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What is CSI and what can I get from them?

No matter how long you have been on campus, we can bet that you have heard an acronym thrown around at some point. University campuses love acronyms and shorten the names of everything from classroom buildings to organizations. Lucky for you, we are here to explain one of those organizations that goes by the name of CSI, and no, we aren’t talking about the T.V. show Crime Scene Investigation. CSI stands for the Center for Student Involvement.

CSI is a unit within Student Affairs that works to cultivate an environment for building vibrant, engaging and safe communities through programming, leadership development, cultural awareness and learning opportunities. In other words, they are a team of dedicated individuals working together to support students and student organizations.

Have you been thinking about joining a student organization but don’t know where to begin? Well, the Center for Student Involvement website is a great place to begin. We want to take the time to highlight just what exactly this department can do for you.

Attend CSI events to meet new people

CSI is constantly hosting events for students to participate in. From I Love Mondays where you will have the opportunity to build community through fun weekly get-togethers centered around different food like nacho bars and cupcakes to events like the Involvement Fair that provides a space for all student clubs and organizations to show off that they do. It is a great way to see what involvement opportunities CU has to offer and is an energetic atmosphere with music and free food.

Create a new student organization

The Center for Student Involvement believes all CU students should be able to discover their passion and find their place at CU. While there are over 500 organizations to potentially find that place in, sometimes that isn’t the case, so we encourage students to create their own organization.

Starting a new organization will allow you to develop leadership, communication and organization skills while meeting new people with similar interests! You not only will have fun but you’ll be able to find your place on campus.

Student organization financial support

CSI is the office to visit if your existing organization is in need of some financial assistance. They play a vital role in financial administration, accounting and budgeting for more than 500 recognized student organizations. Together with CU Student Government, 14 funding boards and various college departments, $1.4 million dollars is provided to recognized student organizations.

Training and development

CSI also offers a variety of training and development to student organizations. There are leadership, skill building and professional/personal development programs happening every month specifically for student organizations. Here is a sampling of some sessions to consider.

  • New Recognized Student Organizations (RSO) Orientation: All new Recognized Student Organizations are required to attend an in-person orientation. Organizations will learn valuable information about university policies and resources. This orientation must be attended within 60 days of the approval of your organization agreement to be placed in full good standing.
  • Student Organization Summits (SOS’s): These monthly summits offer invaluable information on a variety of topics to help your RSO be successful. From creating a constitution and bylaws, to understanding the funding process, to developing marketing strategies for your organization, SOS session can give you information and resources to help grow your organization.
  • BuffConnect Basics: These 30 minute monthly webinars go in-depth into a different tool, function, or resource available through BuffConnect.  From creating polls to managing dues to using card swiping at events, student organizations have a number of great tools available to them in BuffConnect.

Visit the BuffConnect Events Calendar to view and RSVP for upcoming sessions.

Are you feeling inspired to join an organization?  It’s never too late to get involved. Browse our student orgs on BuffConnect.

 

CSI