Start a Student Organization

Missouri State University offers students a wide variety of ways to get involved on campus. Student Organizations are a great way to bring you together with other students who have similar ideas and goals. Not only can you learn from each other, but you can also develop friendships and contacts. If you have an idea for an organization that is not currently developed, we’d love to help you get started.

Please be aware that this process is extensive and requires a substantial commitment from you. From start to finish it could take several weeks or even months to get a new group officially recognized.

New Student Organization Recognition Process

If you are interested in starting a new organization on-campus, please follow the steps below. Please contact the Office of Student Engagement with questions.

Step 1: Meet with a member of the CCI Team

  • Contact the Co-Curricular Involvement team in the Office of Student Engagement, (StudentOrganizations@missouristate.edu) to set up a meeting in which the registration process will be discussed.

Step 2: Select an Advisor and members for student organization

  • Student organizations must have at least one MSU full-time staff or faculty member serve as an advisor to the organization. Each organization must have a minimum of eight MSU students as members.
  • Together you will develop a purpose for your organization.

Step 3: Create and submit a Constitution

  • Students must create a constitution using the template provided. Completed constitutions should be emailed to the Co-Curricular Involvement team in the Office of Student Engagement, (StudentOrganizations@missouristate.edu) for review.
  • Once approved by our team, NSO constitutions will be presented to the Missouri State University’s Student Government Association (SGA) for final review and approval. SGA will look to ensure that a prospective organization does not heavily overlap with other organizations, there isn’t a large amount of risk associated with the organization, and the group’s proposed constitution meets University standards. SGA will then approve the student organization for recognition by Missouri State University.

Step 4: Complete and submit registration paperwork (Launch form)

  • Students will submit the signed Faculty/Advisor form alongside the draft of their Constitution document during the October 13th-October31st window for the CCI team to review and provide feedback on.

Step 5: Attend NSO Leadership Retreat

  • January 2026 will be the NSO Leadership Retreat, where NSO Presidents will learn how to use BearLink, Reserve spaces through EMS (Events and Meeting Services), how to use SOFAC funding and resources available to them through the Co-Cirrcular Involvement team.