Types of Clubs/Organizations
Club vs. Organization
Club
A club is a group of students organized with a similar interest for a social, literary, athletic, political, or other common purpose.
Organization
An organization is a group of students organized for and acting toward a particular cause. Typically organizations are institutional (as described below) or nationally affiliated.
Types of Student Organizations
Student student organizations are placed into one of the following categories based upon their members’ interests and goals. This is done to foster communication between clubs/organizations that may share similar philosophical underpinnings and to assist interested students in locating and finding a suitable student organization for their needs. The categories available to select from are:
Academic
A student organization with the stated objective of providing an opportunity for individuals to discuss and share information related to a specific academic discipline, topic or interest. These student organizations provide opportunities to get to know other students in one’s academic discipline as well as faculty members inside and outside of the classroom.
Cultural
Students in cultural organizations seek to raise awareness about various cultures and to establish a sense of community among members of the organization who share cultural heritage.
Faith-Based
Faith-Based organizations provide the opportunity for students to share common faiths, find alignment among faiths and to education the campus community about faith.
Honorary
Members of these student organizations are recognized on the basis of academic achievement and accepted by invitation only.
Sports Clubs
Registered sports clubs provide instruction and competition at the extramural level. Competitive sports clubs are generally characterized by their participation in a league or conference and their affiliation with a regional or national governing body. Competitive sports clubs generally have a coach to assist with instruction and regulation of playing time but coaches do not have administrative responsibility for the club.
Political
Political organizations are groups of students dedicated toward educating the campus community about various elements of politics.
Service
Students involved in service organizations exist to serve other non-profit or charitable organizations by either providing direct hands-on assistance or by raising money.
Special Interest
A student organization with the purpose of providing a place for members to discuss issues relevant to them, express their interest in a given subject, serve as a support group for students on campus or as representatives of a group off campus, or act toward the advancement of social interests that affect both the University and the community at large.