New Organization Application Process

The New Organization Application Process will open on July 26 and close on September 26, 2024. The application process is run annually.  Only applications submitted within the timeline will be reviewed or considered for processing 

(THIS PROCESS IS CURRENTLY CLOSED).

Starting a new organization or re-activating an old organization is an exciting opportunity! Campus Activities wants to help you and your organization be successful. 

Step 1: Verify Eligibility

Before starting the application process, let’s determine if your organization is eligible to apply by answering the following questions:

• Recognized Social Fraternities or Sororities: Is your organization a recognized social fraternity or sorority affiliated with the Sorority & Fraternity Life office?
• Single Event or Officer Election: Are you registering a group to sponsor a single event and/or elect an individual to an office?
• Non-Cornell Members: Do more than 50% of your members consist of non-Cornell students, such as individuals from the public or faculty/staff?
• Similar Organizations: Is there another organization with a similar mission, purpose, or title?

If you said yes to any of the above questions, your organization may not be eligible for approval as a student organization. We encourage you to thoroughly review and address these considerations to ensure a successful application process. Please contact activities@cornell.edu, if you have any questions.

Step 2: Gather Required Information

As you prepare to begin the New Student Organization Application Process, you will need the following:

• Leadership Information:
  • Names and Net IDs of your President, Vice President, Treasurer, and Diversity & Inclusion Chair
    • (Additional officers can be added later via email request after initial application approval)
• Advisor Information:
  • Name, Net ID, contact phone number, and department affiliation
• Organization Title & Info:
  • Proposed name that follows Cornell branding guidelines(branding policy):
    • Your group name followed by “at Cornell” (e.g. Chromatic at Cornell)
    • Name must include “Club” (e.g. Cornell Chess Club)
    • If affiliated with a national or larger organization, add “Cornell Chapter” (e.g. Habitat for Humanity Cornell Chapter)
  • Proposed acronym for your organization
    • Be sure to check the existing list of student organizations and their acronyms to ensure your proposed organization acronym is not already in use.
• Mission and Goals Statement:
  • Clearly outline the purpose of your organization.
• Constitution:
  • Use the required Constitution Template and follow all provided directions.
• Logo:
  • Must adhere to Cornell (branding policy):
    • May not use or alter Cornell trademarks.
    • May not use the university’s trademarks as part of your logo.
    • Alterations of Cornell’s trademarks are not allowed.
• Email Address:
  • A dedicated email address for your organization (not an @cornell.edu or personal email).
• National/Regional Affiliation Document (if applicable):
  • Provide a signed and dated document verifying your affiliation.

Step 3: Fulfill Pre-Application Requirements

• Ensure your organization has at least 10 members.
• The President and Vice President must complete the online Event Planning 101 class and pass the associated exam prior to submitting your application. 

Step 4: Submit Application

• Complete and submit your application by the deadline (TBA, est. July-Sept). Applications submitted outside this timeframe will not be reviewed.

Step 5: Application Review

• Campus Activities will review your application and provide updates on progress.
• Work with Campus Activities to address any outstanding requirements/adjustments

Step 6: Final Steps for Approval

• The President, Vice President, Treasurer, and Advisor must complete a final form and pass a policy-based quiz.
• Campus Activities will conduct a final review to ensure all requirements are met.

Once everything is in order, your organization will officially be registered!