Engineering Student Life RSO Resources

An important part of registering/renewing your student organization with the University and college is to know what type of RSO your student organization is.  The RSO types are as follows:

Interest Student Organizations (ISO)

A student organization based on an interest or advocacy.  This is the most common RSO type.  ISOs are easier to create and renew, but also do not have the ability to use OU trademarks or get insurance through risk management.

Competitive Club Student Organizations (CCSO)

A student organization that is involved in an official competition, outside of OU.  CCSOs must receive funding from a department in some capacity.  They are allowed to use OU trademarks and can work with risk management to obtain insurance.

Departmental Student Organization (DSO)

A student organization whose purpose is to benefit the students involved in a specific academic unit or department.  DSOs receive funding from their department and are allowed to use OU trademarks.

Sports Club Student Organization (SCSO)

A student organization that participates in intercollegiate sports competitions and has been approved through the OU Fitness + Recreation Sport Club Council process.

More information about the various organizations and the benefits, restrictions, and requirements to be one can be found in the SGA's RSO Policy on Engage.

All engineering student organizations must register with SGA and GCoE annually in order to maintain active status and RSO benefits.

In order to register or renew your student organization, your organization must meet the following criteria:

• Must have at least ten (10) enrolled student members.
• Must have a faculty or staff advisor who is employed full-time at the University of Oklahoma.
• All student leadership must be in good academic standing with their respective college.
• Must complete online registration by the scheduled deadline.

Registration for both the Gallogly College of Engineering and SGA are through the same Engage form.  Information can be found at the link below.

Student Organization Registration

This meeting is a requirement for student organizations registered with the Gallogly College of Engineering's Engineering Student Life.  Student organizations are asked to attend every ELA by sending 1-2 members from your organization.  Given the topics, we recommend these members to be officers within your organization.

As an attendee, members will be asked to participate in the session, ask questions, and relay information back to their organization for the purpose of improving their own organization and the experience of its members.

Please note, attendance is recorded after every session and is required for organizations that want annual GCoE organizational funding.  Organizations that fail to participate in ELA will be unable to receive this funding.

We understand that your organization may want to review ELA material during a meeting or catch up if a meeting was missed.  As such, all ELA materials, including agenda and announcements, presentation slides, and forms are preserved and accessible on the Engineering Student Life Engage page.  You must be logged in to gain access to Engage documents.  If for some reason you cannot access documents submitted to the Engineering Student Life's Engage page, please email our team at engineeringstudentlife@ou.edu.

Criteria

Any student organization that registers with Engineering Student Life and participates or plans to participate in PreK-12 Outreach must register with the Gallogly College of Engineering Outreach council to perform these outreach activities.  PreK-12 outreach is defined as including, but not limited to: tutoring; on or off-campus activities with minors; leading activities at an elementary, middle, or high school; and/or assisting in classroom settings in a school.

Once registered and approved to perform outreach on behalf of the Gallogly College of Engineering, the Registered Student Organization shall appoint a representative for the Outreach Council. This individual should be a leader in the planning and execution of the organization’s outreach activities. It is understood that this individual communicates regularly with both the Registered Student Organization’s leadership and the faculty and/or staff advisor(s).

Expectations

Each Representative to the Outreach Council will be expected to maintain an accurate schedule of outreach events for their organization. Representatives will also be required to collect, maintain, and provide the GCoE Outreach & Recruiting Coordinator with all certifications required for compliance with the Youth Protection Policy for organization members who will participate in outreach events/activities. These certifications include appropriate background check information, ensuring participants have completed Youth Protection Policy training through Risk Management, ensuring Student Conduct checks have been completed through the Office of Student Conduct, and successful completion of all forms. The full University Youth Protection Policy can be found here: https://www.ou.edu/web/landing/policy

Additionally, Representatives to the Outreach Council will be expected to attend training seminars organized by the Council regarding working with minors and appropriate messaging. They will be expected to relay this information to their organization's outreach team. These training seminars will be archived and made available on an as-needed basis for Outreach Council Representatives.

Application and Benefits

To support compliance with these requirements, a small budget has been set aside to cover the cost of a limited number of background checks for approved Registered Student Organizations. It is imperative that the organization submits a comprehensive outreach strategy that addresses potential funding gaps to be considered for aid to cover background check costs.

The application comprises a detailed outreach plan that includes:

• Planned number of events
• Types of events and types of activities the events will include
• Targeted schools or areas
• A budget for the planned events that account for background checks for activity and event leaders (budget must be balanced)
  
• Names of students who will participate in the outreach activities
• Names of organizational leaders who will lead each event or activity.

For the 2023-2024 academic year, the application should be submitted at least one (1) month prior to the first event or activity. Thereafter, the application review will begin on August 1 for the coming academic year. Funds will be awarded until the budget is depleted.

A link to the application can be found below.  Please email Tierney Harvey for any questions about the application of the Outreach Council.

Because of legal ramifications, any organization found participating in K-12 outreach activities, but not complying with the rules set forward for the Outreach Council, will receive a warning after the first infraction and enter a probationary period. During this probationary period, the Registered Student Organization will be required to attend a coaching session with the College of Engineering Outreach and Recruitment Coordinator and the organization will be barred from engaging in any K-12 outreach activities. The probationary period will end after all necessary requirements have been met and approval has been obtained from the College of Engineering Outreach and Recruitment Coordinator.

