RSO Need to Know

Important RSO Dates for Spring – We keep an Important RSO Dates page on the RSO Website with two semesters worth of dates! Make sure to check it if you have any questions for your deadlines effecting your RSO.

Manage Your Organization – Ensure your information on CubConnect is up to date, including your roster. You can also edit your page’s About Info to ensure you’re presenting up to date information for prospective members.

New Event Monitor Training Available! – We have worked hard to update the Event Monitor Training on Vector Solutions!

This training takes the place of the previous training. All RSO Members must retake the training if they wish to continue as an Event Monitor. The training is available in the Policy section of the Extra Training Library of Vector Solutions.

Purple Society Applications are Open! Deadline January 19th! – Purple Society recognizes our students for their achievements and involvement both inside and outside of the classroom! Tell your members about this opportunity!

Find out more information and apply today! Applications close January 19th at 11:59 PM.

Leadership Summit 2024 – Leadership Summit promotes leadership growth while networking with impactful speakers and other students within the community! More information and the registration form can be found at the Leadership Summit Website! Leadership Summit is on February 10th, 2024, at the UCA McCastlain Ballroom from 9am-4pm. We hope to see you there!

RSO Renewals – Renewals are open all summer! Follow our step-by-step guide for details on completing the renewal. All submissions are due by September 8th. Please do not wait until the last minute. RSOs that do not complete the renewal by the deadline will be frozen on September 11th.
September RSO Fair – The RSO Fair will be on September 12th this year! This event is separate from Welcome Week’s Conway Daze and focuses on our Student Organizations. Make sure to sign up today! **RSOs that have not completed a renewal will not be eligible to participate in RSO Fair.**
Event Training – RSOs looking to hold Events in the fall must have members complete Events Training on Vector Solutions. Student Life is working to revamp this training and have it available before the fall semester starts. We will provide more information as we get closer!

Summer Student Life Support – Student Life is here to help you all summer! Our office is located in the Student Center Suite 207 and is open Monday-Friday from 8AM to 4:30PM. We are observing Remote Fridays so you won’t find us in the office, but we are available via email or phone (501-450-3137)!
Move-in Volunteers & Conway Daze – Sign-ups are now open for Move-In Day Volunteers and Conway Daze booths during Welcome Week! You can email First Year Experience with any questions!
Events – Want to have events over the summer?  Make sure you get them registered! The two week timeline still applies. Already planning for the fall? Get a head start and get them on the calendar! No events outside of planned Welcome Week/First Year Experience programs are permitted during Welcome Week (August 19-23)
RSO Renewals – Renewals are open all summer! Follow our step-by-step guide for details on completing the renewal. All submissions are due by September 8th. Please do not wait until the last minute.
Constitution Review – During the renewal process, Student Life staff will be reviewing all constitutions for formatting, required content, and clarity of organizational operations. We will provide feedback during the renewal process. Want to make sure yours looks good and meets all the requirements? Check out our sample!

Events – Want to have events over the summer?  Make sure you get them registered! The two week timeline still applies. Already planning for the fall? Get a head start and get them on the calendar! No events outside of planned Welcome Week/First Year Experience programs are permitted during Welcome Week (August 19-23)
RSO Renewals – Renewals are open all summer! Follow our step-by-step guide for details on completing the renewal. All submissions are due by September 8th. Please do not wait until the last minute.
Summer Orientation Bear Fair – Sign-ups are now open for this summer’s Bear Fair at Summer Orientation Advance Registration (SOAR All Bear Fairs will take place in the Ronnie Williams Student Center Ballroom, and there is no fee to participate. Dates are outlined on the Sign-Up form. You can email SOAR with any questions!
Summer Need to Know – Over the summer the Need to Know will be sent every 2 weeks. Make sure your officers are current in CubConnect. Completing your renewal will ensure you are up to date!

Summer Orientation Bear Fair – Sign-ups are now open for this summer’s Bear Fair at Summer Orientation Advance Registration(SOAR). All Bear Fairs will take place in the Ronnie Williams Student Center Ballroom, and there is no fee to participate. Dates are outlined on the Sign-Up form. You can email SOAR with any questions!
RSO Renewals – The renewal period has begun! Follow our step-by-step guide for details on completing the renewal. All submissions are due by September 8th. Please do not wait until the last minute.
Bear Xperts – Bear Experience is looking for freshmen and sophomores that want to teach others about BearX and promote the myriad of events that happen on campus each week. If you have members that you believe would be ideal, encourage them to review the BearX webpage and apply. Applications will be open over the summer. Contact BearX to learn more!

