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Student Organization Office (SOO)

Information and Referral

What’s Up? Weekly E-newsletter

Resources and Opportunities

Recruitment Opportunities

Training Opportunities for Students

Recognition Opportunities for Students and Student Groups

Greek Life

Registered Student Organizations:

The Student Organization Office, SOO, is a student involvement and leadership center, which provides leadership development and personal professional and organizational management, skill development opportunities in an effort to empower students, to support quality learning experiences outside of the classroom, and to encourage active, thoughtful, involved community citizens. SOO promotes student involvement as an integral part of a University education and registers & advises over 750 student organizations, which enrich the university and Madison communities.

Assisted by two peer to peer leadership training programs, SOO provides services, information, education, support and advising which foster and contribute to the growth and development of strong, effective student leaders and healthy, efficient organizations, which prepare student leaders for life after college. Fraternity and sorority advising and experiential educational programming, including both low and high level challenge/ropes courses, are also key components of the department. The Student Organization Advisor position is one of two new advisor positions. The SOO is a unit of the offices of the Dean of Students at the University of Wisconsin – Madison.

The Student Organization Office offers many services and programs for students and student groups. Check out the programs below or visit the Student Organization Office, located in Room 239 Red Gym, 716 Langdon Street, Madison, WI.

Information and Referral

The SOO works hard to be your “one-stop” department to assist you, and your student group with getting questions answered, suggestions on advising issues, policy interpretation, and referrals to other resources that can help you and your student group. Do not hesitate to contact our office with questions, comments, concerns and we will do our best to assist.

What you can expect when you contact the SOO:
• Polite, respectful, and friendly service
• Prompt follow up
• Accurate information or referral: we will strive to refer you to the appropriate office first, not simply another office who will then refer you to another office
• Assistance as it relates to student organization management issues, policy interpretation, guidance and advice, complaint procedures, and general responses to frequently asked questions
• Everybody working hard to assist you and your organization
• Basic information about SLP and ALPs and how to get in touch with their staff
• Leadership Training opportunities
• General Student Organization and Fraternity/Sorority Advisors to assist you and answer questions

What’s Up? Weekly E-newsletter

Each week the SOO sends out an email newsletter that highlights various items of interest to student groups. The emails primary purpose is to inform student organization members and advisors on priority issues such as information about funding deadlines, award opportunities and deadlines, recruitment opportunities, training opportunities for student leaders and other university announcements. The email also at times may include information on other activities being planned by student groups.

Resources and Opportunities

The Student Organization Office (SOO) provides a number of resources to assist in the organizational management of your group and the leadership development of your organization’s members. The following list provides an overview of programs and services provided by or supported by the SOO or the Dean of Students Office. These offerings are subject to change; to find out more about any additional opportunities call the SOO directly at 263-0365.

Recruitment Opportunities

Registration for all of the opportunities listed begins in November for the start of the Spring Semester and in April for the Summer/beginning of the Fall semester. All advisors and student organization’s primary contact receive an email announcement that registration is occurring.

• Student Organization Fairs (Fall/Spring)
At the beginning of each semester, the SOO sponsors a Student Organization Fair in the Kohl Center or Memorial Union. During the fall semester, over 500 student groups display items and recruit potential members. The fall fair utilizes the Kohl Center, in order to accommodate the number of groups wishing to participate. Our estimated attendance is over 1,000 students. The fall fair is a featured event in the Wisconsin Welcome materials and is advertised throughout the summer at SOAR and through a mass email. The Spring Student Organization Fair is a bit smaller with over 200 student groups attending and estimated attendance over 500 students. At the spring fair we also allow student groups to perform or show active video tapes to promote and entertain the participants. Examples of past performances/videos include: the Bellydancing Club, Martial Arts Groups, Break Dancing Club, Ballroom Dance, and the Skydiving Club (video).

• Student Organization Kick Off Meeting Promotion
The SOO often hears that the number of student groups is overwhelming and students simply give up trying to find a group that interests them. In an effort to assist students with the volume of information they receive when they get back on campus and to assist student groups with their marketing. The SOO for the past few years has been advertising student groups Kick Off Meetings. During the fall semester, the Kick off booklet will be included as an insert in the Badger Herald Back to School issue.

