Resources/FAQ

Joining one or more of about 100 different ORGs across Cedarville's campus allows students to connect, grow, and serve through Student Organizations (ORGs), Ministries, events and programs to ensure a holistic Cedarville experience. 

An "ORG" is a student led organization on campus designed to foster community, develop students professionally, and further the mission of Cedarville University. They all function differently and serve different communities - but we believe that ORGs offer a place for students to engage with peers with similar interests, gifts and passions. 

All ORGs have different processes. Some are open to all students, others are open to students in specific majors, and some include interview/audition processes. If you have questions about joining an org, email the contact below the ORG on this site!

Submit a GL/Email Access Request through the Student Organization Form

Submit the Student Organization Form titled "Create a New Student Organization" and/or stop by the Student Office (SSC 152) during one of our office hours to talk through your new ORG idea.

Do not start operating as an official Org until AFTER the request has been approved.

The Involvement Committee thoroughly reviews and analyzes each new incentive request during weekly Involvement meetings. Approval/denial is considered according to the following criteria: 

 What is the sustainability & uniqueness of the proposed organization?

Are the proposed Advisor and Officers qualified and committed?

Are there enough interested Members?

Do we have anything like this on campus already/are there alternative options for a group with these goals?

Who does this Org benefit?

How does this Org plan to fulfill their mission and vision?

Does the addition of this Org benefit the Cedarville Student Body?

If the request is approved by the Committee, it is presented to the SGA Board of Directors. If approved, it is presented to the Director of Campus Experience. If approved, the proposed officers will receive a congratulatory email and an invite to an Org Officer Onboarding Canvas Course. 

This process usually takes 3-5 weeks. The Org will not be fully created until training has been completed and the Officer Assessment and Org Constitution have been submitted. 

Submit the updated description through the "Update Website Description" assignment, located in Module 2 on the canvas Course, or include a description in your Org Officer Assessment after completing ExplORG training. We will edit the website at our earliest convenience. 

Email the Campus Experience Director (Brian Burns) with a link to your playlist at least 2 weeks before the event. 

Constitutions serve as a guiding document to ensure Org success. They should include operating procedures, a mission statement, roles and responsibilities, and signatures from the President, Advisor, and an Involvement Director. 

Constitution Templates can be copied and edited to fit your Org's specific needs and goals. Once your Constitution is complete, submit it for approval on Canvas. You will receive a comment when it has been signed and approved by the Involvement Team.

We can have up to 4 tables in the Lower SSC at any one time. ORGs use these tables to sell items, recruit members, or advocate on a culturally relevant issue.

To get a table, check the table reservations calendar from the events page to find a spot that works best. Then submit a "Table Request" through the Student Organization Form two weeks before the date you wish to host a table. 

You can grab your table from the SGA student office in the Lower SSC at 11:00 AM. The SGA member in the office can help you get it in the morning. Return the table by 4:00 PM and make sure your area is cleaned up before you leave.

 You can also find chairs to use under the stairwell if there are any available. If not, you will be responsible for bringing your own chairs. 

We do not have a designated place for ORG Tabling Storage. You are responsible to find storage for your own Org. 

Orgs may email the Director of Campus Experience (Brian Burns) requesting to have an outside representative on campus at a table.

The president has the unique and special opportunity to recruit members, manage officers, organize events, lead a team, delegate responsibilities, and promote the mission of the organization through their leadership.  The skills and leadership learned while serving as an ORG president are applicable in any career field! They are also responsible for submitting all assignments on the canvas course and communicating necessary information to their officer team. 

The treasurer has the important job of keeping accurate records of ORG funds, depositing funds to the Cashier's Office, submitting incentive fund requests, and filling out requisition forms for reimbursements. The treasurer functions as the backbone of the ORG! The treasurer can apply the administrative and leadership skills they learned while serving as an ORG officer in their future fields! 

Check out our advisors page to see what makes a great advisor! 

*Further training materials are currently being developed for Advisor success.

That is up to each Org's officer team and depends on specific ORG needs. The responsibilities of all officers should be outlined in the Org Constitution

Make sure you have Officers for next year prepared to serve before the end of the current year. 

Some ORGs become unsuccessful when they don't find new  leadership every year and/or interest dies. 

1. Go to MyCU and make sure you are Signed in with your personal email account. 

2. Search "General Ledger Department Lookup"  

3. Type in your GL number - 

   • The first box will be a 0, 

   • Then put in your 5 digit department number. 

