Student Organization Leadership
Below are resources to help student leaders ensure the success and sustainability of their organizations. Leaders and advisors are also encouraged to attend Student Organizations' open workshops. If you would like to schedule a meeting to discuss your organization please call Student Organizations at 512-471-3065 or use our Bookings page to schedule a consultation.
Co-Sponsoring Events
With over 1,200 student organizations at UT Austin, it's common for groups to share similar goals and ideas. Collaborating allows organizations to combine resources, expand their reach, and create more impactful events. Check out the Student Organization Event Co-Sponsorship (pdf) checklist for guidance on best practices and policies for planning successful co-sponsored events on the Forty Acres.
Constitutions
A constitution lays the foundation for how your organization operates and guides members in decision-making and leadership. Use our Constitution Guidelines for Student Organizations (pdf). For a head start, check out the Constitution Template (pdf) as you create your own constitution.
Financial Education
Do you have a budget for your organization? Our Financial Education module provides insight and best practices on creating a budget, setting up a bank account, raising funds on-campus and securing on-campus funds for programs.
Goal Setting
Goals give your organization purpose and help guide the direction of your group. Download the Goal Setting Guide (pdf) to learn how to define, set, and achieve meaningful goals that help your organization thrive.
Maintaining Hornslink
Keep your HornsLink page updated with current leadership, events, and contact information. Regularly check and update hyperlinks to ensure they work properly. A well-maintained page Accurate and functional pages improves outreach and keeps your members, partners, and the university informed.
Officer Transition
Is your organization transitioning leadership? Do you have everything in order for a smooth transition? Review the online Officer Transition Module on Canvas for helpful tips, timelines, and tools to ensure a seamless transition.
Program and Event Planning
Whether in-person or virtual, hosting an event requires planning to ensure a successful event. Download our meeting guides for tips on improving your organization's events!
Recruitment and Retention of Members
Bringing in new members is essential for your organization's growth and sustainability. Download the Recruitment and Retention of Members Guide (pdf) for ideas to attract and keep your members engaged.
Running a Successful Meeting
Make meetings effective and engaging whether hosting them in person or virtual. Download our meeting guides for tips on improving your organization's meetings!
Working with a Faculty or Staff Advisor
Does your organization have a UT faculty or staff advisor? If your student organization currently has an advisor or if your organization is exploring the option, we encourage you to download the Working with a Student Organization Advisor Guide (pdf) for strategies on how to work with an advisor.
Student Organization Elections
Officer elections does not have to be a stressful process. With clear guidelines, you can manage a smooth, organized election. Download the Student Organization Elections Guide (pdf) for strategies in running a successful election. Also check out our HornsLink Election Guide (pdf) for step by step instructions on setting up your election using HornsLink.
Starting a New Student Organization
Starting a new student organization is an exciting opportunity to build community around a shared interest, cause, or purpose. Establishing a new organization not only enhances campus life but also develops leadership, collaboration, and event planning skills for all involved.
To start a new organization all you need are 10 members, a constitution, and $20. The new student organization application for the 2025 – 2026 academic year will open in August on HornsLink.
Review the Student Organization Leadership for tips and best practices.
Steps to Starting a New Student Organization
All new student organizations, including those intending to become sponsored student organizations, must first complete all five steps to form a registered student organization. The student who will serve as the president or primary contact for the new organization should complete each step in the order listed below.
Complete the New Organization Orientation
Submit a new student organization application
- Sign in to HornsLink.
- Click the "Organizations" tab.
- Click the "Register an Organization" button on the left-hand side.
- Click "Register a New Organization" at the bottom.
- Follow the registration instructions, and click "Submit".
- Submit a constitution along with your application.
Pay the $20 application fee
Go to Office of the Dean of Students TXSHOP and click on "New Org. Application".
To pay in-person, visit the Student Organization Center (2609 University Avenue, Suite 2.112) with exact cash or a check made out to UT Austin.
Attend a Safety Education Workshop
This step should be completed AFTER your new organization has been approved. If completed during the application process, the Safety Education team will not have a HornsLink profile to attach your workshop attendance to.
- Log in to HornsLink.
- Click on the "Events" tab and search for "Safety Education".
- Select the date you wish to attend.
- RSVP to the workshop.
Complete the workshop
Once these steps have been completed, application processing can take up to four weeks. A Student Organization Center staff member will email if there are any questions about the application.
Please email soc@austin.utexas.edu for more information.
Successful Student Organizations Program
This program helps student organizations reduce potential high-risk behavior by reinforcing positive organizational culture. The program has nine dimensions that are designed for every organization to build and sustain their desired culture with accountability. Each dimension is explored and practiced before moving to the next. The objective is to give student organizations tools and resources to self-identify core values and goals to build successful membership, operations, and programs.
The curriculum supports and provides intervention for organizations at different stages. The curriculum can be applied as a whole, or in components targeting the specific needs of each organization.
Student Organization Program Participation
- Student organizations seeking to maintain best practices and grow in alignment with university expectations.
- Organizations exhibiting behaviors inconsistent with university standards and who can make changes before any formal violations or conduct sanctions.
- Organizations that have engaged in the student conduct process and have been found responsible for policy violations but have not met the threshold for being removed from campus.
- Organizations that have been removed from campus for any reason, including hazing or demonstrated behavior inconsistent with university rules, who are seeking to return to registered student organization status.
Student organizations interested in participating in the Successful Student Organizations Program to improve their organization culture can email SSOP@austin.utexas.edu to connect with the program.
