Got your organization approved but no place to meet? Over 40 Registered Student Organizations have office space in the Student Organization Complex. Equipped with the essentials, the SOC is an great resource for RSOs to work on their plans and even collaborate with other groups. Tenants change every year, so make sure you stop by and apply with the Office of Registered Organizations, which approves applications.
WHERE COMMUNITIES CREATE
The mission of the SOC is to enhance the contributions of organizations by providing space for groups to work, collaborate and come together.
- 7 Open RSO Conference Rooms (First Come, First Serve)
- 2 Digital Screens for RSO Advertisements
- Bulletin Boards for RSO Events
- 16 office cubicles
- 106 mailboxes
- Open Prayer, Relaxation, and Meditation Space
- Meeting tables/Common Areas
compliance
Organizations must be in compliance with the requirements and procedures in order to gain or retain office space in the Illini Union. Any violation of these rules shall be kept on file as they occur and may result in the loss of office space. The details of the policies may be changed without notice.
Applications: Cubicles & Mailboxes
Mailbox Application
RSO Space Use Agreement
Cabinet and Mailbox Rules
- Mailboxes will be distributed to registered student organizations only.
- No organization may have more than one mailbox unless granted an exception.
- Availability of mailboxes will be advertised.
- Current tenants of the Student Organization Complex automatically will be granted a mailbox.
- Organizations may apply for a mailbox and/or cubicle/office for the same school year.
- There will be a deposit for all keys to cover lock and key replacement.
- Lock and key replacement and damage repair is the responsibility of the organization currently occupying the mailbox when the keys are lost or damage occurs. Mailboxes may not be used for the storage of food, beverages, flammable objects, hazardous materials, or illegal substances.
- Mail should rechecked and removed from mailboxes on a weekly basis. Any mail more than one month old will be returned to sender (except during the summer and semester breaks). If mail must be returned three times, the organization will lose its mailbox privileges.
Decision Process
Tenancy in the Student Organization Complex (SOC) is approved by the Illini Union Board. Specific space assignments are made by the Assistant Director of the Office of Registered Organizations. Requests for specific space allocation will be considered based on the following criteria:
- On the occasion that an empty office space becomes available, the space may become an open communal space.
- Following any changes made in accordance of VIII.A. (above), the organization in the cubicle with the highest percentage space count will have the highest priority to have the option to occupy a larger cubicle, should that percentage be equal to or higher than the percentage requirement for the type of area they are requesting and should there be available space in that area.
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To maintain office space in the Illini Union, each organization must register each year with the Office of Registered Organizations by the third week of the fall semester, as well as comply with the Space Checks. All organizations are checked daily to assess usage of the office space. The survey will be conducted by an Illini Union representative.
- The will occur at a minimum of a 12 week period starting no sooner than the first full week of classes in the fall semester through the last day of classes fall semester, and resuming no sooner than beginning of classes spring semester and concluding by the end of April.
- Spot checks will be made Monday through Friday, 9am – 9pm for a total of no less than 65. A schedule will be drawn by the Office of Registered Organizations of each hour of each weekday; at least one and not more than two of each of these hours will be surveyed during the space check. The space checks will not occur on weekends, holidays or during vacation periods.
- The Office of Registered Organizations student employees will conduct space checks between 10am and 5pm, the Office of Registered Organizations staff will conduct the rest.
- During a space check, it will be noted only whether or not people are present and each group of people will be counted as a single hour. If an office door is closed, the person conducting the space check will knock on the door to check if anyone is inside. Those persons sitting in the common area of the SOC will NOT be considered as being present for the space check.
- Offices are expected to maintain a minimum usage of 35 hours per week and cubicles are expected to maintain a minimum of 15 hours per week. Offices failing to meet 80% and cubicles failing to meet 50% of the hours checked in the survey will be considered “delinquent.”
- Empty offices and cubicles are created when:
- Those "delinquent" organizations which are already on probation fail to meet their space checks and are thus automatically evicted (see item [G] below), and
- The appeals of “delinquent” organizations are turned down by the Illini Union Board.
- In order to maintain diversity within the SOC and the chance to apply for space, the Office of Registered Organizations should reevaluate the space check requirements and the number of empty offices and cubicles during the spring of every even-numbered year.
- Those organizations that do not meet the minimum space requirements and are not already on probation are given the opportunity to appeal the Office of Registered Organization's decision to evict. This appeal will be heard by the Policy Committee of the Illini Union Board. Denial of the appeal (or failure to appeal) will result in automatic eviction. If the appeal is accepted, the organization will automatically be placed on probation (see item [G] below).
- Any organization in an office that fails to meet its minimum space usage requirement and either is on probation (thus automatically evicted), or whose appeal is unsuccessful, will be given the option of being allocated a cubicle (instead of an office) for the following year, if the organization has met the minimum usage requirement for a cubicle and if there is a cubicle available. Such an organization would have the highest priority for placement into an empty cubicle. If more than one such organization exists and they are competing for empty cubicle space, then the organization with the highest space count will obtain the space.
- Those organizations that are not "delinquent" and have met all other requirements of their lease will automatically be invited to renew their space for the following year.
- Any organization who fails to meet recommended minimum space usage expectations, even if their appeal is successful, will be considered “on probation” for the next two years. If they fail to meet recommended minimum space usage expectations two years in a row, or two years in a three-year period, they will automatically be evicted at the conclusion of their lease and will not be granted a second appeal. An organization who has been evicted for any reason may not apply for space for the entirety of the following academic year.
