Starting a New Student Organization

All of the requirements for starting a new student organization at Texas Tech are in the Student Handbook. The 2022-2023 Student Organization requirements can be found in Part II, Community Policies, Section N. Student Organizations, pp. 128-135.

A Registered Student Organization is defined as a group (president, treasurer, and a minimum of three members, excluding officers) comprised of at least five students enrolled at Texas Tech University who voluntarily come together under a common purpose. The purposes and activities of the organization shall be lawful and not in conflict with the policies, rules, regulations, and standards of the University and/or federal, state and/or local statutes.

Interested in starting a new organization at Texas Tech? The first step is to fill out an Intent to Form Request on TechConnect.

New Student Org Intent to Form Request

Conditions for Registration of New Student Organizations

The Basics

• A minimum of five students are required to start a new student organization.
  • A President and Treasurer are the only two officers that need to be identified.
• All organizations must have a full time faculty/staff advisor. The faculty/staff advisor must be a Texas Tech employee.
• New student organizations cannot duplicate the purposes and functions of a previously or currently registered student organization. Check if your organization is unique by using the Student Org Search Engine at TechConnect. The Director of Student Involvement will give final confirmation of any duplication of a student organization.
• A student organization is eligible for registration if it does not deny membership on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, gender, age, disability, citizenship, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identify, or gender expression
  • Exceptions:
    • Religious organizations may restrict the right to vote or hold office to persons who subscribe to the organization's religious beliefs.
    • Social fraternities and sororities must show proof of their Title IX exemption, generally with a 501 (c) 7 Internal Revenue Status.

Names and Logos of the Student Organization

• The student organization name cannot include "Red Raiders," "TTU" or "Texas Tech" in the official name. However, "Raiders" and "Tech" can be used in the official name.
• Student organizations wishing to use Texas Tech logos must receive approval from the TTU trademark, licensing, and brand review.
  • For more information about licensing student organization logos and approved vendors, email studentorgs@ttu.edu.
    

Constitution/By-Laws:

• New student organizations will need to create a constitution/bylaws.
  • The constitution will outline the organization's structure, clarify the organization's purpose, and help members understand how the organization functions.
  • The bylaws will outline the rules of the student organization, and how it functions. They set forth detailed procedures for the operation of the organization.
  • For more information about Constitution and By-laws, click here.

The Process of Starting a New Student Organization

By submitting an Intent to Form Request, you have completed the first step in starting a student organization at Texas Tech University. This resource is intended to help you throughout the new org formation process. For additional questions about this process please contact Student Involvement at studentorgs@ttu.edu or call (806) 742-5433

All requirements for starting a new student organization at Texas Tech are found in the Student Handbook. Student organization requirements can be found in Part III Community Policies, Section N. Student Organizations.

The Basics:

• A minimum of five students are required to reinstate and manage a student organization.
  • A President and Treasurer are the only two officers that need to be identified and are required per Section N of the student handbook.
• All organizations must have a full-time faculty/staff advisor. The faculty/staff advisor must be a full- time Texas Tech employee who works on the same campus as the student organization.
• Student organizations cannot duplicate the purposes and functions of a previously or currently registered student organization.
• Student organizations cannot discriminate based on race, color, religion, national origin, gender, age, disability, citizenship, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression.
  • Exceptions:
    • Religious organizations may restrict the right to vote or hold office to persons who subscribe to the organization's religious beliefs.
    • Social fraternities and sororities must show proof of their Title IX exemption, generally with a 501(c) 7 Internal Revenue Status.

Name and Logos of the Student Organization:

• The student organization name cannot include “Red Raiders”, “TTU” or “Texas Tech” in the official name. However, “Raider” and “Tech” can be used in the official name.
• Student organizations wishing to use Texas Tech logos must receive approval from Texas Tech Marketing & Communications.
  • For more information about logo approval, please email comm.mkt.brandreview@ttu.edu.

Constitution/Bylaws:
• New student organizations will need to create a constitution/bylaws document.

