RSO Resources
Registered Student Organization (RSO) resources at Montana State University encompass a range of tools and support mechanisms designed to assist student-led groups in effectively managing their operations, events, and engagement initiatives, fostering a vibrant and organized campus community.
Book a meeting with OSE for more information!
General Resources
Advertising
- Register your club!
- Reserve meeting space for the semester or year
- Meet with your advisor and leadership team to talk about the year ahead
- Participate in the Involvement Fair to recruit new members. Held in Fall and Spring
- Register a minimum of one student leader for the Student Organization Leadership Conference
- Select Club Officers (if didn’t do in Spring)
- Check your SUB mailbox (if your club has one) for mail from the summer. Unsure how to access you mailbox? Reach out to studentorgs@montana.edu to get your mailbox info.
- Review the financial status of your club. Apply for Student Organization Funding. Start planning fundraisers, if necessary.
- Ensure the correct people have access to your club bank account.
- Familiarize yourself with the Student Organizations website to learn about the online resources and trainings the OSE offers
- Student Organization Tax Guidance: This document helps student organizations understand if they need to file for taxes or not, including how to become a non-profit.
- How to obtain a Tax ID Number: This page walks you through how to request a Tax ID (or EIN) for your club in order to set up a bank account.
Follow this link for the Student Organization Fundraising Guide!
- Basic Event Planning and Logistics: This document helps lay out the pieces of event planning, including advertising, budget, and venues.
- Event Planning Checklist: This document helps you assign tasks and make sure you have a successful event!
General
Funding
Travel
Space & Equipment
Advertising
Frequently Asked Questions
An advisor is an important piece of a successful student organization. Your advisor
must be a staff or faculty member employed by MSU at least half-time. If your group
has a specific interest area, start looking in departments that may align with that
interest (such as a food club, look in the Nutrition program). You can also ask your
professors and any staff you already have connections with about their interest in
advising your group. If they don’t want to be your advisor, they may know of someone
who does. You can also contact us and we can help get the word out that you are looking for an advisor.
The name, logos, and team name (“Bobcats”) are registered and protected trademarks
of Montana State University which may not be used without the express permission of
Montana State University. This policy helps to ensure immediate recognition, the maintenance
of appropriateness, and the prevention of commercial use without compensation to the
University. Student Organizations are not official groups endorsed by MSU and therefore
are not able to use the name. If you want more detailed information, please refer to official policy found on the Use of University Name and Logos page.
Yes! We have four of them available. Please fill out the Equipment Check Out Request form to reserve or email engagement@montana.edu with questions.
All Registered Student Organizations are eligible to use the free poster delivery service through the Office of Student
Engagement. Please view our Poster Policy.
Lockers for club storage are located on the 3rd floor landing of the SUB on the north
and south side of the building. The locker dimensions are 12” x 15” x 36”. If your club is interested in securing locker space, please contact us at studentorgs@montana.edu.
Club mailboxes are located on the basement-level of the SUB in front of the Leadership
Institute offices. If your club is interested in securing a mailbox, please contact us at studentorgs@montana.edu.
There are a variety of ways to recruit new members. Here are a few ways:
- Participate in the Involvement Fair, held bi-annually (typically in September and January), by the Office of Student Engagement. Find out more information on the Involvement Fair page.
- Start a Facebook page! The power of social media is incredible!
- You can table in the SUB (reserved through Conference Services) and the Residence Halls ( find out how to reserve space on our Resources page).
- Print posters. Our office will distribute these if you bring 50 copies to 222 SUB by the set weekly deadline. Please drop off an original to be pre-approved before printing. Be sure to review our Poster Policy.
- Hold an “interest” meeting.
- Have a “bring a friend” meeting and a reward for those who do.
- Have food at your meetings and advertise you are doing so.
- Ask your professors if you can speak in your classes about your organization and how to join.
- Keep talking about your club! Word of mouth is one of the most powerful marketing tools around!
Registered Student Organizations have the privilege of utilizing campus space to conduct
meetings and hold events. Visit the Student Organization Policy Manual to learn more about reserving space.
- Send an email to studentorgs@montana.edu to let us know. This will take you off our club directory and listservs.
- You will need to close your bank account. Please discuss with them how to do that.
If there is money in there, you have two options:
- Donate to another club.
- Give to the Office of Student Engagement and we will put in the club funding pool.
- If you have any social media or websites, please take them down.