• Get Connected Interest Inventory
Throughout the summer, freshmen and transfer students receive email asking them to go online and complete an interest inventory. Students can complete a survey and mark the student groups they would like to receive more information about. The data is merged with the student’s local address and email. This information is then given to the student group for follow up. Last summer over 1500 freshmen students completed the survey that listed over 200 different options for students to consider.

• Fall Fair Poster
At the beginning of the fall semester, although our fair is very general, a number of other departments sponsor involvement fairs targeting a specific audience. In an effort to assist in the promotion of these fairs and again to avoid overwhelming students looking to get involved, we have produced a poster with all of the dates and purposes of the variety of opportunities available to students. Examples of other fairs include graduate student, international students, students of color, and LGBT students resource fairs.

• Category Specific Promotional Brochures
In order to provide involvement information throughout the academic year, the SOO has partnered with Cross College Advising Services and the L&S/Human Ecology Career Services Office. During CCAS’s Major Interest Sessions for undecided majors, we provide pamphlets that reflect the theme of the interest session. For example, if the interest session is about majoring in the biological sciences, we create a pamphlet that highlights all of the student groups that relate to the biological sciences. With the Career Services Offices, we highlight all of the student groups that compliment the theme of each particular career fair. For example if the fair is hosting employers in the government and non-profit area, the information we distribute is related to students groups in government or non-profit work.

Training Opportunities for Students

Student Leadership Program (SLP):
The Student Leadership Program (SLP) offers leadership training for UW-Madison students. The programs are designed to develop leadership skills for all students, as well as enhance the skills of those currently in leadership positions. Three student coordinators lead SLP with assistance from the SLP Committee and the SOO. The student group, which meets bi-weekly, is extremely vital in planning and implementing leadership development programs, resources, and opportunities on campus. All of SLP offerings are free and open to the UW-Madison student body.

SLP believes that “leadership is action, not position.” Their mission is to develop effective and essential leadership skills in students and student groups through comprehensive leadership education and diverse experiences. They achieve this mission by providing opportunities for students to strengthen their individual leadership skills, by providing opportunities for students to practice the skills they are learning in a group setting and by assisting student organizations with the management and development of their groups and group leaders. Contact the SLP program at 608-263-4663 or email slp@odos.wisc.edu for more information.

Adventure Learning Program (ALPs):
ALPs works with student organizations and groups ranging from honors fraternities and service clubs to sports teams and residence hall floors. ALPs programming – whether short on-campus workshops, longer retreat programming, or day-long ropes course experiences – offers individuals and groups exciting and stimulating challenges and a comfortable forum enabling positive discussion. This program provides student organizations with teambuilding and communication workshops at no cost. Using experiential education, groups are asked to engage in various activities that allow them to set and accomplish different goals. ALPs facilitators can plan workshops designed to meet the needs of your organization, which range from icebreakers to high-challenge ropes course facilitation. Contact the ALPs program at 608-263-4663 or email alps@odos.wisc.edu for more information on ALPs.

Peer Advisors
With over 750 student organization’s on campus the need to assist student organization leaders with the management of their organizations has become imperative. The Student Leadership Program and the Student Organization Office have collaborated to create a peer advising program to assist in meeting this need. The role of peer advisor’s are to assist with student organization orientation sessions and to schedule open advising hours and roundtable discussions to assist student organization leaders on specific topics of interest as well as general advising. Check the SOO web site for the most current schedule of topical roundtable discussions. http://soo.studentorg.wisc.edu.

Leadership Clearinghouse
The Leadership Clearinghouse was developed to serve as a comprehensive resource for students to identify training programs to assist them in developing the critical skills they need in today’s work force to compliment what they are learning in the classroom. The electronic data base allows a user to browse the various offerings available or the student can customize their needs by completing the “My Leadership Development” profile. By doing so, when training opportunities are entered onto the data base, the student is automatically notified of the training opportunity for that specific skill. Student groups and other UW departments can also add additional training opportunities offered on or around campus into the clearinghouse for additional marketing.

