Student Organizations

orghelpgwu [dot] edu (orghelp[at]gwu[dot]edu) • University Student Center, Room 433A
By Appointment or Drop-In Hours: Weekdays 12-7 pm*
*Hours and availability may vary during holidays, breaks, and finals.

Student organizations provide students with an opportunity to explore interests, sharpen skills, and learn about themselves and others while enhancing the academic mission of the university. GW's 500+ student organizations offer students opportunities to get involved and create community. You can access information about any student organization at GW, find out about events and activities on campus, manage your organization’s communications and finances, and stay up to date with life outside of the classroom on GW Engage, our online platform.

Visit Engage & Start Exploring!

Pathways

Pathways is an organization classification system that customizes your student organization's experience based on the actual needs of each organization. There are four different paths that organizations can take; some organizations will be pre-assigned directly to a path, while others will have the opportunity to self-select their path. It's all based on factors including funding, domestic and international travel, contracts, major events, space reservations, and more.

Annual Policies & Resources

The Student Organization Handbook is your one-stop shop for everything you need to know for running your organization, including university expectations, requirements, and resources. Org Leaders should refer to the Handbook when making decisions and reach out to their Staff Advisor or Org Help with any questions. The Handbook is regularly reviewed and updated, so please bookmark this page to ensure you are operating with the most up to date version.

Student Organization Handbook (PDF)

 Org Policy Training

Required For: ALL Organizations

Format: Online module through Comevo. Two organization officers must complete the module. Check back soon for the link!

Available now on Comevo!

Due: December 10th 

Org Finance Seminar

Required For: ALL Organizations

Format: Hosted via Zoom. Two officers must attend one session - one of the officers must be a Financial Officer.

Dates: If your organization did not attend one of the Zoom sessions, you will now have an opportunity to make up the missed Org Finance Seminar asynchronously. Please review the Org Finance Training presentation

Note: Click on the Student Org Finance Requirement Quiz located on the last slide of the presentation.

Due: December 10th

Title IX Training

Required For: ALL Organizations

Format: Online module through Comevo. Two organization officers must complete the online session. 

Dates: If your organization did not attend one of the Zoom sessions, you will now have an opportunity to make up the missed Title IX training asynchronously. Access the Title IX training.

Note: Your organization is still required to complete the training by the specified due date.

Due: December 10th

Excellence in Leadership Sessions (ELS)

Required For*: Blue (2 sessions), Orange (2 sessions), and Silver (1 session) Line Organizations

Format: In Person and online sessions.

Dates: Available sessions may be found on the Excellence in Leadership Sessions Engage. New sessions will be added soon!

Due: February 28th

Advisor Meetings

Required For: Red (4x/semester), Blue (1x/semester), and Orange (1x/year) Line groups with advisors assigned

Format: May be virtual or in-person based on discussion between you and your advisor.

Due: December 10th for initial meeting

Events with Alcohol

Required For: Red, Blue, and Orange Line groups who wish to host an Event with Alcohol

Format: Online training now available through Comevo!

Due: Prior to your first event with alcohol. 

International Travel

Required For: Red and Blue Line groups who wish to travel internationally

Format: Training required with the Student Involvement team. Reach out to david [dot] bonillagwu [dot] edu (david[dot]bonilla[at]gwu[dot]edu) to request training.

Due: Before making arrangements for international travel. 

Engage Support

Check out articles about some of the most commonly-asked Engage questions in our Engage Support Box Folder. Got a question about something not in the folder? Check out Engage's Support website!

Event Documents & Event Requirements

Easily access templates and guidelines for hosting Student Organization Events, including using the GW logo, Guide to Protest Activities, and the Contract Information Sheet in our Event Documents and Requirements Box Folder.

Finances and Fundraising

Hosting a Profit Share? Requesting an SGA Co-Sponsorship? Guides and helpful forms can be found in our Finances and Fundraising Box Folder. Have other questions not available here? Reach out to the Org Help Finance Team at orghelpfinancegwu [dot] edu (orghelpfinance[at]gwu[dot]edu).

Forming a New Student Organization

At this time, the Office of Student Life is not accepting new applications for student organizations. As we work to improve the support structures in place for our 500+ existing student organizations, we look forward to reopening the application process soon. 

Having trouble finding an organization that matches interests? Reach out to the Org Help Desk at orghelpgwu [dot] edu (orghelp[at]gwu[dot]edu) for assistance finding an existing org that shares your passions! Students seeking to form a new organization related to religious, secular, or spiritual traditions are strongly encouraged to reach out to the Center for Interfaith and Spiritual Life for guidance and resources.

orghelpgwu [dot] edu (Reach out to the Org Help Team!)

Conduct Violations

The Office of Student Life shares student organization conduct records to increase transparency, promote responsible behavior, and inform potential members about an organization's history of violations. For potential members, this information can be used to inform their choice for involvement in the community, promote discussion about the group's current culture and orientation toward campus policies, and protect them from potential risks.

This publication includes all incidents which resulted in a finding of responsibility for student organization violations of the Student Code of Conduct. Information on this page is updated each semester and will remain posted for four semesters following the date of the finding or completion of sanctions (whichever is longer) to show an organization's history and identify an organization's work towards changing the culture of the group. 

In addition, this page aligns with the Virginia Anti-Hazing Law (also known as Adam's Law), which requires institutions to post student organization hazing violations and related information. The law is named after Adam Oakes, a Virginia Commonwealth University freshman who died from alcohol poisoning following a fraternity initiation in 2021. The first table provides information about all violations except hazing. The second table provides information about hazing violations in accordance with Adam's Law. 

List of Student Groups and Organizations with Conduct Violations (PDF)