Upon the discovery of a second infraction, the Registered Student Organization's probationary period will be reinstated and extended to the next academic semester. The organization shall not engage in any K-12 outreach programs regardless of the organizing body. Additionally, the organization will be required to attend another coaching session with the College of Engineering Outreach and Recruitment Coordinator and meet with the Senior Associate Dean.

After the discovery of a third and final infraction in an academic year, the organization will be penalized when applying for any Gallogly College of Engineering funding for the next academic year.  Penalties will be determined by the Gallogly College of Engineering Funding Committee and can include funding reductions up to no funding being awarded to the organization in question. In addition, the organization shall not engage in any K-12 outreach programs regardless of the organizing body for the remainder of the academic year.

All infractions will reset upon the conclusion of the academic year. However, organizations that continue to violate the policies set forth by the Outreach Council may face additional consequences at the discretion of the Senior Associate Dean.

More information about Minors on Campus, including policies and forms, can be found on the University of Oklahoma's website.

SGA Primary and Auxillary Funding

All RSOs registered with SGA are eligible for funding from SGA.  Primary funding is only available for RSOs that have been registered with SGA for one year or more.  Auxillary funding is available for any RSO that is registered with SGA.  Primary funding is given only once annually while auxillary funding can applied for several times throughout a year.

Click here to learn more about SGA funding and how to apply for it.

Funding Criteria

The budgetary Committee led by the SGA Budget Chair, comprised of Representatives from the Undergraduate Student Congress, and a single Senator from the Graduate Student Senate decide how money is allocated for all organizations throughout the University.  The following criteria is used to determine the amount of funds allocated to Registered Student Organizations:

• Degree to which the Programs, Events, and Activities (PEAs) if the organization provide a unique service to the university's student community.
• Scope of the organization such as number of students affected, effect on the community outside of campus, and the size of the organization.
• Percent of funds used in previous years relative to the allocated amount.
• The amount of funding received outside of the Student Government Association (SGA) by the organization.
• Quality of the budget including clarity, accurateness, compliance with SGA and University of Oklahoma polices and regulations, as well as reasonability (unreasonable requests for large sums will count against an organization).
• Degree to which funding the organization's request will accomplish their stated goals.
• One specific criterion particular to the category of the organization.
• In the case of criteria funding, the previous allocations for funding are also taken into consideration.

Applying for GCoE Funding

Registered student organizations can apply for funding through the Gallolgy College of Engineering.  Engineering receives donations that are specified to our student organizations and competition teams of which we allocate to our student orgs based upon their application and interview.  To apply for this funding, student orgs need to do the following:

1. Register with the Student Government Association (SGA).
   
2. Register with Engineering Student Life through Engage.   Please contact engineeringstudentlife@ou.edu for any questions regarding this matter.
   
   • You will need to submit a budget as part of this process.  A specific template is required for your submission and can be found here.
3. Once registered, you will need to complete the GCoE Funding Form..  This form will open in the Fall semester. 
   
   • If additional information is needed, the GCoE Funding Committee will require your organization's officers to attend a budget interview.   Your organization will need to send up to three officers to this meeting.  If possible, your treasurer should be one of the attendees. 
4. Once all interviews are concluded and the funding form deadline has passed, our committee will meet to allocate funds and will contact the organizations upon the final decision.
   

Funding Criteria

The GCoE Budgetary Committee is led by the Director of Engineering Student Life and is comprised of staff associated with Engineering Student Life and the engineering competition teams.   The following criteria is used to determine the amount of funds allocated to Registered Student Organizations:

• Participation in conferences or competitions.
• How organizational Programs, Events, and Activities (PEAs) will provide a unique service to the university's student community or the community outside of campus. 
  
  • These can include professional development, community service, community outreach, or other major university or college events that provide a unique opportunity to our students.
• The scope of the organization such as the size of the organization, number of students affected by their activities, and their impact on the community outside of campus.
• Quality and accuracy of submitted budget and planned activities.
• Knowledge and ability to explain how your programming serves the community, the organization's member
• How your activities relate to the mission and vision of your organization.
• How your funds will help achieve your organization's goals for the year.
  
• Previous years' allocations and programming.

Some student organizations share a more direct relationship with academic or support departments within the university.  These departments sometimes have budgets allocated to student organizations.  Each department has its own policies and rules for how funds are given and to what organization.  If your organization has received funds or you believe you are eligible for funds from these departments, you will need to reach out to them for a meeting to discuss if this is a possibility for your organization.

The following is a list of best practices when asking for funds from SGA, GCoE, or another department:

• Maintain accurate records of your expenses and income from year to year.  This helps your treasurer to have a more accurate understanding on what your needs are when requesting funds for your organization.
  • The budget template provided by Engineering Student Life has a good way to organize your revenue streams as well as track those streams through the use of a ledger.
• Do not inflate your projected budget when requesting funds from the university.  This shows a lack of understanding for your overall budget and needs as an organization and will lead to less funds being awarded.
• Funds from SGA are returned to SGA at the end of the academic year.
  • Failure to use all SGA funds can count against you in the future and result in less money being allocated in future years.
• Funds from GCoE are yours to keep.
• It is strongly recommended for RSOs to have some carryover from year to year.
  
