WHAT CONSTITUTES A STUDENT ORGANIZATION?

A student organization is a group of students independently affiliated with and recognized by the University of Toronto Scarborough that share common values and goals, and who form an association in support of those values and goals.

Student Organizations at U of T Scarborough are classified in one of four ways:

1) Recognized Student Organization

• A recognized student organization is any voluntary group that is “recognized” by the Department of Student Life under the University’s Policy on the Recognition of Campus Groups.

2) Departmental Student Association (DSA)

• Each academic department at U of T Scarborough has a Departmental Student Organization, which represents and advocates on academic issues for all of the students enrolled in that department. All students enrolled in a program specialist, major, or minor are automatically members of that department’s DSA. An example of a DSA would be Management and Economics Students Association.

3) Student Society

• A Student Society is a student organization that receives a certain amount of money (a “levy”) from each student attending U of T Scarborough. The University of Toronto collects these fees on behalf of the Student Society. Student organizations must follow specific steps to become a student society, and adhere to a certain set of guidelines once they do so. An example of a Student Society would be Fusion Radio.

4) Student Society Affiliate

• A Student Society Affiliate is an organization that has a formal relationship with a Student Society. Many Affiliates receive a levy via a Student Society (i.e. the parent organization’s fee includes a designated amount which is passed on to the Affiliate). An example of a Student Society Affiliate would be the Women’s Centre.