RSO Registration and Re-Registration

Annually, all Registered Student Organizations must be approved and are required to re-register on Hopkins Groups by their organization’s leadership. The re-registration process is in place to:

• Better support student officers in their transition of organization information.
• Give outgoing officers an opportunity to reflect on their year of service.
• Ensure that new officers have the pertinent information to effectively run the organization.
• Provide updated information about the organization on Hopkins Groups.
• Review the Expectations of Student Organizations before submitting a new application.

Requirements

1. MEMBERSHIP & OFFICERS:
   • Minimum of 10 members, who must be undergraduate or graduate students enrolled in one of the ten schools or divisions at Johns Hopkins University including the School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS), the Krieger School of Arts and Sciences, the Carey School of Business, the School of Education, the Whiting School of Engineering, the School of Government and Policy, the School of Medicine, the School of Nursing, the Peabody Conservatory, and the Bloomberg School of Public Health.
   • All 10 members must approve their membership on the Re-Registration Form.
   • Required Officers: President, Treasurer, and Student Event Requestors (2)
     • A faculty/staff advisor is also required.
     • To request a Hopkins Groups profile for a Staff/Faculty Advisor, email [email protected] (if applicable)
2. REQUIRED TRAINING:
   • The organization’s President and Treasurer are required to attend RSO 101, Finance 101, Hazing 101, and Event Planning 101.
3. REQUIRED DOCUMENTS:
   1. PDF Document: Governing Document: (Constitution, Bylaws, etc.)
   2. Membership Roster: Must use the provided Excel Document: Excel Roster Template
   3. Relationship Agreement: If your group is affiliated with a larger organization (local, state, regional, national, or international).
   4. Word Document: Letter of Support: If your group is affiliated with an academic or university department.
4. Information about last year’s programming accomplishments as well as programming plans for this academic year

Organizations that do not register by the set deadline, will not be active for the remainder of the academic year. If your organization has been inactive or missed the registration deadline, you will be required to re-register during the registration process as a new student organization.

If there is an interest in creating a Registered Student Organization that does not currently exist, a group of students may apply to start a new RSO. Students are strongly encouraged to explore what is currently offered, as duplicate RSOs will not be approved. The process of creating a new RSO begins with completing the online application via Hopkins Groups. Applications for new RSOs are only accepted during the application period published on the website. All officers of the prospective organization must be full-time undergraduate or graduate students and be in good academic standing with the university. A minimum of ten (10) prospective current students are required to make an application as a new RSO.

Once submitted, the application will be reviewed for completion and fulfillment of all required criteria. If applicable, complete applications will be sent to the respective school-based governance body for consideration.

This process does not apply to fraternity and sorority organizations. Students looking to form a new fraternity or sorority should contact Fraternity and Sorority Life at [email protected].

Review the Expectations of Student Organizations before submitting a new application.

The registration form as well as each training should be completed simultaneously and before the set deadline. Below are the steps and requirements for starting a new student organization.

1. Think of a new, compelling, engaging, and original registered student organization idea. Duplicate RSOs will not be approved.
2. Determine how your group will be funded. All RSOs are funded in one of three ways:
   • Academic department or unit
   • University department or unit
   • Student Governing Body
3. Determine your organization’s category:
   • Academic & Research
   • Advocacy & Awareness
   • Arts – Performing & Visual
   • Culture & Identity
   • Governing Body
   • Graduate Student Organization
   • Health & Wellness
   • Honor & Professional Society
   • Media – Including Publications & Journals
   • Programming Board
   • Religious & Spiritual
   • Service – Center for Social Concern
   • Special Interests and Hobbies
   • Sports Club
4. Attend a Prospective Student Organization Workshop.
5. Submit Prospective Organization Application.
   • Log in to Hopkins Groups
   • Select “Groups” from the top menu bar, then select “All Groups”
   • Review all instructions in the light blue box, then click “Register New Group”

NOTE: Prospective Student Organizations are not authorized to use the Johns Hopkins University name on websites or social media channels. All prospective groups that have unauthorized websites or social media handles will not be approved.

Requirements

1. REGISTERED STUDENT ORGANIZATION PRINCIPLES:
   1. Student organizations must be open to all eligible students without regard to sex, gender, marital status, pregnancy, race, color, ethnicity, national origin, age, disability, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, veteran status, or other legally protected characteristic.
   2. A prospective organization must not share or have a similar mission, goals, and objectives of an existing RSO. Duplicate organizations will not be approved.
   3. The purpose, mission, vision, constitution, and bylaws of the proposed organization must not violate university policy.
2. MEMBERSHIP & OFFICERS:
   • Minimum of 10 members. The 10 inaugural members, including the required officers, cannot all be eligible for graduation nor have 120 credits.
     1. The 10 inaugural members, including the required officers, must provide consent for a conduct review and acknowledge and commit to upholding the JHU Student Conduct Code.
     2. All 10 members must approve their membership on the Prospective Student Organization Registration Form
     3. Required Officers: President, Treasurer, and Student Event Requestors (2)
        • A faculty/staff advisor is also required.
        • Submit a Hopkins Groups Profile Request for Staff/Faculty to have a profile created (if applicable)
3. REQUIRED TRAININGS:
   • President and Treasurer must complete:
     1. RSO 101 training
     2. RSO Finance 101 training
     3. Hazing 101
     4. Event Planning 101
4. REQUIRED DOCUMENTS:
   • PDF Document: Governing Document: (Constitution, Bylaws, etc.)
   • Membership Roster: Must use the provided Excel Roster Template
   • Word Document: Letter of Support: If your group is affiliated with an academic or university department.
   • PDF Document: Sustainability Plan
5. REGISTERED STUDENT ORGANIZATION ADVISOR:
   • Confirmation of a Hopkins faculty/staff-affiliated advisor (must be a full-time/part-time Hopkins employee in good standing. Graduate students are not eligible to advise)
   • Advisor must acknowledge and commit to uphold the JHU Student Conduct Code and other student organization practices, policies, and processes.
6. EXTERNAL AFFILIATIONS (IF APPLICABLE)
   1. All local, state, regional, national, and international affiliate organizations must sign a relationship agreement with the university.
   2. The mission, vision, values, actions, and media presence of local, state, regional, national, and international prospective affiliate organizations will be reviewed.
   3. The university will make the determination of whether the student organization is approved to affiliate as an RSO.

Organizations that do not register by the set deadline will not be eligible for recognition.