• SGA funds are restricted to a specific purpose as requested.  GCoE funds do not carry this restriction.  When you are using your funds, it is recommended to use your SGA funds as requested and first in order to use it all. 
  
  • A full list of restricted items related to SGA funding can be found here.  GCoE funds do not carry this restriction and departmental awards may have their own unique restrictions.

Alumni are an incredible resource for your organization.  Having, maintaining, and working with alumni can lead to new opportunities, resources, and funding for your organization.  Alumni that are still involved in your organization can give you access to corporations that can give tech talks or sponsorships.  Alumni can also give you donations and personal expertise as needed.  Here are some tips for fostering and growing your alumni base:

• Keep track of your former members.  Keep lists of former members and store them in a spreadsheet or other document.  Try to include email addresses and phone numbers if possible.  Advancement keeps up-to-date information on alumni as well and can help you get the most recent contact information if you do not have it.
• Build and maintain relations with former members.  Implement a way to reach out to former members and include them in your organization.  This can be in the form of newsletters, special donor events, social media, or other appropriate avenues depending on your organization and needs.
• Communicate effectively with your former members.  As an organization, you will need to find ways to ask alumni for help.  Be professional and polite, responding and following-up in a timely manner as necessary.  When sending correspondence, write formally and with gratitude.

Giving Day, OU’s annual 24 hour giving campaign is an amazing way to generate funds for your organization. The Gallogly College of Engineering has put together opportunities for each organization to compete and raise a significant amount of money. Giving Day is all about sharing and engaging with your community. As it occurs annually, it is favorable to start sharing and getting donors engaged weeks prior to the day.

It is encouraged that every student organization and competition team participate in OU Giving Day.  Here are some tips to getting the most out of OU Giving Day.:

1. Keep an eye out for an email from the Advancement team regarding Giving Day.  This information will include how to sign up, when the day will occur, and all relevant deadlines.  To ensure you get these communications, make sure our Advancement team has your most recent officer list and their contact information.
2. Sign up and choose an ambassador that will be the point person for Giving Day.  This ambassador will receive further unique behind-the-scenes updates from the Giving Day Team as well as access to Giving Day graphics and personalized URLs to share on social media.
3. Share, Share, SHARE!  Getting engaged with the community and your base is absolutely important to your reaching your goal.  Share updates, give thanks, and talk about your organization throughout the day to keep potential donors engaged.
4. Reach out for help and ask questions.  Giving Day can be overwhelming depending on when it occurs and if you have had experience with this event in the past.  Don't be afraid to reach out to the Advancement team with questions about Giving Day or fundraising in general.

The following are a list of best practices when fundraising through donors, alumni, and corporations:

• Maintain accurate records of your expenses and income from year to year.  This helps your treasurer to have a more accurate understanding on what your needs are when requesting funds for your organization.
  • The budget template provided by Engineering Student Life has a good way to organize your revenue streams as well as track those streams through the use of a ledger.
• Keep a list of alumni associated with your organization.  This list should contain contact information such as email so you can communicate with former members after they graduate.  Our Advancement Team can give you up to date contact information if needed.
  
• Once your alumni list is compiled, you can share it with our Advancement Team who will keep a backup in case of a poor transition or if your copy is lost.  Advancement will also keep backups of your sponsorship packets.
• Social media is one of the best ways to reach out to potential members, donors, and alumni.  You can incorporate them on your sponsorship packet, Thousands Strong and Giving Day campaigns, and other promotional tools.
  • It is highly recommended that your group starts with Facebook and Instagram.  Organizational websites are available if you determine them necessary after getting a feel for engagement.  Contact our Communications team for information on how to obtain a website.
• When engaging donors, remember to always be professional, polite, and punctual.  Double check your grammar and spelling before sending out all communications.
  • Thank you letters, organizational updates, company promotion (with permission), and invitation to events are all great avenues to explore with corporations and alumni.
• If you are looking to approach companies for the first time, start with companies who have a strong relationship with OU or the Gallogly College of Engineering. 
  
  • Often, the presidents, advisors, or other organizational officers are the individuals to make initial contact with a company. 
    
  • Companies that attend the career fair often sponsor organizations.  It could be beneficial to reach out to companies at that time.
• Do not presume funding will continue to be supplied from historical donors!  Keeping your organization's relationships with companies strong is imperative to receiving funding over multiple years.

All information related to spending SGA funding can be found on their website.

There will be times when student organizations will handle cash at events, fundraisers, and sales.  Student organizations are responsible for maintaining sale records as well as an accurate count of all funds.  Your financial associate is an excellent resource for guidance on all procedures.  Some general tips include:

• Discuss with your financial associate regarding all guidelines regarding cash handling!
  
• Keep all cash in a safe location during the event.  Many organizations use a locked box that is constantly monitored by either an assigned student or an advisor.
• Keep an accurate record of all transactions using cash.  A purchase spreadsheet template (xlsx) can be found here.
  
• Make sure cash handler's count is accurate when giving change.  Counting twice is always encouraged!
  
• Restrict who has access to any cash to a limited set of people.  If problems arise, you will know who had access during the event.
• Do not hold on to cash after the event if at all possible!  Return the cash to your financial associate as soon as possible in order to deposit the funds in your account and ensure they do not get lost.