• • • The constitution will outline the organization's structure, clarify the organization's purpose, and help members understand how the organization functions.
    • The bylaws will outline the rules of the student organization, and how it functions. They set forth detailed procedures for the operation of the organization.
    • Required Elements:
      • Name & Purpose
      • Membership requirements, selection process, accountability and removal process
      • Anti-discriminatory statement
      • Officer titles and duties (President and Treasurer required)
      • Officer election and removal process
      • Departmental and/or external relationships (If applicable)
      • Financial Procedures (if dues are collected)
      • Procedures for Decision Making (Quorum and Voting)
      • Faculty/Staff Advisor Selection process and expectations
      • Parliamentary Authority (Ex: Robert's Rules of Order)
    • For more information about Constitution and Bylaws, please view the Student Involvement website.

The Process of Starting a New Student Organization:
1. Submit an Intent to Form Request on TechConnect. (Must be completed and submitted by a TTU student. Faculty/Staff advisor from the TTU campus must be listed on the Intent to Form Request).
2. Student Involvement staff will review the Intent to Form Request and will then schedule a meeting with the student who submitted the Intent to Form Request. This meeting is mandatory and is used to discuss the process for forming a new student organization, the goals, mission, and purpose of the prospective student org. Students will either be given the approval to move forward in the new org formation process or will not be approved to move forward.
3. Upon approval to move forward with the new org formation process, students will be instructed to being Student Org Leader Orientation for New Student Organizations.

1. 1. After receiving approval of the org's constitution/bylaws documents from the Student Involvement team, new student organizations will be granted a temporary 30-day status that allows non-registered new student organizations access to the privileges of being a registered student organization, such as campus resources.
   2. During this 30-day grace period, student leaders should use campus resources to recruit potential members, host events, reserve space on campus, and should complete SOLO, the Risk Management Post-Training Assessment, and submit and receive approval of the org's New Org Registration submission.
   3. Student leaders should also schedule a meeting with their student org advisor to complete the Advisor Agreement Form and establish the relationship between the student org and the advisor.

4. New Student Organizations will register their student organization on TechConnect. The following are just some of the items that need to be included:

1. 1. Names and contact information for the President, Treasurer, and three general officers or members.
   2. Name and contact information for the student organization faculty/staff advisor.
   3. Upload the most recent copy of the Constitution/Bylaws.
   4. Upload the Advisor Agreement Form.
   5. Upload the SOLO for New Student Orgs Certificate of Completion.

5. After submitting the org's registration, the Student Involvement staff will review the registration to make sure it complies with Texas Tech policies and procedures. Staff may contact student organizations to submit corrections to the registration for approval to be granted in some cases.

Annual Requirements to Keep your Student Org Compliant Each Year:
• Student Org Leader Orientation:

• • This completely virtual course is required of student org leaders to be completed every academic year.
  • This course opens February 1st and closes the first day of fall classes.
  • Completion of this course is a mandatory piece of org compliance for the organization to become compliant for the upcoming school year.
  • Only one organization officer is mandated to complete this online course (preferably the student org President).
  • Org advisors are strongly discouraged from completing this online course in place of the student org student leaders.
• Registration:
  • Every school year student organization are required to renew their registration through Student Involvement.
  • Organization re-registration opens on February 1st and closes the first day of fall classes.
  • Student Org Leader Orientation must be completed before org re-registration.
  • Organizations will be officially frozen if the registration has not been submitted and approved by the first day of classes. Failure to do so may result in the loss of student organization benefits.
• Risk Management Training:
  • All student organizations are required to complete risk management training annually.
  • Risk Management trainings for each school year open on February 1st, and student organizations have until the first day of the fall semester to complete the risk management training requirement.
  • Since Risk Management Training is included in the SOLO Modules, after completing the SOLO training, you must submit the Risk Management Post-Assessment. Please make sure that you are signed into TechConnect to access the form.
• Roster Updates:
  • Student organizations have ten (10) University working days to update their organization roster when there has been a change to the:
    • President or Treasurer and any other officer/leadership changes
    • Faculty/Staff Advisor
  • All current members of the organization are also required to be listed on the roster on TechConnect.
  • Failure to complete this requirement may result could result in the org being frozen in TechConnect.