The Nine Dimensions of Successful Student Organizations
The Nine Dimensions outline the complete Successful Student Organization Program. Organizations may be directed to complete components of the dimensions based on specific behaviors or organizational needs. Components and dimensions can be optional or required, depending on the situation.
- Self-Reflection: This dimension focuses the organization on understanding and accepting its past; sharing it with former and current members; engaging in open conversation among various constituents.
- Organizational Identity: This dimension redefines and clearly articulates the organizational identity, including a focus on purpose, characteristics, values, and behavioral competencies.
- Fostering Healthy, Purposeful Communities: This dimension addresses culture change within your organization and teaches how to support the well-being of members to help maintain a healthy and successful organization community.
- Anti-Hazing Culture: This dimension includes steps to identify and clearly articulate the organization's approach to ensure a non-hazing culture, develop non-hazing curriculum, and implement or obtain training for members. This dimension also includes development of clear accountability measures for any members that fail to report hazing activity.
- University Alignment: This dimension reestablishes a critical connection with the university and ensures alignment and adoption of the previously completed culture and organizational framework.
- Safety and Risk Management: This dimension includes steps to create and implement risk management and safety plans including setting relevant expectations and defining appropriate risk management training.
- Operations/Governance: this dimension requires a deep dive into six key operational areas, including organization identity (listed above), membership composition and recruitment pipeline, cohesion, community and service, accountability, and education while establishing appropriate governance, onboarding and development programming and oversight support.
- Re-emergence: This dimension includes the steps to allow the student organization to rejoin campus, including the development of 30, 60, 90 and 180-day plans and any relevant membership recruitment and marketing materials.
- Ongoing Evaluation and University Connection: This dimension requires an on-going plan of engagement and scheduled evaluations with the Office of the Dean of Students to support ongoing success.
Student Organization Workshops
Student Organizations offers development workshops to student organization members, leaders, and advisors each semester. Topics address elements required to ensure the success and sustainability of student organizations.
Live Workshops
Discover HornsLink
HornsLink is the central platform for student organizations where you can discover groups, explore events, and manage your organization. Student organization officers will learn how to navigate HornsLink and leverage its tools to support their group's success.
Discover Pillars
The Pillars of the Forty Acres Program helps student organizations explore the UT Core Values and discover creative ways to integrate them into their activities. Workshop attendance is a prerequisite to participate in the Pillars program.
Officer Orientation
As a student leader, it is important to understand your registered student organization's privileges and responsibilities. This orientation is for new officers in existing organizations. The workshop highlights campus resources, university policy, and the Student Organization Center.
Recruitment and Retention of Organization Members
This panel discussion features several of your student leader peers to share what they have learned about recruitment, and strategies for keeping your members active and engaged.
Student Organization Travel
Any trip done on behalf of a student organization that is more than 25 miles from the main UT Austin campus or takes place overnight must be registered with Student Organizations prior to departure. In this workshop, we'll go through how to report travel, safety tips, and ideas for how to make your travel plans a little smoother and your organization outing a lot more enjoyable.
Online Workshops
Constitutions
Students can learn how to write a constitution or simply use this course as a reference as they update an existing constitution. This online workshop is available to students via Canvas.
Enroll in the Constitution Workshop
Financial Education for Student Organizations
Many students may not feel prepared to oversee their organization's finances. In this workshop, you will learn how to set up and manage a bank account, how to set a budget, and the importance of communication with your members about finances. Feedback from Student Organizations and Financial Wellness staff will be provided through Discussion Boards and Optional Assignments.
Enroll in the Financial Education Workshop
Officer Transition
In this course, you will engage with other student members, learn best practices for officer transition, and receive feedback from Student Organizations staff through discussion boards and optional assignments.
Enroll in the Officer Transition Workshop
Student Organization Advisor Workshops (Faculty/Staff Advisors Only)
These workshops provide various training and resources to help advisors support and advocate for their respective organizations.
Welcoming New Members Training
Leaders who guide or mentor new members have an influential role in supporting and guiding new members in their journey as they join and begin their membership within their organizations. In this training, new member educators will gain knowledge, tools, and resources on how to successfully build relationships and lead new members in this process.
Enroll in the Welcoming New Members Workshop
Youth Protection Program Student Organization Training
Students, faculty, and staff will gain a comprehensive understanding of the Youth Protection Program (YPP) policy as it pertains to student organizations. We will cover the history of the protection of minors in higher education, the mission and objectives of YPP, as well as key aspects of risk management and custodial responsibility. Participants will also learn about the role of chaperones and best practices for managing their events. Knowledge checks occur throughout the course. Student Organization members must complete the training once per academic year.
How to Access the Training:
- Log-In to UT Learn using your UT EID and password
- Using the search bar in the top right-hand corner, search 'YPP Student Organization Training'
- Select the online class titled 'YPP Student Organization Training'
- Select 'Request'
- Select 'Launch'
Advisor Education
Are you a new or returning advisor for a UT student organization? Review the Student Organization Advisor Education module for best practices, resources and policies.
Communication
Advisors are encouraged to request to join the Student Organization Advisor List advisors-stuorg@utlists.utexas.edu. We will email workshops times, invitations and reminders. Upcoming workshop dates are available to view on Hornslink. Advisors can contact us to schedule an advisor consultation to discuss their role and/or organization.
Workshops (Faculty/Staff Advisors Only)
Student Organization Advisor Workshops are tailored specifically for the needs of UT faculty and staff that serve as advisors for registered and sponsored student organizations. These workshops provide various training and resources to help advisors support and advocate for their respective organizations. Check back here for updates on the fall meetings.