Registered Student Organization (RSO) Transition Week has evolved into both a virtual and in-person environment to make it easily accessible for clubs to complete. The tasks are designed to be completed at your own pace during Transition Week. There will be reflection quizzes to ensure that you are getting the most out of your sessions. You will have to complete the tasks during RSO Transition Week (April 11–18) to be considered for the incentives. Below are the seven tasks that, as a representative of a registered student organization, you need to complete to earn the incentives. There are two mandatory steps (as noted) for all clubs to be considered registered student organizations.
The incentives are generously sponsored by the Student Government Association. To be considered for the monetary incentive, these tasks must be completed by Monday, April 18, 2022, at noon. The online forms and quiz links will be available Monday, April 11, 2022, beginning at 8:00 a.m. through Monday, April 18, 2022, at noon
RSO Incentive breakdown
- 3 out of 7: $50 toward pizza
- 5 out of 7: up to $200 for a tablecloth (if the student organization already has a tablecloth, it can be used for any promotional materials)
- 7 out of 7: both $50 toward pizza and $200 for tablecloth/promotional material
Task List
Connect Re-registration
Re-register your organization on Connect by providing new officers, an updated roster, an updated constitution, and your agreement to terms and conditions. This is important to ensure that we have the correct contact information for RSOs over the summer. This task is required if you are only completing three out of the five tasks for the monetary incentive. Please confirm connect re-registration on this form.
Connect/Social Media Post
It's time to start thinking about recruitment! Your RSO team needs to create two posts to post on your Connect or club social media. You will need to include your organization's name and mission. Showcase what you do! You could include testimonies from current members, photos from events, and officer spotlights. Be creative. Have fun. Make the best sales pitch you can on behalf of your RSO! This will be a great recruitment tool to use for the next semester. You will submit your content creation on this form.
Incoming Leaders Session (This counts as two steps)
Teamwork and Retention Guide - This guide is for student leaders who will be entering a leadership role in your RSO. The leadership guide provides tips and suggestions for taking on new leadership roles. Along with the retention and recruitment tips, there is a follow-up quiz for the RSO member who completes this. After reading the guide, take this quiz.
RSO New Leaders Training Guide
Transferable Skills Session
This session is led by Career Services to prepare student leaders for translating their skills onto a resume. They provide examples of how student leaders use their RSO leadership experiences to become contenders in the job market. Watch the video below and then complete this quiz.
Courtney Kantoski, a career counselor in Penn State Altoona's Office of Career Services offers a virtual resume writing workshop.
Outgoing Leaders Session
This short, how-to guide is for student leaders who will be leaving at the end of the semester. It includes reminders of processes that need to be completed in preparation for the transition in leadership. Along with the guide, there is an online form for the leader who completes this task. Read the procedure guide below, update your officers in Connect, then complete the confirmation form.
Treasury Training Session (mandatory)
These pre-recorded video sessions are for student leaders who will be entering into a treasury role in your RSO. These three additional mandatory videos provide tips and suggestions for taking on treasury roles. Along with the video, there is a follow-up quiz for the students who complete this. See the four videos below before completing this quiz.
Donna Pearlman from Penn State Altoona's Center for Student and Civic Engagement offers a webinar on Student Organization Finances.
Videos
- How to request a payment from your club account
- How to record a deposit in your club account
- Hosting a successful fundraiser
RSO New Leaders Training
7 Habits of Successful Student Organizations
- Engagement
- Accuracy
- Events
- Market
- Collaborate
- Money
- Resources
But First, Business
- Re-register RSO on Connect (stop what you're doing and re-register!).
- Altoona Common Experience (ACE)
- Date TBD
- Late night event each semester
- Collaboration is welcome!
- One civic engagement initiative per semester
- Combine events?
- What is civic engagement initiative?