Organizations may collect donations, membership dues, or sales from goods or services and may deposit them into their account.  Your financial associate can walk you through all guidelines and specifics for this process, but generally you will need to do the following:

• Complete and submit a Deposit Form (linked below)
  • If depositing membership dues, you will need to attach a list of members and amount each paid.
  • If depositing profits from the sales of goods or services, you will need to attach a list of goods/services, purchasers, and amounts.
    • Use the purchasing spreadsheet linked below
      

When done, return the completed deposit form to your financial associate along with any attachments and the funds that are to be deposited.

RSO Event Planning Checklist

There are a lot of details that go into planning on-campus events and planning often begins far before the event occurs. To help organizations with this, an event planning checklist has been created with details and information about the different phases of event planning .

A breakdown of things to keep in mind during the different phases of event planning can be found below.

Beginning of Semester

• Have semester programming planned: You should already know what events you will be hosting this semester and the general timeline and needs of each event.  This includes dates, times, A/V, and refreshments.
  
• Begin reserving space: Begin looking at spaces that can be reserved for your event.  Some spaces are not available for reservation until after the semester starts, but knowing this in advance and creating a reservation once the space is available can ensure that you have the ideal space needed for your event.
• Consider contingencies: If your event is outdoors or is reliant on factors outside of your control, you should begin thinking of contingencies and ways you can ensure your event is successful.
  
• Add events to calendars: Once space is reserved and dates and times are confirmed, be sure to add your event to internal organizational calendars, the GCoE TeamUp Calendar, and your Engage calendar.  This will allow you to better communicate your programming to your current and future members.
  
• Review University Policies: All organizations should review and be familiar with University guidelines and policies that may affect your event.

2-3 Months Prior to the Event

• Finalize event details: You should have a clear budget, space, date, and time for your event.  If you haven't already, you should update your calendars with all details once finalized.
• Identify gifts or item needs: If you are planning to sell something or give a gift to a speaker or presentor, you will need to meet with your financial associate to see if your plan is possible under University guidelines and what the best way to achieve it is.
  
• Identify potential vendors: Your financial associate will have a list of approved vendors for food, drink, supplies, and more.
  • Obtain quotes for services and goods from vendors.
    
  • Unapproved vendors will require extra time to setup as OU Purchasing will need to approve them.  Please work with your financial associate as needed.
• Finalize Youth Protection Policy Requirments: If you are doing K-12 Outreach, you will need to make sure you are compliant with all the OU Youth Protection Policy.  This includes completing all necessary background checks, trainings, and forms.

5-6 WeeksPrior to the Event

• Select preferred vendor: Work with your financial associate on completing all forms and making sure payment is authorized.
• Finalize space reservation: If you have not already, you should finalize your space reservation for your event.  If your event is outdoors, you should also consider reserving an indoor space as backup in case of inclement weather.  Remember, your reservation should include setup and clean up time.
  
• Submit any required approval forms: Your event may require specific forms or permissions depending on what is being done.  You will need to work with your advisor on making sure that you complete any requirements imposed by Campus Scheduling or Risk Management.
  
• Reserve A/V equipment: You should begin reserving or purchasing  any additional A/V equipment needed.
• Finalize Promotional/Marketing at Event: You will need to consider if you will need a photographer or camera to take pictures or video of the event.  You should also decide if it will be shared on social media and if it will require participants to sign a Talent Release.
• Distribute Talent Releases (if needed): If your event will be recorded or shared, you will need participants to sign talent releases.  These will need to be collected and maintained by your organization.  A blank talent release form can be found here.
• Distribute Waivers and Medical Releases (if needed): If your event includes non-OU attendees, you will need to have participants sign various waivers and releases.  Please contact engineeringstudentlife@ou.edu if you need these forms.
  
• Setup registration system (if needed): If you are doing a RSVP or using volunteers, you will need to create a respective registration form either through Qualtrics or Engage.  Submissions should be accessible to all members that are overseeing the event.

3-4 Weeks Prior to the Event

• Finalize reservations and logistics: You should finalize all logistics and reservations.  Make sure that your plan is clear, concise, and communicated to your members, vendors, and advisor.
• Advertise on Social Media: Begin advertising your event on social media so that people interested in attending can plan to be there.  If RSVP is needed, make sure that registration links are included.
  
• Submit event notice to GCoE and MCEE newsletter: You should share your event information in both the GCoE weekly newsletter and the MCEE weekly newsletter.  Please note that you can instruct them to be run in the weeks leading up to your event.  If RSVP is needed, make sure that registration links are included.  All notices must be submitted by Friday at noon to be entered into next week's newsletter.
  • GCoE Newsletter: coe_newsletter@ou.edu
    
  • MCEE Newsletter: Earth.Links@ou.edu
• Complete Special Event Form (if needed): If your event significantly alters a University space or involves the use of tents, structures, platforms, inflatables, fixed equipment, automotive vehicles, aircraft, or other mobile craft in an effort to assemble persons for the purposes of live entertainment/performances, celebrations, attractions, participation, races, walks, runs, parades, fairs, festivals, rides, competitions, sponsored outdoor catered events, and similar occasions, you will need to get approval from the University by completing the Special Events Request Form.
  