   • The 3rd box will be 4100

   • The Fiscal year is the current year

   • The Starting date determines the last date of transactions you want to see. Feel free to leave this blank. 

   • Leave the ending date blank

   • Show summary only - no

   • Format - Web-page table on-screen

After this, you should be able to see a chart that tells you how much money you have in your account. 

If you get a "Warning Message 376, You are not authorized to view account" fill out a GL Access Request on the Student Organization Form.

There are 3 ways to make money as an ORG:

1. Collecting dues from new/existing org members

2. Selling items or raising money in the lower SSC

3. Receiving Incentive Funds from SGA Involvement

There are two options for collecting dues:

 1. Obtain a cashbox from the cashier’s office (down the hallway on the right of the post office in the SSC) and have members place cash or checks in the cashbox. Once completed, return the cashbox to the cashier’s office with the cash inside. (Preferred method).

2. Have each ORG member go directly to the cashier's office (down the hallway on the right of the post office in the SSC) and deposit the dues with the cashier. The ORG member will need to know the ORG's GL number to tell the cashier. 

The cash box can be found in the Cashier's office, located in SSC 130. The office hours are Monday-Friday, 8:30am-4:00pm. 

General Ledger (GL) accounts are like bank accounts for ORGs! Each ORG has a GL account with its own unique number which looks like this: 0-07000-4100. All money for an ORG is kept here, and the reason its done this way is for transparency and accountability. All GL accounts are maintained by Accounts Payable in Founders Hall.

We only grant GL access to ORG treasurers and advisors. Fill out the "GL Access Request" form on our forms page to get access.

There are 2 ways for an ORG to spend money from its GL account:

1. Purchase items and ask for an invoice. Once the items arrive and you get the invoice, fill out a requisition form and make it payable to the company listed on the invoice.

2. Purchase items using your personal debit/credit card or cash. Then, fill out a requisition form and make it payable to yourself.

After you fill out the Requisition Form, bring it to the Student office where the Campus Experience Director (Brian Burns) or the Campus Experience Specialist (Dan MacDougall) will sign it for you. 

Accounts Payable will then take the Requisition Form and move the money from your ORG's GL account, and mail a check to you or the company being reimbursed.

*an invoice is a slip of paper that lists the products and services a business provided to you and establishes an obligation on your part to pay for those products and services.

1. Go to the Involvement website and under forms, click on ORG Requisition Form. 

2. This will take you to a site where you will need to click on the excel spreadsheet link. 

3. The requisition form will open. Enter your name into the “Requested By” space.

4. Enter your phone number into the “Phone Number” space.

5. Enter the name of the person or company receiving reimbursement into the “Order From or Payable To” space. 

6. Enter your ORG name into the “Department/Account Name” space. 

7. Always enter the number “0” into the “Fund” space. 

8. Enter the five middle digits of your ORG’s GL Account number into the “Department” space. 

9. Always enter the number “4100” into the “Detail” space. 

10. Use the spaces below to record your purchases. 

11. Select the “Issue AP Check” option at the bottom of the page.

12. Save and print the completed form. 

13. At this point, your ORG Advisor or Brian Burns (SSC 153)  will need to sign the printed form. (There is a  place for them to sign on the form) From here, you have two options. 

    1. Physically take the completed and signed form to the Accounts Payable Office  (located in the basement of Founder’s Hall).  

    2. Scan the completed form and email it to ap@cedarville.edu. (Note: If your advisor is unable to sign a physical copy, they can do so electronically by simply emailing   ap@cedarville.edu and expressing approval for the reimbursement you are requesting) 

14. Always keep your receipts or invoices and turn them in with the requisition form.

Cedarville University does not reimburse any purchase of gift cards. Cash rewards are also not reimbursable. Physical products and event invoices are examples of acceptable reasons for reimbursment. 

Checks can be made out to Cedarville University, with the specific ORG's name in the Memo line

Submit the "Incentive Funds Request" in the Student Organization Form. This request will be reviewed by the Involvement Committee. Expect to receive an update on the status of your request from sgainvolvement@cedarville.edu within two weeks of submission. 

Requests MUST BE submitted at least THREE WEEKS prior to the event. Please make sure you grant viewing access to sgainvolvement@cedarville.edu if you share a budget overview spreadsheet (recommended). 

Do not spend money until AFTER your request has been approved. 

Tier 1: $100 (event for your ORG only)

Tier 2: $250 (event put on by your ORG for the student body)

Tier 3: $500 (event put on by your ORG and another ORG for the student body)

The Involvement Committee thoroughly reviews and analyzes each new incentive request during weekly Involvement meetings. Questions addressed during the approval/denial process include: 

Have they done their part to get their own funds (fundraising/asking their department/event fees?)

