Jump to content

Rutgers University student organizations

Edit links
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This is an old revision of this page, as edited by Dominik78 (talk | contribs) at 20:39, 2 October 2009. The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this revision, which may differ significantly from the current revision.

Rutgers University hosts over 700 student organizations, covering a wide range of interests. Governed and funded by student government, students can organize groups for any political ideology or issue, ethnic or religious affiliation, academic subject, activity, or hobby. Notable student groups include the Daily Targum, the second oldest collegiate newspaper in the United States, established in 1869, the Philoclean Society, a literary society, the Rutgers University Glee Club a male choral singing group established in 1872 among the oldest in the country, as well as the Rutgers University Debate Union.

Rutgers University Student Assembly

Rutgers University Student Assembly (RUSA) is the overarching student government at Rutgers University. RUSA acts as the voice of all Rutgers students and is comprised of delegates from the local campus councils, professional school councils, and several special interest groups. The councils that fall under RUSA's umbrella include the College Avenue Council (5), the Busch Campus Council (5), the Livingston Campus Council (5), the School of Environmental and Biological Sciences / Cook Council (5), the Douglas Governing Council (5), the Engineering Governing Council (4), the University College Council (4), the Pharmacy Governing Council (2), the Rutgers Business Governing Association (2), and the Mason Gross Governing Council (2). Each campus council sends 5 delegates to RUSA, while the professional school councils send a number proportionate to their school size. In addition the following organizations send one (1) delegate: the Board of Governors (student representative), the Board of Trustees (student representative), the Off Campus Student Association, the Asian Student Council, the United Black Council, the Latino Student Council, the Queer Caucus, the Office of Fraternity and Sorority Affairs, the Equal Opportunity Fund, and the Residence Hall Association.

The Council of Presidents is an congregation of the presidents of each of the council and professional school councils that sets the agenda for RUSA and acts as the chief brain tank of student governance at Rutgers.

In addition to this large assembly, a side branch of RUSA contains the Allocations Board. This board of students allocates student fees to the 300+ student groups at Rutgers. In order to receive funding all of these groups must follow guidelines set forth by RUSA.

The executive board is internally elected by RUSA and includes the positions of Chair/President, Vice-Chair, Treasurer (an ex-officio member of the Allocations Board), Corresponding Secretary, Recording Secretary, and Parliamentarian. The President of RUSA is charged not only with the duty of chairing any RUSA and Council of President meetings but also acting on behalf of all Rutgers University students. On April 30, 2009 the Assembly elected Werner Born, from the Engineering Governing Council, President and Chair of RUSA.

Term President Local Council
Present Werner Born Engineering Governing Council
2008-2009 Christopher Keating College Avenue Campus
2007-2008 Jim Kline College Avenue Campus

Rutgers Residence Hall Association

The Rutgers University Residence Hall Association (RHA) is an organization designed to serve the residential population of Rutgers New Brunswick/Piscataway. As stated in the RHA constitution, "the mission of this organization shall be to celebrate the unique campus residential cultures while bringing together the larger New Brunswick/Piscataway residential community. RHA will provide education, service, and social programming, as well as leadership development opportunities and serve as the voice of the residential population by acting as advocates for change."

RHA is composed of the RHA Executive Board, Cook/Douglass Residential Council, College Ave. Residential Council, Busch Residential Council, and Livingston Residential Council. The RHA Executive Board is composed of the President, Vice President of Administration, Vice President of Advocacy, Vice President of Internal Affairs, Vice President of Programming, National Communications Coordinator, and the four Chairs of each Residential Council.

The Residential Councils consist of their respective Chairs, Vice Chairs, and RHA Representatives (one elected from each residence hall, apartment complex, or suite complex each).

Each campus is comprised of several smaller groups consisting of members of each residence hall, apartment complex, and suite complex. Each hall, apartment, and suite have Hall Council governments designed to serve a specific target group - their own buildings. The Hall Councils each elect a Hall President, Hall Vice President, Hall Secretary, Hall Treasurer, and an RHA Representative.

Executive Board Position (2009-2010) Name
President Sam Firmin
Vice President of Administration Carina Sitkus
Vice President of Internal Affairs Becca Heller
Vice President of Programming Natalia Jakucki
Vice President of Public Relations Jared Trachtenberg
Vice President of Advocacy Ryan Harrington
National Communications Coordinator Chelsea Hudson
Secretary Kenny Disbrow
Treasurer Monisha Shivakumar
Cook/Douglass Residential Council Chair Steven Le
Cook Residential Council Vice Chair Alexandra Menillo
Douglass Residential Council Vice Chair Shalini Sinha
College Ave. Residential Council Chair Rebecca Lemmel
College Ave. Residential Council Vice Chair Greg Shapiro
Busch Residential Council Chair Rohan Thakkar
Busch Residential Council Vice Chair Madiha Aziz
Livingston Residential Council Chair Alex Pugh
Livingston Residential Council Vice Chair Lisa Tran

