• What if I want to start a new organization?
• How often do I need to register my organization? Is there a deadline?
• What are the benefits/privileges of being a Student Organization?
• Is my student organization tax exempt?
• How do I reserve rooms on campus?
• Is there any type of financial support for Student Organizations through the University?
• Does the University provide webspace for Student Organizations?

In order to form a new student organization on campus, there are four steps that must be taken:

1. Complete and submit the following forms to Student Activities. All the forms are located at http://www.utsa.edu/sa/so/, under “Starting a New Organization”.
   1. Cover Sheet
   2. Short Form
   3. Legal Responsibilities
   4. Advisor Agreement
   5. List of Members with Banner Identification Numbers
2. Submit a constitution that is compliant with all required Constitution Guidelines (as outlined in the Student Organization Handbook).
3. Attend an orientation session with a Student Activities’ staff member.
4. Receive an official notification from Student Activities that the organization is considered a registered student organization.

Student organizations are required to register twice a year with Student Activities. You can register your organization any day that our office is open, however, if you do not register by the established deadlines listed below, your organization will lose recognition

Registration for the spring semester begins on November 1^st. Those organizations not registered by the tenth (10^th) day of classes in the spring semester will lose recognition and privileges until they register (workspace, bulletin board, reservations, etc).

Registration for the summer and fall begins April 1^st. Those organizations not registered by the last day of spring finals will not appear in any summer orientation publicity. Those organizations not registered by the tenth (10^th) day of the fall semester will lose recognition and privileges until they register (workspace, bulletin board, reservations, etc).

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Student organizations in good standing with the University and registered with Student Activities have the following privileges:

1. Use of campus facilities
• Use of rooms and space, subject to policies and procedures (contact UC Events Management for more information at their website or by email)
• Use of academic technology (for more information contact the University Center Events Management)
• Invite off-campus speakers, performers, and other guests to appear for regularly scheduled meetings and events/programs. (Speakers, performers, and other guests must comply with University policies and procedures)
2. Financial Support
• Use of on-campus funds account system
• Request funding through LeaderFund for an organizational event or program
• Sponsor profit-making events to solicit funds for organizational activities in accordance with University regulations and State laws
3. Marketing and Promotion
• The right to advertise as a student organization at UTSA
• Distribute literature relating to the organization's purpose and activities
• Be listed as a student organization by Student Activities in any publications and on the Student Activities website
• Use of the Graphics Room in the Student Organization Complex to create banners and inflate balloons
4. Organizational Support
• Obtain a Lonestar email account for your organization
• Apply for workspace, bulletin boards, or lockers
• Representation of your group's concerns with the Student Organization Council/President Forums
• Access to the Speakers' Bureau, Leadership Library and Leader Tips
• Host organization's website through Lonestar
• Eligibility for University Life Awards and other recognitions through the University
• Receive USPS and campus mail through Student Activities
• Participate in University sponsored events (Homecoming, Fiesta UTSA, Leader Summit, etc)

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Student organizations are not automatically exempt from paying state sales tax. To find out if your organization may file to become sales tax exempt, refer to Comptroller of Public Accounts, State Sales and Use Tax, Rule 3.322 (Texas Tax Code 151.309, 151.310: Texas Civil Statutes, Article 342-908). If your organization is eligible, you must first obtain 501c status from the Internal Revenue Service by submitting IRS Forms 8718 and 1023. Application processing may take over eight weeks. Also, refer to Publication 557, Tax-Exempt Status for Your Organization. All of these publications and forms are available at the IRS website.

If 501c status is granted, the organization may apply to the state by submitting a letter, a copy of your charter/bylaws, and a copy of your 501c letter of determination from the IRS (if applicable) to the following address: Tax Policy Division, Exempt Organizations Section, Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts, P.O. Box 13528, Austin TX 78711-3528

Upon a ruling by the State Comptroller's Office you will receive a letter allowing or denying exempt status. If exempt status is granted, please inform Student Activities and provide a copy of documentation for your organization's permanent file.

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A student organization is eligible to reserve meeting spaces in the University Center, classrooms and lecture halls in academic buildings and other approved locations on the 1604 or Downtown campus (e.g. Sombrilla, athletic fields/courts, etc.). All reservations are processed by the University Center Events Management Office. To reserve a room or table, you to go to the University Center's reservation page.

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Yes, the Student Government Association manages a funding program entitled LeaderFund. The purpose of the funding is to support the following types of events:

• Provide increase in opportunities for leadership development of student organization members.
• Contribute an increased sense of community.
• Provide learning opportunities for UTSA student body.

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A student organization may post a web page on its Lonestar account at UTSA. The website address is in the form of: http://lonestar.utsa.edu/<your_organization_email_login_name>.

The details of setting up, creating, and uploading a web page are listed at the Lonestar website. If you do not have a Lonestar email address for your organization, complete the Email Account Request form and submit it to the Student Activities office.

It is the responsibility of the student organization's members to comply with all policies that pertain to the use of a Lonestar web page account.

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