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Annual Requirements for 2025-26

To avoid any interuption to RSO privileges, all registered student organizations are required to:

  1. Submit annual registration form on 'Cats on Campus to maintain eligibility of their recognized status by Northwestern University for the following academic year and uninterrupted access to their SOFO account. This form includes a space to identify student org officers who can complete training modules on Canvas.
    • View our brief video to get started on the SOA YouTube channel.
    • The form should be submitted by only one student on behalf of the org. The student who submits this form should be a current student leader of the org, meaning someone who is a leader for the group during the 2025-26 academic year. 
    • Here is a list of organizations who have completed the 2025-26 re-registration form on 'Cats on Campus.
  2. Complete all assigned Canvas modules. In the aforementioned form, there will be a place to list which student leaders should be assigned to which Canvas module. Adding students to their specific courses is a manual process, so it does not happen automatically when the form is submitted. SOA expects orgs to submit 3-5 students to complete the 5 sections. You can track progress on Canvas completion for orgs here.

Information about these requirements is sent via SOA's Weekly Newsletter to student group presidents and finance officers listed on 'Cats on Campus. Make sure your group doesn't miss out by visiting your organization's page on 'Cats on Campus, reviewing the roster, and making sure the contact info for your roster members is accurate and up-to-date. 

 

Student Organization Officer Canvas Courses (SOOCCs)

SOA identifies resources and policies relevant for > 90% of the registered student organization (RSO) community to include in the Canvas course trainings. SOA manually enrolls students who are listed in the annual registration form for each RSO. With a significant amount of new knowledge to absorb, the Canvas courses are available to refer back to as needed throughout the year to prepare folx in their roles for a successful term. Courses are focused on the following topics:

For questions about enrollment and requirements, please email Joe Lattal. 

Other components of annual requirements

Beyond the SOA annual requirements listed above, specific RSOs may have additional items to complete to prepare for the new year.

Registered student organizations (RSO's) have a presence in the 'Cats on Campus platform (not the advisor, nor an outgoing leader) and Greek letter organizations who are part of the four social councils (IFC, MGC, NPHC, and PHA) are expected to complete this process for 2025-26. 

An officer on the group roster for the 2025-26 academic year must complete the registration when prompted on their group's 'Cats on Campus page.

Annual registration for the 2025-26 academic year launched on Wednesday, May 21, 2025. Groups who fail to complete the annual requirements to register (including Canvas modules) may have future campus reservations cancelled, SOFO account frozen, eligibility to participate in the organization fairs withheld, and 'Cats on Campus page hidden. 

Registration and annual requirements approval provides RSO officers with access to the following privileges:

  • Group page on 'Cats on Campus
  • Reserve space at Norris and Satellite Venues (Cahn, Ryan Auditorium, Shanley) at the lowest unit rate available: typically free
  • Applying for office or storage space in Norris
  • Reserve classroom space via the Registrar’s Office online platform
  • Obtain/maintain Northwestern Plan-It Purple events calendar
  • Access SOFO account
  • Reserve a table for the Fall/Winter/Spring Student Organization Fairs
  • Reserve outdoor marketing space
  • Applying to Campus Life/Student Organizations & Activities grants
  • Applying for ASG funding
  • Applying for McCormick funding (McCormick sponsored groups)

If an organization fails to meet annual requirements or is non-compliant with other campus policies, the organization status may be set to 'frozen.'

Frozen ROS forfeit access to assets in the group's SOFO account, the ability to reserve space on campus at the RSO rate, and inclusion in the 'Cats on Campus groups directory.

If your organization is frozen and seeking to return to active status, email: studentorgs@northwestern.edu to learn what actions will be necessary for this process.