pm CST on Friday, December 1, 2023. Late applications will not be reviewed or considered.
In order for your application to be considered, please make sure you submit all of the required application components. These include:
1) Approval/Sponsorship Form: All new RSOs are required to find a faculty or staff advisor who is willing to sponsor your organization and assist the group as needed. This advisor is separate from your Center for Leadership & Involvement or UCSC advisor, who will be assigned to you once your organization is approved.
Click here to download the Approval/Sponsorship Form. This is the only form that you will have to print, scan, and upload as a PDF as part of your online application through Blueprint (page 4). Feel free to stop by the Student Activities Center, RC 001, and use our scanner!
If you are interested in starting a Community Service RSO, you will need approval from Nick Currie, Director of Student Civic Engagement with the University Community Service Center.
If you are interested in starting a Religious/Spiritual RSO, you will need approval from Jigna Shah, Assistant Dean of Rockefeller Chapel and Director of Spiritual Life.
This form must be submitted with the rest of your application, so we encourage you to contact advisors as soon as possible in order to obtain the required signatures.
2) Organizational Information Questionnaire: The online application requires you to name a contact person and list names and Student ID numbers for seven other students who are interested in joining the proposed RSO. You will also be asked to answer questions about your organization. Please be descriptive and thorough. Here are some of the questions so you can begin to prepare your responses:
- Briefly state the purpose/mission of your organization
- What current RSOs have a similar purpose or goals to your organization? How is your organization different from those organizations? Do you have plans to collaborate with other entities on campus?
- What RSO benefits is your organization most looking forward to utilizing? (Rank top 3 from a provided list)
- Describe any events and meetings that your organization has held so far.
- Please share your organization's top 3 goals and priorities for the next year. How would RSO status help you achieve these?
- How would your organization use its RSO status to benefit the University community and/or greater community?
- If granted recognition, how do plan to make sure that your organization will still be active in 5 years?
- Please list any anticipated risks associated with operating this RSO (i.e. equipment, travel, etc.). How would you work to minimize these risks?
- Please give a sense of overall budget and anticipated spending for this group. What might you expect to request Undergraduate Student Government funding for? Do you have plans to fundraise?
- Does your organization require an application, interview, audition, or tryout in order to be a member or to access certain organizational resources? If so, please provide a detailed overview of the recruitment process and selection criteria.
Our online application system will save your information each time you click "Next Page." You can return to your application in progress anytime. You will also be able to download a PDF of your completed application.
3) Bylaws: New organizations should build from our Sample Bylaws. PLEASE DO NOT FORGET TO INCLUDE THE STATEMENTS THAT APPEAR IN ITALICS ON THE SAMPLE BYLAWS. IF THESE ITEMS ARE NOT INCLUDED, YOUR APPLICATION WILL NOT BE CONSIDERED:
- RSOs are required to be open to all students (not just graduate or undergraduate).
- Voting membership is limited to currently registered UChicago students.
- Officers must be currently registered students at the University of Chicago.
- All funds will be deposited in your Center for Leadership & Involvement account.
You will be asked to upload your Bylaws as a Word document as part of your online application through Blueprint (page 4).