Does this Org require membership dues, which show proof of a commitment to involvement?

How much money do they already have?

Has this Org received any other Incentive Fund money this school year?

How many people will this money potentially benefit? 

Is the budget in the Incentive Fund Request thorough enough to make a decision?

How much time is there left in the school year?

How much money is there left in the Incentive Fund budget?

If the request is approved by the Involvement Committee, it is presented to the Director of Campus Experience. If approved, the Org's treasurer will receive a congratulatory email and the appropriate funds will be transferred to the Org's GL account. 

Orgs have the unique opportunity to put on events for their members and even the Cedarville community. When planning events, ORGs need to think about the purpose of putting on the event, and the audience that they are trying to reach. 

Examples of events include a dance party, performance/presentation, game night, guest speaker, educational seminar, etc.

Make an event request, which must be submitted 3 weeks in advance via CU Involvement site forms page or the secure the date form on myCU. If the event is approved, you can submit a room reservation request. 

All events need to be approved by your advisor. 

If you are having a dance or are inviting an outside speaker, email the Director of Campus Experience (Brian Burns) for approval. 

Dance events are allowed in Alford and the SSC event rooms. Off campus dances require specific approval from Brian Burns and your advisor. 

Event location and playlists must be approved by the Director of Campus Experience (Brian Burns). The ORG Advisor needs to be present throughout the entirety of the dance. 

Your Org can get tech help under "Information Technology Request" on MyCU. Tech requests MUST BE submitted at least ONE WEEK prior to the event. 

Posters can be used, but must be approved by Campus Experience at the Information Desk in the upper level of the Stevens Student Center. 

You can put up a maximum of 4 posters

The Print Services Office is a great resource for printing materials. The Print Services office is located in SSC 171. The office is open Monday-Friday: 8am-4:30pm, and they are closed on Saturday and Sunday. 

You are allowed to hang up to 4 posters (11x17) on the brick walls in the Lower SSC using painters tape. In order to get your posters approved, take them to the Information Desk in the upper SSC. They will put an approval sticker on it. You are allowed to hang posters for up to two weeks. The Information Desk will provide painters tape if you need it. 

If you would like to hang posters up in dorms, you must contact the RD of that dorm. If you would like to hang posters in an academic building, you must contact the Dean of the Department (Ex: Bible for the BTS, Engineering for the ENS, Nursing for the HSC, Business for Milner, etc.)

Submit an SSC Slide Request. Content must be professional and appropriate. Slides can be displayed for a maximum of two weeks. Email campusexperience@cedarville.edu with questions about SSC Slides. 

Submit an "Initiation Request" through the Student Organization Form four weeks before the date you wish to facilitate a new members initiation event. These events also often require an approval meeting with the Director of Campus Experience (Brian Burns). Do not host or participate in any initiation activities before approval. 

The university defines hazing as anything that...

- Creates a risk or injury

- Creates discomfort

- Causes embarrassment

- Involves degradation

- Involves humiliation

- Involves ridicule

- Involves or includes the wilful destruction of public or private property for the purpose of initiation or admission into, affiliation with, or as a condition for continued membership in an organization.

As required by Ohio State Law, every university student participating in any Org activities must complete a Hazing Prevention course. Therefore, before participating in Org activities, all Org members must also complete this course. Every Cedarville Student is automatically assigned to the Hazing Prevention Course and will receive an email upon completion. 

In order to complete the Hazing Prevention Course, navigate to your "Courses" section of Canvas and select "Hazing Prevention Training." Follow the instructions listed there. There are a series of videos and quiz questions which can be completed in about 15 minutes. 

Warning: Caution that a group has not met expectations. No disciplinary action. Two warnings may result in probation. Warnings come from both SGA Involvement Directors and the Director of Student Life Programs. 

Probation: Can result after two warnings. GL access is frozen. Access given with permission from the Director of Student Life Programs. Monthly meetings between the president and the advisor of the ORG to discuss the activity and culture of an ORG. 

Suspension: Results after two consecutive probations. GL and email accounts are frozen and totally inaccessible. ORG is not allowed to operate on campus. Members of the ORG cannot create, join, or participate in any other ORG activities.

Disbandment: Results after two consecutive suspensions. GL account is permanently closed and the remaining funds are transferred to the SGA account. The email account is permanently closed.