Leadership Seminar:
Student organization leaders are eligible to register for Sociology 496. This is a two or three-credit course that is offered in the fall semester. The course is taught by Dr. Don Schutt, Director of Human Resources Development, which introduces concepts and skills related to leadership. This undergraduate class offers University of Wisconsin-Madison student leaders an opportunity to discuss contemporary leadership issues while enhancing their skills. Guest experts ranging from leaders in education to community leaders, applied learning approaches, and student participation are just a few of the features of the course. For more information or to apply for the course go to:
http://www.ohrd.wisc.edu/leadershipseminar/

Recognition Opportunities for Students and Student Groups

Leadership Certificate
The Leadership Certificate recognizes exceptional energy and focus on leadership development demonstrated by a commitment to learning through application in the community. The certificate gives formal acknowledgement to the skills and abilities of outstanding character in all professions and sectors of society while on campus and beyond. Participating in this program encourages students to mobilize oneself and others to work towards a common goal, in turn, creating a positive impact on individuals, student organizations, and the community. A student can work on the Leadership Certificate over multiple semesters and can fit the program into their schedule with careful planning. The non-credit certificate requires the student to learn and practice what they learned regarding themselves and how to lead others a minimum number of hours in five distinct areas. The areas include leadership role, academic course work, civic engagement, work experience, and out of the classroom workshops, training programs, seminars, etc. For more information, registration, and the leadership certificate packet, go to http://soo.studentorg.wisc.edu/certificate/index.htm

Leadership and Involvement Record
The L&I Record is an official document from the UW-Madison campus verifying a student’s leadership role(s) on campus. The student is able to go onto MY UW and enter the leadership roles and membership in student groups the student has participated. The SOO then verifies the information entered (membership information is not verified) and an official document with the UW seal and the Dean of Students signature can be printed. Students can use the record for graduate school applications, to verify the information they placed on their resume, or simply as storage to track the various involvements experienced. For complete instructions on how to enter your involvement and leadership experiences, go to http://soo.studentorg.wisc.edu/leadership

Student Leadership Awards
Freshmen and Sophomore Leadership Awards
At the end of the Fall semester, the SOO requests nominations from advisors, faculty, students and staff to recognize outstanding leadership from students who are freshmen and sophomores. The student recipients receive a plaque or certificate and are publicly recognized at the Fall Student Organization and Leadership Awards Banquet sponsored by the SOO and the Student Leadership Program. The criteria for the awards includes being highly active and holding leadership roles within student organizations, involvement in service activities and activities within the student’s school or college and students are asked an essay question and are evaluated based on their response and writing skills.

Junior and Senior Leadership Awards
At the end of the Spring semester, the SOO requests nominations from advisors, faculty, students and staff to recognize outstanding leadership from students who are juniors, seniors and grad/professional students. The student recipients receive a plaque or certificate and are publicly recognized at the Spring Student Organization and Leadership Awards Banquet sponsored by the SOO and the Student Leadership Program. The criteria for the awards includes being highly active and holding leadership roles within student organizations, involvement in service activities and activities within the students school or college and students are asked an essay question and are evaluated based on their response and writing skills.

Undergraduate Excellence Award
Awarded to a junior or senior student who has excelled in the areas of academic achievement, student leadership, and service. There are a number of these awards across campus. The SOO award has traditionally emphasized the leadership aspect of the award. All students who apply for the Junior/Senior Leadership Awards are automatically considered for the Undergraduate Excellence Award which includes a Lunch Banquet and $750.00 stipend presented by Harvey Meyerhoff, an alumnus who personally donated a scholarship which funds the awards and program.

Student Organization Awards

Fall Semester Awards
During the fall semester the student organization awards are focused on outstanding programs sponsored by registered student organizations. Applications are available in late October. Contact the SOO for specific deadlines soo@odos.wisc.edu.

The Commitment to Diversity Award
This award was created to recognize a student –directed year-long and community wide commitment to awareness and education of students concerning diversity issues. The award is designed to honor the organization which displays outstanding effort and improvement in their community from the previous academic year to the present.

Program of the Year Award
The Student Organization Office Program of the Year Award was created to recognize those organizations that organized and sponsored programs that have had a positive impact on the University community. The award is designed to honor the organization, which displays tremendous effort and improvement in their community from the previous academic year to the present. Eligible programs for this award are to have occurred between October of the previous year and November of the current year.