Social Event Deadline – The last day to hold Social Events is April 27th. Any events registered after 11:59 PM TODAY (Thursday, April 13th) will be denied.
Summer events are allowed to happen and need to be registered, however they cannot happen on Study Day or Finals periods. The Summer Event period will end before move-in day.
Summer Orientation Bear Fair – Sign-ups are now open for this summer’s Bear Fair at Summer Orientation Bear Fair (SOAR). All Bear Fairs will take place in the Ronnie Williams Student Center Ballroom, and there is no fee to participate. Dates are outlined on the Sign-Up form. You can email SOAR with any questions!
RSO Renewals – The renewal period has begun! Follow our step-by-step guide for details on completing the renewal. All submissions are due by September 8th. Please do not wait until the last minute.
Event Pictures on CubConnect – If you’ve been trying to post your event flyer with your CubConnect and info gets cropped out, the dimensions need to be 1300px by 780px and horizontal. The best sizing we’ve found for this is Facebook Cover in Canva.

RSO Renewals open April 10th!
Recognized Student Organizations on campus must complete a renewal each year to remain in good standing. Read below for all the requirements for a quick and efficient renewal process!
Recognized Student Organizations are afforded privileges for maintaining their Recognition status from year to year. Review those privileges on page 52 of the Student Handbook.

We have created a full step-by-step guide for you to review while the renewal process is open.
Primary Contact – The person completing the renewal will be the primary contact. Primary Contacts receive all contact requests by default. While this can be changed, it’s one of the things most often overlooked when a person is chosen to do the renewal.
Roster – Check the current roster before submitting the renewal. All past officers will need to be untagged. If there are duplicate officers, the renewal will be sent back for edits.
Training – Each President and Advisor is required to complete the Annual RSO Training on Vector Solutions. This completion must happen before the renewal is approved. The training can be found in the Extra Library section of Vector Solutions. (Student Library) (Advisor Library)

• Wait to submit the renewal until you know the Fall officers.
• Know what information you’d like to update before beginning the process, this way you can complete it quickly.
• Inform your advisor they will be notified of the submission. They have the ability to review and make comments, as needed.
• Complete the Annual RSO Training before you begin the process. The renewal will not let you advance without uploading the two required certificates.

The Student Involvement Awards acknowledge the outstanding efforts of students, advisors, and recognized student organizations during the current academic year and recognize the leadership achievements of our students in their academics and co-curricular activities.
Organization Awards – Every day our organizations exhibit dedication to their missions and their role at UCA and the larger community. Each year we recognize Organization of the Year, New Organization of the Year, and Community Outreach by an RSO. Find out ways to tell everyone what your RSO has done for you!
Individual Awards – Our campus is nothing without the students that take on leadership roles to make their impact on UCA. Whether being a good overall leader, or dedicating their time and effort to community outreach or diversity, students show their hearts from their freshman to senior year.
Dr. Gary Roberts RSO Advisor of the Year – Advisors play vital roles for our RSOs and give their time, effort, and resources to see each RSO succeed. Has your advisor gone above and beyond their established role and expectations this year to aid your RSO? Nominate them for RSO Advisor of the Year!
Programming Awards – RSOs put on a variety of social events and educational programs throughout the year. These programs benefit our campus in an out-of-the-classroom experience focused on acclimating students to campus, serving the community, educating on cultural and diversity topics, or introducing groundbreaking or thought-provoking ideas. Check out the topics and nominate your favorite!

All nominations are due by 11:59 PM on April 3, 2023.
Nominees will be notified on April 5th.

COMPLETE A NOMINATION FORM!

The Student Involvement Awards acknowledge the outstanding efforts of students, advisors, and recognized student organizations during the current academic year and recognize the leadership achievements of our students in their academics and co-curricular activities.
Organization Awards – Every day our organizations exhibit dedication to their missions and their role at UCA and the larger community. Each year we recognize Organization of the Year, New Organization of the Year, and Community Outreach by an RSO. Find out ways to tell everyone what your RSO has done for you!
Individual Awards – Our campus is nothing without the students that take on leadership roles to make their impact on UCA. Whether being a good overall leader, or dedicating their time and effort to community outreach or diversity, students show their hearts from their freshman to senior year.
Dr. Gary Roberts RSO Advisor of the Year – Advisors play vital roles for our RSOs and give their time, effort, and resources to see each RSO succeed. Has your advisor gone above and beyond their established role and expectations this year to aid your RSO? Nominate them for RSO Advisor of the Year!
Programming Awards – RSOs put on a variety of social events and educational programs throughout the year. These programs benefit our campus in an out-of-the-classroom experience focused on acclimating students to campus, serving the community, educating on cultural and diversity topics, or introducing groundbreaking or thought-provoking ideas. Check out the topics and nominate your favorite!

