FAQ – RSO Recognition Process

As of the 24-25 academic year, all RSOs must apply annually for recognition to maintain an active recognition status. As part of the application process, all officers and advisors must complete the required training and documents. Campus Activities recommends that students start the process early to have their complete RSO application and materials reviewed before the recognition deadlines.  Submitting an application is not a guarantee an RSO will be recognized. Your application needs to include: 

• RSO Officer and Member Information  
  • All RSOs are student-led and run by currently enrolled students
  • All RSOs need at least five (5) officers listed for the organization
  • All RSOs need one (1) full-time USC staff or faculty member to serve as their advisor
  • All RSOs need at least ten (10) currently enrolled students listed as members
• Constitution: your organization’s Constitution needs to follow the required template. Please include this document in your application.
• Trainings
  • RSO officers are required to take all the training modules prior to the application deadline
  • As of Fall 2024, staff and faculty advisors need to complete an Advisor Training.
  • Please include the certificates of completion from the current academic year in your application as training courses are updated on a yearly basis.
  • Certificates of completion are required for the following courses
    • Trojan Learn trainings
    • Hazing prevention training
    • RSO officer training
    • Advisor training
• Good Standing: Your RSO and all officers must be in good standing with the Office of Community Expectations and EEO-TIX.
  • If the potential student organization previously operated as an unrecognized student organization before applying for recognition and there is evidence of behavior that is contrary to the standards described in the USC Student Handbook and USC Student Commitment, the organization will not be recognized.
  • As an RSO, you need to operate your organization within the current university guidelines, policies, and procedures.
• Additional Approval Requirements
  • RSOs who engage in certain activities may require additional campus approvals before recognition is granted or they are permitted to engage in those activities. Additional information may be required in your application as part of the recognition process if additional campus approvals are needed. Please consider the  additional approval time needed when submitting your application.

The Fall 2024 RSO Recognition application is now closed. Please see above for information for new and re-establishing groups. 

Your RSO will be recognized for one academic year from August until the following June.

No. Your organization needs to apply for recognition each year as part of the annual recognition process.  All officer/member information, trainings, and other information must be updated/retaken for the current academic year.

You will need to complete the RSO trainings each year. Training courses are updated annually with new information so it is important that each officer and advisor take the required training for the current academic year prior to the review of their recognition status.

Yes. Each advisor must take the required training each year prior to the review of the RSO’s recognition status.

Yes. You will need to take the trainings for the current academic year. Remember to include your certificates of completion in each organization’s application.

• If you hold the same position in multiple organizations, you can use the same officer training for each group.
• If you are an officer with a different title (i.e. president vs. social chair) and there are additional trainings for the specific position, you must take those for each position and each RSO you are a part of.

No. Advisors are only required to take the training for the academic year they are advising. A copy of the certificate must be uploaded to each RSO recognition application.  

Recognition as an RSO at USC starts with the Campus Activities recognition process. Groups will need to be recognized by the university first before they can receive department or school recognition. Recognition with USC and from the school or department must be received annually.  

All incomplete applications will not be considered for recognition. RSOs who do not complete their applications will have to wait until the next recognition process.

RSOs, their leaders/officers, and members may be held responsible for the acts of other members under the following circumstances:

• When a member of an organization is violating state law or university policy and other members present fail to indicate their disapproval or take other action to stop the violation (e.g., hazing).  Continued presence during the violation of law or policy without objection will be considered ratification of the behavior.
• When the law or policy violations are related to the student organization’s activities, or an environment created by the organization.  
• When the law or policy violations are those of guests of an organization, or by persons authorized or permitted to represent themselves as connected with the organization. 
• When an organization places prospective members in a subordinate status prior to achieving full membership or imposes any kind of probationary period prior to full membership, and hazing occurs.   
• If there is evidence that an organization exhibited behavior that is contrary to the standards described in the USC Student Handbook, or other University Policies, while operating as an unrecognized organization, this will affect their good standing with the university.  

Every student organization member has the duty to take all reasonable steps necessary to prevent violations of laws and university policies related to the student organization’s activities. For RSOs, policies that may be particularly relevant include but are not limited to, those related to hazing, discrimination, sexual misconduct, vandalism, theft, alcohol or substance abuse, and misappropriation of organization or university funds.  Visit the RSO Accountability page and the USC Student Handbook for more information. 

Yes. Official recognition is a privilege granted by USC and the university reserves the right to revoke, limit, and/or suspend the privileges of an RSO if the organization fails to adhere to university expectations or adequately demonstrate on an annual basis that its members serve as upstanding citizens, positive role models for other students, and good neighbors. As members of an RSO, you are expected to set a high bar of ethical conduct for your members and take proactive steps to ensure all members meet that bar. Loss of recognition and/or benefits can result from but are not limited to:  

• Incomplete recognition renewal application.   
• Non-compliance with national governing body policies.   
• Hazing (see “RSO and Membership Accountability for Hazing”).   
• Misrepresentation (fronting).   
• Acts of individual members (see Accountability of RSOs).   
• Bank fraud, larceny, or theft.   
• An organization fails to adhere to the educational mission of the university.   
• The written request of an organization.  
• Other violations of the USC Student Handbook 

The RSO will be barred from the opportunity to be recognized for several years. The Office for Community Expectations and Campus Activities will work together to determine the appropriate amount of time the organization must wait before applying for recognition. During this hiatus, the group must abide by the following restrictions in order to be considered for recognition after the allotted time:

• All activities and presence, including any display of their presence in and around the University community must cease. This includes but is not limited to any organized activities or activities associated with the student organization in the USC community. 
• The establishment of unrecognized organizations stemming from the members of this student organization may result in a delay in any recognition opportunity. 
• All RSO benefits must cease during the timeframe the group loses recognition (email accounts, credit union access, funding, etc.).