Innovation Award
The Student Organization Office Innovation Award was created to recognize those organizations that organized programs and/or services that have had a positive impact on the University community as compared to previous years. The award is designed to honor the organization, which displays tremendous effort and energy to improve the effectiveness of a program or service to better meet the needs of their community. Eligible programs for this award are to have occurred between October of the previous year and November of the current year. A program may not win consecutive years.

Outstanding Achievement Award
The Student Organization Outstanding Achievement Award was created to recognize those organizations that have made significant steps in the development of their organization. The award is designed to honor one or more organizations, which displays tremendous effort and improvement in their development from the previous academic year to the present. Recipients of the award will be evaluated on their internal operation, successful implementation of external programs and activities to the campus community, financial stability, and involvement of the organization in outreach activities.

Spring Semester Awards

As a registered student organization, groups are eligible to apply for four awards that recognize different aspects and contributions of organizational development. The first three student organization awards are: 1) the Contribution to Membership Award, 2) the Contribution to Campus Award, 3) the Contribution to Community Award and 4) the Outstanding Student Organization of the Year Award. Applications are available beginning in March. Contact the SOO for specific deadlines soo@odos.wisc.edu.

Outstanding Contribution to Membership Award
This award recognizes a student organization that has contributed to the scholastic and leadership potential of its members. This may be demonstrated by use of quality programming, office training, good organizational development, and the cohesiveness of its members.

Contribution to Campus Award
This award recognizes a student organization that has achieved a high degree of excellence in their commitment to the University and the organization’s mission through campus-wide programming, recruitment of new members and service to the University by supporting the needs of the University community. This is demonstrated in the organization’s effort to enhance quality of campus life.

Contribution to Community Award
This award recognizes a student organization that has contributed to the quality of life outside of UW and has strived to improve connections within Madison or our surrounding community. This service may have been demonstrated through members volunteering time in community projects and willingness to offer assistance to community members.

Outstanding Student Organization of the Year
This award recognizes a student organization each year that contributes and excels in all three areas of organizational management. The three areas include; contribution to membership; outstanding work in the area of developing their members as leaders and the internal workings of their group; outstanding contribution to campus; having a significant impact on campus through programs and/or services, and outstanding contribution to community; having a significant impact within the community. The award recipients receive a trophy. The Outstanding Student Organization of the Year Award recipient also has the name of their group engraved on a plaque that hangs in the SOO in the Red Gym.

Fostering Student Interaction Award Sponsored by the Offices of the Dean of Students
This award was created in the spirit of unity and interconnectedness among student organizations at UW. In hopes to create an incentive for student organizations, as well as reward those who successfully create coalitions and foster cross-cultural interactions, the Offices of the Dean of Students Advisory Board - as the award's reviewing body - annually offers the opportunity to apply for this award to all registered student organizations (RSOs). Current RSOs, as well as formed coalitions with other student groups or community groups, may apply by completing an application and submitting one letter of support from a person who is knowledgeable about the organization's programs and activities. A subcommittee of the Offices of the Dean of Students will review the application material and select one or two student organization award winners. Awarded will be either two $500 awards or one $1000 award. The award will be presented during the spring semester. Please contact the Student Organization Office for application deadline.

Greek Life:

The Greek Community makes up 10% of the undergraduate population at UW and is home to over 45 chapters. Joining a fraternity or sorority can give a student a great support system of friends to help make the adjustment to college that much easier. Greek organizations provide excellent scholastic resources, as many fraternities and sororities provide their members with study groups or help with classes other members have already taken. Students will learn valuable leadership skills and have the chance to practice them as a chapter officer, committee member or possibly even as an officer of the Interfraternity Council, the Multicultural Greek Council, the National Pan-Hellenic Council (Historically African American Fraternities and Sororities) or the Panhellenic Association. As a member of a Greek organization students are encouraged to get involve in a wide variety campus organization and student activities, including intramurals, football game day events, Greek Week, and Homecoming. Students also have the opportunity to help others through community service and other philanthropic events.

All men and women attending the University of Wisconsin are encouraged to go through the recruitment process. In which chapters either host events or informational meetings. Recruitment gives potential members an opportunity to get a feeling for what brotherhood and sisterhood are all about. Recruitment takes place at the beginning of fall semester and spring semester. For more information about the Greek Community or joining a Greek Chapter, please visit www.uwgreek.com or stop by the Student Organization Office and speak to a Fraternity and Sorority Advisor.