Nominations open Monday, March 13th.
All nominations are due by 11:59 PM on April 3, 2023.
Nominees will be notified on April 5th.

COMPLETE A NOMINATION FORM!

Event Evaluations – CubConnect has a built-in evaluation feature for each event to help orgs gain insight into their attendees thoughts and feedback on the event. A simple 1-to-5 star rating system can be sent to attendees, or custom questions can be created to gain a more thorough understanding.
Event Monitor Training – If your RSO is planning on holding social events throughout the rest of the semester, make sure your members are trained and you meet the minimum expectations of the RSO Events Policy. The training can be found on Vector Solutions for students and faculty/staff under the Extra Training Library.
Solicitation – Any RSO gathering donations through selling goods, accepting monetary contributions, or collecting items for further donation must complete a solicitation form and turn it in to the Student Center Office (SC 206). This includes, but is not limited to, tables in the Student Center or events around campus.

Involvement Awards – Each year UCA recognizes our RSOs and student leaders for their hard work throughout the year. Review the Involvement Award categories and plan your nominations! The nomination form will open in March.
CubConnect Involvement Record – CubConnect keeps track of each user’s membership in pages, position assignments, and events attended. The Involvement Record is a great way to reflect on UCA involvement when applying to jobs or furthering education.
Event RSVPs – You can build RSVP questions into your Event Submissions to gather information from your invitees. The information will be retrievable from the Manage Event page.
Leadership Summit – Each year the Center for Leadership Development holds a one day leadership conference for students from Central Arkansas universities. This year the conference will be February 25th in the UCA HPER center. Leaders of all RSOs are encouraged to participate and build their skills!

News Posts – CubConnect has a News tool which allows you to keep your members or the UCA community up-to-date on the latest news in your organization. With a format similar to a blog, members can view a quick summary of the most recent news or drill down to view the full contents of each post.
Budget Requests – SAFA Budget Requests have opened on CubConnect. Make sure you get yours submitted before the February 16th deadline. Hearing sign-up information will be sent to the Request submitter after the request process closes.
GivePulse and Volunteerism – GivePulse is UCA’s Volunteer platform which is used to find and track volunteer hours. You can also search for Volunteer Opportunities on the CubConnect Service tab. Contact the Service-Learning & Volunteerism staff with questions!

RSO Mailboxes – Did you know Student Life provides mailboxes for RSOs at no charge? Assignments are made on a first come, first served basis. If you have one, make sure you’re checking it regularly in the Student Life Office. Not sure if you have one? We can help!
Manage your CubConnect Event – Need to change something on a pending event submission? We can send it back to you for edits without having to create a new submission! Have a change after we’ve given approval? Edit the details from the event page.
Access CubConnect on your Phone – CubConnect has the same functionality as a computer when used on a phone or tablet browser. You can even access Event Pass from the browser and save it to your wallet!
Fundraising – Throughout the year, RSOs hold fundraisers to support their operations or for a specific cause. Make sure to read the UCA Student Handbook (page 54) for guidelines as you begin to plan a fundraiser. It’s important to remember that raffles, guessing jars, and other games of chance are prohibited under Arkansas State Law.

Leadership Summit – Each year the Center for Leadership Development holds a one day leadership conference for students from Central Arkansas universities. This year the conference will be February 25th in the UCA HPER center. Leaders of all RSOs are encouraged to participate and build their skills!
Update your RSO Profile – Keeping your CubConnect profile up to date is important so all current and prospective students can get an overview of your organization and decide if they’re interested in joining. Review the About info and make edits, as needed.
CubConnect Office Hours – Every Thursday from 2-3 PM we will hold an open Zoom call to answer CubConnect questions. Drop in to meet with Student Life staff and get assistance with anything CubConnect.

SAFA – One of the ways to fund your organization is through the Student Government Association’s Student Activity Fee Allocation (SAFA) process. This semester’s SAFA process covers all Fall 2023 funding and request and hearing deadlines are in early February.
Bear Experience – BearX is UCA’s co-curricular transcript to keep track of out-of-class experiences. All BearX progress is tracked through CubConnect. If choosing to make your event a BearX event, be sure to take attendance otherwise your participants won’t get credit!
Involvement Newsletter – Has your RSO done something worth sharing? We would love to brag on you! Do you have an exciting event coming up you’d like to advertise? Tell us more! We plan to send the Newsletter every two weeks to all students, faculty, and staff.