- The priority list for allocating space to any applicant will be as follows:
- Registered student organizations which meet the Office of Registered Organizations and the Illini Union Board's general requirements for continued tenancy and which accept this space
- Recognized student government bodies of a multi-college nature or those whose members are elected on a campus-wide basis:
- Illinois Student Government
- Student Trustee
- All other applicants
- Upon review of the applications, the Office of Registered Organizations will recommend to the full Illini Union Board which organizations should be allocated office or cubicle space. The recommendation, whenever possible, will contain at least two (2) alternates which will be given space if an organization which is offered space does not wish to occupy it. These alternates will be on a "waiting list" for the remainder of the academic year. If for any reason office space opens up, then these alternates will be given first choice, in rank order. If there are no more alternates when space opens up, the Office of Registered Organizations will decide if another application process is warranted or if the space will become part of an open communal space.
- A change in or denial of office/cubicle space will be explained in one of the following manners:
- To maximize usage of the office/cubicle as demonstrated by the recommended minimum office space usage expectations
- Failure to comply with Section I General Requirements of the IUB Guidelines for Office Space
- Failure to meet recommended minimum office usage expectations
- Priority listing of Registered Student Organizations
- Appeals regarding the space allocation recommendations shall be considered by the IUB Policy Committee. All student organizations not meeting the recommended minimum office usage expectations or complying with Section I General Requirements shall be given written notification of such status prior to consideration of space allocations. Appeal requirements are as follows:
- To enter an appeal, a typed letter must be submitted to the Assistant Director of the Illini Union Board within 72 hours of being notified they are being evicted.
- Only oral presentations with a typed supplement will be considered at the appeals meeting. The supplement shall be signed by the president of the organization. The oral presentation shall be given only by the president or chairperson of the organization or a designated representative (and student member) of the organization.
- The oral presentations with a typed supplement shall be based on, but not limited to, one or more of the following arguments:
- The organization must prove that an inaccurate assessment of space utilization, as outlined in the IUB Guidelines for Office Space, has occurred (the survey is assumed always to be accurate unless proven to the contrary), and/or
- The organization must justify their inability to meet recommended minimum office usage expectation, as outlined in the IUB Guidelines for Office Space, and/or
- The organization must explain why it did not abide by Illini Union rules and/or university regulations, and/orThe organization must explain what steps it will take to ensure that it will meet all of the requirements of the lease in the next year if the appeal is accepted.
- The IUB Policy Committee reserves the right to set time limits on all p resentations.
- The IUB Policy Committee will take into consideration any new information presented by the organization in the appeal regarding an organization's inability to meet the recommended minimum office usage expectation in its allocation recommendation to the Illini Union Board.
- The final decision regarding office space allocation shall be made by the Illini Union Board.
Further needs for office equipment should be noted on the Space Usage Agreement. The Union has a limited amount of equipment, and it is hoped that the organization shall modify their desires accordingly.
Final Word Policy
This policy supersedes any previous policies adopted by the Illini Union Board and is subject to modifications by that body. In that event, reasonable attempts will be made to give notice to those organizations affected. It is hoped that applicants will appreciate the extent of facilities provided and the inherent difficulty of allocating a finite number of offices to an ever-increasing pool of applicants.
General Requirements
- Organizations applying for space must be Registered Student Organizations. Registered status can be obtained by filling out a required form online.
- Organizations must be registered with the Registered Organizations Office by the third week of the fall semester in order to maintain office space for the academic year.
- Organizations must schedule a minimum of 15 office hours Monday through Friday in which the office is open to all members of the campus community.
- Upon allocation of office space, organizations must sign an Office Space Usage Agreement form provided by the Illini Union Board.
- Organizations must abide by the rules of the Illini Union affecting building safety and the health, safety and welfare of the users of the facility. Policies to be followed include the use of cafeteria trays outside of the dining facilities, fire codes, building hours, etc.
- Organizations must abide by the rules and regulations set forth by the Illini Union Board pertaining to office equipment usage.
- Organizations must abide by the university’s regulations, particularly Chapters I, III and IV of the Code on Campus Affairs and Regulations Applying to All Students. This book may be found at Room 116, Administration Building, and various offices in the Student Services Building.
Renewal Process
- Application forms will be available online in late January/early February and will ask for the following information:
- Name of organization
- Name of contact person from the organization, along with school address and telephone number at which the contact person may be reached
- Equipment needs and office requirements
- Any changes in structure, purpose, scope, size, etc., of operation. This refers to any changes in the information filed with IUB on previous Office Space Applications. (Copies of the last application filed by your organization are available in the Student Programs and Activities Office.)
- The renewal procedure applies only to those organizations that have met their recommended minimum office usage expectation for the current year and to non-registered student organization tenants. All organizations falling below their recommended minimum office usage expectation must appeal or will be denied office space. All other organizations must follow the General Application procedure.
- Continuing organizations must comply with the Section I General Requirements outlined in IUB Guidelines for Office Space.
- All organizations that have failed to turn in a renewal application will be informed that they will not receive office space and will have the opportunity to appeal this decision to the IUB Policy Committee.
Terms of Lease
- A lease runs from May to May unless an organization becomes a tenant after the regular allocation process or due to the expulsion of another organization. If this happens, the lease will begin at the time of occupancy and will end in May.
- At the beginning of an organization's tenancy, each office space/cubicle occupant will receive a copy of the Space Usage Agreement (signed by the president or chairperson of the organization and appropriate IUB officials) and a copy of the IUB Guidelines for Office Space.