RSOs provide way to get involved in major, minor programs
Student Government Association President-Elect Jake Hendricks gives an acceptance speech in the Student Involvement Center on April 9.
The best thing about Registered Student Organizations is there is something for everybody, no matter their interests or field of study, said Danielle Rossman, assistant director for Student Organizations.
Registered Student Organizations are clubs and groups around campus that are formed to "contribute to those students' educational growth, recreation, and/or personal development," according to the RSO policy manual.
Registered Student Organizations include club sports, fraternities and sororities and specialized clubs where students get together.
Mostly occupied by students, there are nearly 400 Registered Student Organizations on campus. When Rossman started at Central Michigan University seven years ago, she said there were just more than 300 RSOs. Because some RSOs do not always stay active or re-register with the university each year, there is not an exact number available.
"I don't think there is a most popular registered student organization, but for a lot of new students it is whatever organization that goes with their major or minor," Rossman said.
CMU employs Registered Student Organizations for almost every major or minor program at the university.
"RSOs are a really good way for students to get connected who share a very obvious passion for them," Rossman said.
Depending on the popularity of the degree that an RSO focuses on, RSOs grow and shrink in size with the academic programs. For example, the pre-med Registered Student Organization is large because many students study pre-med at CMU.
Students can search for their interests on OrgSync or meet with a peer involvement advisor, which are upperclassman students who meet one-on-one with new students.
Another way to get involved and find your niche is at MainStage, an event that hosts RSOs and other organizations that want to recruit new students.
"MainStage is one of our biggest events of the year," Rossman said about the event starting at 4 p.m. Aug. 25. "This year we will have from 300-350 student organizations as well as almost 100 businesses. (I enjoy) getting to see all of the students excited to be back and new students excited to find new organizations."
Some of the newest RSOs include Makeup Geeks, a group of women dedicated to teaching each other how to do makeup, and a Longboard Club, which organizes to discuss longboarding on campus and the hobby in general.
"There is a good mix of social, active and politically engaged RSOs," Rossman said. "They are all a lot of fun."
