Helping student organizations get started
Kent State Pokémon League
Workshops to help new student organizations learn the ropes and finalize the registration process were held throughout the month of October, hosted by the Center for Student Involvement.
Katie Goldring, assistant director for CSI, said three events were held for students.
“They provide a connection with the office. Because so many things are online now, that provides a real face-to-face experience with someone in the [CSI] office,” she said.
Peer involvement organizations
Peer involvement advising is a program offered by Kent State, where students can help you to find organizations that fit you. In room 120K in the Student Center, a peer will meet with you and help you to find the right programs and clubs to help you get involved.
Taylor Moore, a senior psychology major and peer involvement advisor, has provided a guide to some of Kent State’s more obscure student organizations.
1. Kent State Pokémon League
Moore said this club is cool because they revolve around a childhood favorite. “Our generation grew up on Pokémon,” he said.
2. Operation Smile
Moore recommended Operation Smile for anyone who was into charity based organizations.
3. Body Acceptance Movement
Moore said this organization is one that challenges social standards of beauty. “It enables you to have confidence,” he said.
4. Student Peace Alliance Project
This organization raises money for kids who are in juvenile detention, to help them afford necessities.
The first step to starting a campus organization is handled with none of the typical face-to-face involvement from the CSI, although Goldring said there is an optional consultation to learn the steps and make sure there aren’t any organizations like the new one being started.
New groups are required to have an advisor from the university faculty or staff and five officers, one of whom would act as the president. Then the group needs to have a constitution, which would state the group’s mission and the rules they would abide by. The organization also needs to submit an application on FlashLine to be reviewed for approval by CSI.
That part of the process, open the first four weeks of each fall and spring semester, has passed. The deadline was September 19.
“We have about 330 organizations that registered this fall,” Goldring said. “That’s the highest we’ve hit really, so we’re excited to have that much variety.”
After the organizations were registered, they needed to get familiar with CSI and their processes. That’s where the workshops come in.
“Those workshops help to explain the processes that the groups have to go through to get those spaces scheduled, to put on major events, and to get some funding for those events,” Goldring said.
She added that the CSI assigns a liaison to each group so there is always someone in CSI who knows what the needs are for that particular group, and who can help them navigate the paperwork. Attending one of these events could help an organization to feel comfortable with those procedures.
Rebecca Kapler, another assistant director for CSI, said the center also helps students who aren’t involved in anything find an organization they like.
“We know what most of the groups are about and can help you find one instead of looking at a group of 300,” Kapler said.
There are also peer involvement advisors who can schedule sessions with students to help them contact student organizations they might want to join, Kapler said.
From the second an organization is registered, it is important for the members to know their way around CSI. They will need to work with the center for everything from relaying their needs to the liaisons, to knowing how to schedule event space, to promoting their events to students. The workshops were the first step for some of the organizations.
These workshops are held every fall and spring semester, with the bulk of them being in the fall, when most organizations sign up, Goldring said.
Contact Cheyenne Perry at [email protected].