Engagement
- Greet members
Welcome members by greeting them as they enter the room. Make sure to show your enthusiasm and positive attitude about the organization to make the meeting a positive experience for members. - Positive attitude
- Be a role model
Keep in mind that as a leader of an organization you are also a role model for how members should conduct themselves so be sure to be professional and respectful. - Recognition
Start your meeting with a quick ice breaker, or recognize members' birthdays, and accomplishments (to the group or outside of the group) that occurred since the last meeting. - Leadership opportunities for all members (not just officers)
- Connect on Connect!
- Invite all members to connect to your RSO on Connect.
- Take the time to show your new and current members how and where to access club information.
Accuracy
- Update and renew portal
Update members and access. - Officer profiles
- Duties and responsibilities
If you haven’t already, have each officer create a profile of duties and responsibilities. These should also be uploaded to your account and will facilitate a smooth officer transition. - Be creative, team-building exercises, ice breakers, etc.
- Duties and responsibilities
- Creativity
Melissa ([email protected]) has workshops created and is working on more. If you have an idea, stop by her office or email her directly.
Events
- Plan ahead
- It takes several weeks to put an event in place. It is never too early to start planning
- Consider hosting late-night events
- Register on Connect (at least TWO WEEKS prior to the event date)
- Location and date
Room reservation-submit with full name (no abbreviations)
- Location and date
- Contracts
- High risk and larger events need extra time. Plan accordingly!
- Make sure appropriate contracts are in place and use licensed vendors. Penn State preferred vendor list.
- Marketing
- Publicize your event.
- Social Media and Marketing Intern (another resource!)
- Delegate
Delegate tasks to your members to both plan and facilitate the event - Debrief
Hold follow-up discussions with your group after the event to talk about what worked and what did not work. Upload those notes to a file to use for future planning.
Market
- Guidelines
- Know the publicity guidelines (Club and Org Handbook)
- The Penn State Branding Guide is a great resource.
- Approvals
- Upload to Connect within the timeline.
- Allow ample time for your publicity to be printed.
- Get creative
- Be creative with your publicity-try things that may benew and different –flyers, digital signage, chalk, snowpaint, etc.
- Use several types of publicity: print, social media, word of mouth, submit to the student newsletter.
- Upload event photos to your portal along with social media. Tag our office: @studentlifepsaltoona
Collaborate
- Partner with other orgs or offices to host an event (this will also improve attendance!) Teamwork makes the dream work!
- Ask faculty/staff to be involved with your group.
- Ask questions to discover the many resources available on campus. Another person, office, or group may be able to significantly enhance the task at hand.
Money
Treasurer training!
Haven't taken it yet? Be sure to register for training with Donna or review the videos on the RSO Transition Week web page.
Resources
Penn State Altoona Staff
- Danielle L. Fry, Director, Student and Civic Engagement
- Melissa Labrie, Assistant Director, Student and Civic Engagement
- Donna Pearlman, SGA Financial Adviser
- Ginny Norris, CSCE Administrative Assistant
- Allena McKinley, Student Organization Success Intern
- Andrea Coarite-Velasquez, Social Media and Marketing Intern
- Sue Patterson, Director, Student Diversity and Inclusion Programming
- John Carey, Director, Recreation and Intramurals
Student Organization Online resources
Questions?
Contact Melissa Labrie at [email protected] or stop by 126 Slep Student Center.
RSO Outgoing Leaders Guide
Managing Files on Connect
Steps:
- Go to the club homepage.
- On the dashboard, click "Files."
- To upload a file, click "Upload" at the top right of the page.
- To create a folder to sort the files into, click "New Folder" at the top right of the page.
- To delete a file, check the file and click "Delete" on the right side of the page.
- To move a file into folders, check the file and click "Move" then select the desired folder.
- To adjust access rights to a file, click "Privacy" and "Publish."
- Click the three dot tab to rename, download, delete, or adjust the privacy of a file.
Managing Officers on Connect
Steps:
- Go the club homepage.
- On the dashboard, click "Officers."
- Update the position for that officer.
- If they are no longer an officer, uncheck "Active Officer."
- Check "Main Contact" for the officer that you want individuals to reach out to when asking about the club.
Need to add a new officer? Click "Add Officer," located at the top right of the page.