Other Governing and Programming Associations

Newspapers, magazines and other media

  • The Daily Targum is the official student newspaper of Rutgers University, published daily Monday through Friday while classes are in session, in New Brunswick, New Jersey. Founded in 1869, it is the second oldest collegiate newspaper in the United States.(http://www.dailytargum.com)
  • The Johnsonville Press offers students an alternative source of news and opinions to those offered by The Centurion.
  • The Green Print is the official weekly newspaper of the Cook Campus, founded in the 1960s featuring environmental, general and entertainment news as well as a fine arts section.
  • The Rutgers Centurion is a monthly conservative magazine. (http://www.rucenturion.com)
  • The Medium is a satire newspaper at Rutgers.(http://www.themedium.net)
  • Rutgers Review is a bi-weekly arts and entertainment newspaper (http://www.rutgersreview.com)
  • Caellian is a paper printed from Douglass College, the all-female residential college at Rutgers.
  • RLC-WVPH is a freeform student-operated radio station. (90.3FM The Core)
  • WRSU-FM is a faculty-operated radio station. (http://www.wrsu.org)
  • RU-tv, the Rutgers University Television Network. The network is a predominantly student run organization that monitors on-campus television and features many student produced programs such as Wake Up Rutgers, Inside Rutgers, SportsKnight, and Academic Review Sessions.
  • The Anthologist A literary journal.
  • Objet d'Art Literary, Arts, & Culture magazine
  • Black Voice/Carta Latina
  • Conversasian
  • Hanwoori - The Korean-American Newsletter at Rutgers

Secret organizations

Throughout its history, Rutgers has had several secret societies on campus, including Brotherhood of the Golden Dagger (1898-1940), Sword and Serpent (1872), Casque and Dagger (1901) and Cap and Skull (1900-1969, 1982-present). Only Cap and Skull is still in operation. However, it is now university-sanctioned, has shed much of its secrecy, and is more generally an honor society (see below).

Honorary organizations

Community Service

Academic clubs and organizations

Political organizations

Political party affiliated groups

Activism and issue advocacy groups

Cultural or religious organizations

Ethnic organizations

Religious organizations

Performing arts groups

Dance Groups

Music Performance Groups

Choral Ensembles
  • Kirkpatrick Choir - a mixed choir made up of mainly music majors and non-music majors who are exceptional vocalists. Their repertoire represents all areas of choral masterworks, sacred and secular, as well as both significant a cappella music and major works with orchestra. Currently under the direction of Dr. Patrick Gardner.
  • Rutgers University Glee Club - an all-male choir founded in 1872 and the eighth-oldest college glee club in the United States of America. Currently under the direction of Dr. Patrick Gardner. (http://gleeclub.rutgers.edu)
  • University Choir - a larger mixed ensemble which performs standard choral repertory. Currently under the direction of Professor Mark A. Boyle.
  • Voorhees Choir - an all-female choir established out of Douglass College in 1927. Currently under the direction of Professor Barbara Retzko.
Instrumental Ensembles
  • Wind Ensemble - one of the leading wind bands in the United States. The ensemble presents concerts at the highest artistic level, and has recorded a number of compact discs. Currently under the direction of Dr. William Berz.
  • Symphony Band - Standard and contemporary literature for wind band. Currently under the direction of Professor Darryl Bott.
  • University Orchestra - performs an ambitious concert series each year. The Orchestra's concerts include symphonies by Berlioz, Schumann, Tchaikovsky, Sibelius, Vaughan Williams, and Mahler, and orchestral showpieces by Smetana, Elgar, Rimsky-Korsakov, Stravinsky, and Bartok. Currently under the direction of Professor Kynan Johns.
  • Sinfonia - An orchestra of undergraduate students and talented players from the Rutgers community. Currently under the direction of Professor Kynan Johns.
  • Concert Band - Transcriptions of orchestral works and standard band literature. Currently under the direction of Professor Timothy Smith.
  • Rutgers University Marching Band - founded in 1915, currently under the direction of Professor Timothy Smith.
Other Ensembles
  • Collegium Musicum - a small ensemble dedicated to the performance of Renaissance music. Currently under the direction of Dr. Andrew Kirkman.
  • HELIX! - Premiering contemporary music.
  • Jazz Ensemble - Training high-caliber jazz musicians since 1971.
  • Opera At Rutgers - Opera at Rutgers prepares students for the world of professional opera. Each year a full opera production is mounted. Opera Workshop performs fully-staged scenes programs. Opera At Rutgers also hosts outreach programs and Master Classes with renowned artists.
  • Percussion Ensemble

Theatrical groups

A cappella singing groups

Greek life

Main article: Rutgers University Greek organizations

Rutgers University is home to chapters of many Greek organizations, and a significant percentage of the undergraduate student body is active in Greek life. Several Fraternities and sororities fraternities and sororities mainain houses for their chapters in the area of Union Street (known familiarly as "Frat Row") in New Brunswick within blocks of Rutgers' College Avenue Campus.

Chapters of Zeta Psi and Delta Phi organized at Rutgers as early as 1845. Presently, there are over fifty fraternities and sororities on the New Brunswick-Piscataway campus, ranging from traditional to historically African-American, Hispanic, Multicultural and Asian-interest organizations. Greek organizations are governed by the Office of Fraternity and Sorority Affairs. Twelve organizations currently maintain chapters in New Brunswick without sanction by the University's administration.

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Rutgers_University_student_organizations&oldid=317526824"