2-3 Weeks Prior to the Event

• Post flyers: If you are advertising your event with flyers, you will need to post them at the approved flyer locations throughout the engineering quad.  If advertising outside of the engineering quad, you will need to get approval from SGA by completing their RSO Publicity Request Form.
• Create evaluation plan: Evaluating the success of an event is important for reviewing and improving upon an organization's program.  You should consider how to best evaluate your event and create any forms or surveys needed.
• Distribute volunteer registration (if needed): If volunteers are needed for your event, you will need to open and advertise for volunteer registration.  This can be done internally or externally depending on your needs.
  

Week of the Event

• Set up chalking advertisements: If you are advertising your event with chalking, a week out is generally when you want to do so.  Be wary of weather when doing this.
• Confirm facilities and equipment work: Check all A/V equipment to make sure it is functional for your event.
• Confirm food/drink logistics and amounts (if needed): If your event includes food and drinks, you will need to finalize the amount that is being delivered with the vendor as well as the delivery time and location.
  • Please be sure to have the food delviered a little early in case the vendor is running late.
    
• Send event reminders: Remind people that you are doing your event through social media channels and send a reminder email to anyone that has registered for your event.
• Prepare materials: Your event may require pens, name tags, attendence sheets, and more.  Make sure these materials and papers are created, available, and ready for your event.
• Check weather (if needed): If your event is outdoors, check the weather and see if you will be able to do your event outdoors or if you will need to relocate or reschedule.
  
• Obtain access to event venue (if needed): If your event is after hours or in a locked space, make sure you have access to the space either through card swipe or a key.
  

Day of Event

• Setup event: Get the space setup for your event.  Things to consider are:
  • Setup room for your event needs.
  • Setup A/V equipment for your event needs.
    
  • Place attendee list at entrance and have someone there to ensure it is being completed.
  • Be available to receive food and guests
• Run the event
• Cleanup event: Cleanup the space after your event.  Things to consider aree:
  • Give away remaining food: If you have leftovers, distribute food to participants, volunteers, or people nearby.  Only throw away food if no one will take or eat it.
  • Collect attendee list.
  • Reset room furniture and collect equipment if it needs to be returned.
  • Collect leftover materials and store for future use and events.
    

After Event

• Return borrowed keys (if needed): This must be done on the next business day.
  
• Take down signs, posters, flyers, and other event advertisements: This must be done in a timely manner.
  
• Submit your attendence sheet, receipts, and event information to financial associate: This is necessary if you had any expenses or purchases during your event.
• Send thanks: Be sure to thank all volunteers, external facilitators, and attendees for participating in your event.  This should be done the day after your event.
• Debrief your event: Discuss with attendees, volunteers, advisor, and organizational leadership about the event and explore ways to improve the event for future years.

Many of the above considerations given to on-campus events are needed for off-campus events as well.  However, travel will also need to be considered.  For more information about travel policies, please go to the travel section.

RSO Equipment Check-Out

SGA has various equipment available to RSOs free of charge (extension cords, PA system, card reader, etc.).  It is first come, first serve.  Equipment check-out and return is located in room 181 in the Oklahoma Memorial Union on the first floor of the Student Leadership Center.

More information as well as the reservation form can be found on SGA's website.

OU Libraries Technology Lending

The University of Oklahoma Libraries offer a technology lending service at the branch libraries and at the Bizzell Memorial Library circulation desk located near the west entrance. These items are available for checkout and use by University of Oklahoma students, staff and faculty with a valid OU ID.

More information as well as the reservation form can be found at the Technology Lending website.

Departmental

Departments may allow student organizations to use equipment as needed for their events.  Event coordinators would need to request equipment from the department.  Policies and contacts would vary depending on the department.  The organization will be responsible for all borrowed equipment.

Third Party

Depending on event needs, a third-party vendor may be needed for equipment.  Your advisor and financial associate will need to be consulted and give approval for any third-party vendor used.  Additional forms may also be required as needed per University policy.

Personal

Personal equipment may be supplied by the organization, advisor, or student.  Please note, the person who owns the equipment is responsible for it and the University of Oklahoma and Gallogly College of Engineering is not responsible for any lost or damaged equipment supplied by an individual for any student organization event.

Throughout the Gallogly College of Engineering, there are flat screen TVs that provide announcements for upcoming events.  If you would like your event to be displayed on these, allow 24 hours for your event to be posted.  To display your event with this tool, please contact our Director of Communication, Karen Kelly.

Chalking in the Engineering Quad

Engineering student organizations that register with Engineering Student Life are welcome to advertise through chalking throughout the Engineering Quad.  Approval through Engineering Student Life is not required prior to posting so long as you follow the following rules and guidelines.  Any chalk advertisement that violates these guidelines will be removed immediately.

• Chalk must be water-soluble and white or yellow in color.
• All chalking advertisements require the event name, name of your organization, and event date and time.
• Chalking is not allowed within 10 feet of any building entrance.
• Chalking is not allowed under any building overhangs.
• Chalking can only be on horizontal surfaces.
• Your chalking must not interfere with other chalking.
  

Chalking outside of the Engineering Quad

Student organizations that wish to use chalking outside of the Engineering Quad will need to fill out the RSO Publicity Request Form in Engage.  This form will be reviewed by Student Life if you chalk north of Lindsey St. and the Director of Residential Life if you chalk south of Lindsey St.  This requires you to list where you will chalk, when your event is, give some contact information, and write what will be written in chalk.  All of the rules stated above for the Engineering Quad are also in affect throughout the rest of the university.

