Student Org COVID-19 Info
The university is focused on creating a safe campus experience for everyone. Student organizations play an integral part in protecting members and abiding by the guidelines below will be key in reducing the spread of COVID-19 on our campus and in the surrounding Columbia community. Please review the following guidelines and information to ensure you are most effectively and safely leading your student organization.
- Stay up to date with all university Covid-19 information.
- Read the Aug. 5 letter from Student Body President Issy Rushton and Associate Vice President Anna Edwards regarding the ways student organization leaders can contribute to the health and safety of our community.
- Review the student organization safety guidelines PDF for on and off-campus meetings, events, and activities.
- Demonstrate your commitment by taking the #IPledgeColumbia and encouraging all student organization members to do so.
- Meet virtually whenever possible using campus resources. Students have access to a premium Zoom business account through Student Government and access to Microsoft Teams through your university login. The Law School has created a great Microsoft Teams Tutorial.
- Connect with a leadership coach to brainstorm and discuss how you can safely continue the purpose of your student organization.
- Reach out to Leadership and Service Center staff members Lauren Haynes or Ryan Patterson who most directly coordinate student organization resources and opportunities on campus.
Join an Organization
Log in to Garnet Gate to check out the complete student organization directory. The university has more than 500 clubs that focus on academics, sports, dance, games,
careers and more. All you need is your University of South Carolina username and password (the same one you use for Blackboard).
Create a New Organization
If you can't find an organization that matches your interest and think it might be a club other students would enjoy, we can help you through the process of starting a new organization.
Do you need to ... ?
We make it easy for campus leaders to keep up with your organization's details. Remember that whenever your leadership or constitution changes, you must submit it for approval by the Leadership and Service Center to ensure your organization is fully compliant with all student organization policies.
Use the 25Live reservation system to request use of facilities managed by the Russell House. Get complete details on making a space reservation. If you have questions or need help, call 803-777-7127 or email sareserv@mailbox.sc.edu.
In order to update your officers on Garnet Gate, please make sure they meet the following three requirements:
- Meet the minimum GPA required for major
- Are a full-time student
- In good academic standing
The Leadership and Service Center checks officer eligibility. If an officer doesn't meet the requirements he or she will be removed and the organization will be notified.
Only current officers of an organization can update officers in Garnet Gate. To update officers:
- Log into Garnet Gate using your personal South Carolina username and password.
- Find your organization in the Action Center.
- Go into the Roster tab on your Garnet Gate page and update your roster with your new officers. (If you’re unsure on how to update, visit the Documents section of our Garnet Gate page and review How to Change Your Officers.
Per university policy, your new faculty/staff advisor must be:
- A full-time permanent faculty/staff member
If your selected advisor does not meet these requirements, your request to change your advisor will be rejected.
To change your faculty/staff advisor, you must:
- Have your new advisor complete and sign the Advisor Confirmation Form. The form is also available in the Documents section of our Garnet Gate page. Please be sure you are logged in to view the form.
- Submit the signed PDF in the online Change of Faculty/Staff Advisor Request Form including the rationale for the change.
Once you’ve submitted your completed materials and request, the Leadership and Service Center will review it and notify you if the change has been accepted or if further information is needed.
To access your current constitution in Garnet Gate, visit the Documents section of your organization’s Garnet Gate profile. Please keep the following in mind as you update constitution:
• Follow your organization’s amendment policy to update your constitution. Every organization has an amendment process within their constitution. This is the process you must follow to update your constitution.
• Do not remove any University of South Carolina required clauses. These include the membership eligibility clause, the nondiscrimination policy, the officer GPA clause, and the full-time faculty/staff advisor clause.
• Your constitution must be signed. If it is not signed as dictated within your constitution, it is not valid.
To submit your updated constitution, use the Update Constitution Form available on Garnet Gate.
Once you’ve submitted your updated constitution and request, the Leadership and Service Center will review it and notify you if any changes are necessary or if your new constitution has been accepted. Once accepted, we will upload your new constitution to your Garnet Gate page.
In order to submit a name change for your organization, you must:
• Vote and have the approval of your student organization for the name change
To change the name of your organization:
- Complete the Student Organization Name Change Request Form, and don't forget to include the rationale for the name change.
- Update your organization’s constitution with the new name.
Once you’ve submitted your completed materials and request, the Leadership and Service Center will review it and notify you if the change has been accepted or if further information is needed.
Fraternity and Sorority Organizational Conduct
To help you make fully informed choices about joining fraternities and sororities at South Carolina, we provide a report on organizational conduct violations dating back to 2011.