Please be aware that completeing this form does not guarantee that you can chalk.  You must await approval before chalking outside of the engineering quad.  More information can be found here.

Tree Banners in the Engineering Quad

Engineering student organizations that register with Engineering Student Life are welcome to hang tree banners throughout the Engineering Quad.  Approval through Engineering Student Life is not required prior to hanging so long as you follow the following rules and guidelines.  Any tree banners that violate these guidelines will be removed immediately.

• Tree banners must be professionally produced, weather-proof with wind cuts, and properly secured.
• Tree banners must not block any walk ways or obstruct traffic in any way.
  
• Student organizations are responsible for hanging and removing tree banners.
• Student organizations are responsible for any associated charges with banner development, hanging, and removal as needed.
• The Gallogly College of Engineering reserves the right to request removal of banners as needed for university and/or college functions.
  

Tree banners outside of the Engineering Quad

Student organizations that wish to hang tree banners outside of the Engineering Quad will need to fill out the RSO Publicity Request Form in Engage.  This form will be reviewed by Student Life.  In addition to the above rules that are in effect throughout the university, Student Life also has the following guidelines:

• The location must be reserved through Student Life.
• The banner can only be hung for five consecutive days (including weekends)

Please be aware that completeing this form does not guarantee that you can hang your tree banner.  Students organizations are strongly encouraged to not print their banners until after receiving confirmation from Student Life due to this.  You must await approval before hanging tree banners outside of the engineering quad.  More information can be found here.

As part of registration with Student Life, student organizations gain access to Engage.  Engage is an online community management platform that can allow organizations to share information and reach out to their stakeholders.  When maintained, your Engage can be used to deliver newsletters, update members on events, setup forms for volunteering, and otherwise communicate important information. 

Here are some tips for using your Engage portal successfully:

• Update your Engage page.  The main page of your Engage site lists your organization's mission statement as well as information about your organization's leadership.  Keeping this up to date is an easy way for your stakeholders to communicate things as needed to your organization.

• Post events. Posting your events and meetings on Engage is an easy way for students to learn more about your programming and when you plan to hold events.  This can help attract interested students and be a good reminder for your current members.
  

• Post updates.  It's easy to post short blurbs about successful events and calls to action through your portal.  Keeping people updated about your organization's success and growth is important to maintaining relationships with your stakeholders.  You can also upload photos and videos if you would like.

• Send out group mailers.  Sometimes you want to send something out to just members of your organization.  If so, sending out a group email is possible through Engage.  Having your stakeholders register so they gain access to these mailers can make communication easier and help include non-members.

Developed by our engineering student organizations in an effort to communicate better with each other, a TeamUp calendar exists to list events within engineering.  This calendar lists conferences, competitions, student organization events, college and university events, officer meetings, and other important information, such as SGA deadlines.  Engineering student organizations and academic departments are welcome to add their events to the calendar so that students, organizations, faculty, and staff are aware of upcoming events.  A link to view the calendar can be found below.

To gain permission to edit the calendar, please contact Engineering Student Life.

In this age of instant communication, social media such as Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram can be great avenues of communication for your organization.  Social media accounts are easy to set up and are usually free of charge.

Facebook allows you to invite members, create event pages, and post videos and pictures to share with your stakeholders.  Twitter is a quick way to send reminders about an upcoming event or meeting or quickly communicate information through links or short updates.  Finally, Instagram is a useful tool in posting photos of events to draw more attendance for future events and meetings.

Considering societal trends, utilizing social media as a form of publicity will certainly prove to be beneficial for any organization.  For any tips on making the most of your social media presence, please contact our Director of Communications, Karen Kelly.

Student Email Lists

It is common for each organization to collect email addresses of all who have expressed interest in the club or team.  A good time to reach a large group of students is at the beginning of the academic year at involvement fairs.  Once you have their contact information, you can reach out to them via platforms such as Mailchimp, MyEmma, or Engage.  This can be a great way to communicate events, raise awareness, or call for volunteers.

Alumni Email Lists

Student organizations are encouraged to keep and maintain alumni lists.  These lists contain the contact information for former members of your organization.  These former members can be contacted via newsletter or email and can be an incredible resource to your organization.  By building a relationship and maintaining it over time, your contacts can be willing to give back to your organization.  While money through fundraising drives is common, alumni can also offer expertise, corporate sponsorship, and workshop opportunities to further develop your members or organization.

If you have gaps in your contact information, but have the names of former members, you can reach out to Engineering Advancement who can give you contact information and tips on working with alumni.

Departmental Emails

Your organization may be able to send emails to all students, faculty, and staff in the department your organization is most closely related to.  When requesting this service from our staff, we ask that you include as much information about your event or announcement as possible and who you would like to send this information to.  Please be sure to allow enough notice to the staff member sending out your message as they may be out of the office or otherwise busy when you send it.   

Listed below is a contact list for the departments in the Gallogly College of Engineering and the Mewbourne College of Earth and Energy.

Organizational emails are general email accounts that are tied to your specific organization rather than an individual officer.  Organizational email accounts can be shared among your officer and advisor and be used as a central contact for organizational inquiries, requests, and communications.  This allows continuity between leadership teams and helps prevent stakeholders from having to update their contact list annually. 

Consideration should be given to the name of your email, making sure it clearly communicates your organization and is concise and easy to remember.  Your advisor is an excellent resource for developing your organizational email.

To obtain an organizational email, students will need to request an Organizational Account from OU IT through their service catalog.  Officers will need to request the email, create the name, and identify two sponsors for the account (usually your advisor and another full-time faculty or staff person).  Once submitted and approved by your sponsor, OU IT will review your application and respond within 5-7 business days.

Event Cards

Event cards have proven to be successful in spreading meeting details to an organization’s members. It is very quick and inexpensive to contact a printing company, such as King Kopy, and have business card sized event cards made for your organization. You should include the anticipated meetings for the current semester, dates, website address, and points of contact for more information.

Other Promotional Items

Another way to spread word about your organization could be through promotional items, like we see companies use at the career fair such as brochures, shirts, or knickknacks. Use creativity to spread messages. This may be a more costly method of publicity.

Engineering Orientation

Leaders of each engineering related organization are invited once a semester to speak at the freshmen and transfer engineering orientation large sections. This is an opportunity to recruit freshmen and transfer students to your organization. The students may have not heard of your organization or team before so representation is important! It also helps potential new members to match names with faces.  Presidents and organization leaders will be contacted when this opportunity becomes available.

Speaking in Class

If your organization or team is closely related to a specific course, you may be able to make a class-wide announcement for an upcoming meeting or event. Be sure to get approval from the instructor before making your announcement.

While University policy does not require faculty or staff to be present for trips, there are certain things to consider when faculty and staff do not travel with the group.

• Emergency Contact:  All groups are required to have an on-campus emergency contact with access to travel forms in case of an emergency.  This is in case the faculty or staff member present is unable to access the forms.
  • If a faculty or staff advisor does not accompany the group, then a staff or faculty person must be on-call 24/7 in case of an emergency.  In most cases, this is the faculty or staff advisor, however, another person can be delegated this task by the advisor.

One of the most important aspects of planning your trip involves understanding your budget and expenses for your trip.  The following tips will help you when planning your trip.

• Create a detailed travel budget: While it is important to know what the total cost of your trip will be, you should have a good understanding of the individual costs of certain aspects of your trip.  With a travel budget breakdown, you can examine costs of trips on an itemized level and see if there are individual changes that could be made to reduce overall expenditures.  It is recommended to begin planning at least two months in advance if not earlier.

• Determine how travel costs will be paid: Traveling is expensive and it is worth your time to explore and discuss the various options available to your organization when paying for travel.  The University has specific policies on how travel can be paid and the appropriate way to do it.  Organizations should work closely with their advisor and their financial associate when determining the best way to pay for travel.
  

   

• Meet with your advisor and a financial associate - Even if you are sure everything is planned to perfection, it is absolutely worth your time to meet with your advisor or a financial associate to discuss the budget and financial aspects of your trip.  It is STRONGLY recommended that you speak to your financial associate when spending your organizational funds since OU policies can evolve!  Not only can they make sure you are in compliance with University policy, they can offer suggestions to be better stewards of your funds by saving money in certain areas.

• Determine how will meal payment be handled - Traveling participants will usually eat three meals a day while traveling.  You should look into hotel amenities and see if meals are covered or if group meals will be done.  Who will be paying them and how is important to determine early.  If your group is covering meals, you must stay within the allowable maximum per person per University policy.  Please be aware that these are maximums and it is highly advisable to be spend less when you can.  These maximums are as follows:
  • Breakfast: $15 per person
  • Lunch: $25 per person, $10-12 per person is more ideal
    
  • Dinner: $50 per person, $15-20 per person is more ideal
    
  • Refreshments: $8 per person

   

• Keep your itemized receipts - Most forms of payment through University require travlers to keep and turn in itemized receipts.  These receipts must have a breakdown of all items that were purchased or included in the total.  This includes fees, taxes, actual goods, services, and tip,  As a best practice, you should keep all receipts throughout the trip, including receipts for taxi fare.

• Don't overtip - While it is good practice to tip, travelers should be aware that the University will only cover tips within a certain percentage of the total.  For instance, taxi tips cannot exceed 10%.  Check with your advisor and/or financial person for rundown of current policies concerning tipping.

When traveling, it is important to setup reservations for hotels and transportation as soon as possible.

• Determine lodging and transportation needs - Before budgeting and researching options, it is important to know what you need for your trip.  Begin by determining how many people are going and what general transportation options are available.  Also, determine if interim lodging is necessary.  Remember, if a trip is more than 16 hours, University Policy dictates that interim lodging is necessary.

• Price  options - When looking into transportation and lodgings, there are some things to consider:
  • Start with Concur - Concur is an excellent resource for finding lodging and flights at affordable rates.  Further, these options often have contracts with the University.  Having your advisor check Concur would be a good idea.  Be aware, that if you go outside of Concur, you might be required to fill out additional paperwork or complete additional steps.  Make sure to check with your financial associate or advisor for all requirements.
    
  • Be aware of GSA lodging and per diem rates - Before traveling, you should check GSA rates for the area you will be in.  This can help focus your search when booking lodging, either interim or at your destination.
    
  • Check lodging reviews - While Concur does list reviews, it might be beneficial to check Google and Trip Advisor for additional reviews and nearby food options.  Remember that more recent reviews are often more helpful than older ones, though you shouldn't discount them altogether.  Check for trends and make sure your group is comfortable and safe.
    
  • Cars vs. planes - Once you have a final count of participants, you should check what mode of transportation you should take.  You should check both planes and cars.  There are times where the overall cost for plane fare might be more expensive than driving and finding interim lodging.  Of course, it might be more tiring or less ideal to drive, so these things should be considered when picking transportation.
    
  • Personal cars vs. rental cars -Taking a personal vehicle instead of a rental vehicle is at once a cheaper alternative.  However, you should determine the safety of your passengers and make sure all personal vehicles are in good working order and street legal for the locations you will be driving in.  Another concern is that if there is an accident, the holder of that personal vehicle's insurance will be liable for any injury and vehicle damage.  Make sure that the owner is okay with that risk before allowing their car to be used for travel.
    
  • OU-Owned vs. third party vehicles - When renting vehicles, it is important to research and understand what are the best options.  Check policies and see who can drive these vehicles and what the rental and insurance agreements are.  For example, OU will not reimburse rental fees if travel is within state, but they will cover mileage.  Additionally, only OU staff or faculty can drive an OU-Owned vehicle.
    
  • AirBnB vs. hotels - AirBnB's can be an affordable option for organizations, but using AirBnBs do require extra considerations.  As AirBnBs require prepayment, it is important that you talk with your advisor and/or financial associate to understand how to pay under current University policy.  Further, the person that is paying for the room will be liable for all policies, damages, and terms of service.  Make sure that the person reserving the AirBnB is aware and agrees to the financial and legal risk.
    

• Setup reservations early - Once needs and options are determined and selected, you should get with your faculty/staff advisor and make reservations.  It is in your best interest to setup travel and lodging arrangements together.  For example, if everyone is flying, they should be on the same plane and not separate flights.  Remember to keep cancellation policies in mind when setting reservations.  While hotels and vehicles might have a more relaxed policy, plane tickets are often non-refundable and can create a large loss for the organization.

• Discuss room incidental deposits - When reserving lodgings, often someone will have to use a credit card as a deposit for incidentals.  Sometimes, a staff or faculty member will cover the cost, but students can as well.  Given no incidental damages or charges, the deposits will be refunded to the card.  Be aware that these deposits could amount to several thousand dollars altogether, so make sure the cardholder okay with the risk.

At times, student organizations might embark on international travel.  While international travel might not have any additional travel paperwork, there are other considerations that should be taken into consideration.  The University of Oklahoma has created a pre-departure checklist for students traveling abroad to help students prepare for their trips. This checklist can be found here.

Other considerations such as shipping should also be discussed.  Student organizations are strongly encouraged to work with their advisor in planning and coordinating international trips as soon as you begin planning the trip.  Do not wait until the last minute to plan or organize an international trip!

The GCoE Student Org Travel Registration form is handled through Qualtrics and can be found at the following website:

Once this form is completed, a confirmation email with a copy of the submission will be sent to the person who filled out the form as well as Engineering Student Life so we can make the digital waivers and releases for your trip.  Make sure that your email is correct before submitting the form.

This process can take up to a full week.  If you have questions or concerns about your submission or this form, please contact us at engineeringstudentlife@ou.edu.

Once travel has been approved, the following forms will need to be completed.  Additional information on each form can be found below.

• Digital Waivers, Releases, and Acknowledgments - Once the travel has been approved, Engineering Student Life will ask the advisor and the student officer responsible for the trip for a list of participants and emails.  Once given, Engineering Student Life will create unique digital travel forms specific to the trip.  All participants, except faculty and staff, will be required to fill out these forms.  The forms included are: Waiver and Release from Liability, Medical Information Form, OU Talent Release, Sponsored Student Travel Policy, GCoE Travel Guidelines, International Travel Guidelines, and driver information (if driving, flying, or supplying a personal vehicle).  Only the advisor, emergency contact, and Engineering Student Life will have access to these completed forms.
  
• SGA Travel Registraion - This form is maintained by SGA on Engage and is required to register travel as an RSO at OU.  The advisor or student officer responsible for the trip will need to fill it out as soon as they can travel.  This form is completed when you create your event on Engage and indicate that you will be traveling as part of the event.
  
• Clery Act Reporting - As part of the Clery Act, OU must report statistics about certain non-campus locations used by students.  The advisor or student officer responsible for the trip will need to complete this form if a room or space was owned or controlled by the University of the RSO through a written agreement.  This form only needs to be submitted once per trip and the submitter will need to be as descriptive as possible when describing the spaces or rooms on the form.  The form can be found here.

The Clery Act is a federal law that requires American colleges and universities to report certain crime statistics each calendar year. The University must report statistics about certain non-campus locations used by students where the university or registered student organizations owned or controlled the location(s) through a written agreement. The written agreement may be formal (deed, lease agreement, hotel/lodging invoice, etc.) or informal (email, text message, etc.).

A Qualtrics form has been created by the Gallogly College of Engineering to collect this information for reporing purposes.  Faculty/Staff advisors or organizational leadership are required to complete this form only once for each specific trip.  Please be as descriptive as possible when describing spaces or rooms that are owned or controlled during the trip.

If your organization is planning a trip, you will need to register the event in Engage.  More information about the process can be found at the link below.

It is STRONGLY recommended that you register your travel with SGA as soon as your details are finalized.