How to become SOP-Recognized
Student Organization Portal (SOP) recognition falls under the University of Toronto, providing student organizations with benefits offered only by the University.
Student groups (both new and returning) will need to complete a central online application on the SOP website once each academic year, typically between April 1 and September 30 for status throughout the upcoming academic year. While student organizations are encouraged to apply or renew their application for recognition prior to September 30th, we will continue approving new groups throughout the year. Once completed, the group will remain recognized until September 29th of the following year.
Please note: Applications submitted after September 30 may experience a longer delay (approximately 3-4 weeks) in receiving access to some of the SOP benefits, such as table and space booking. Groups who apply before September 30 will receive benefits sooner.
Click here to visit the SOP website for further details
New Club Recognition Process
The steps to recognizing a new club include the following:
1. Log on to SOP using your UTORid and password
- Have at least five (5) University of Toronto members create the club. Out of the 5 members, at least two (2) members will become the two (2) signing officers of the group. You can have more than 2 signing officers if you'd like, but you will need at least a primary and secondary contact.
- The main contact/group leader can log on to the SOP with their UTORid to apply for Campus Recognition. Under the “Student Group Recognition” (in the menu bar at the top), and past the instructions, you can apply for student group recognition.
- Note: If you are an alumnus of the university, you may need to request an alumni email account. To do so, please visit the Alumni website.
2. Read through and understand the University policy
- Read through the University’s Policy on the Recognition of Campus Groups - found on the “Student Group Recognition” page. The policy can also be found on the University of Toronto Governing Council’s website.
3. Create a student organization constitution
- Leaders must submit or upload a digital copy of their group’s current constitution in an appropriate format (e.g. pdf, rtf, txt, doc, docx) that follows the guidelines provided by our office.
- The SOP website also provides support and a constitution template. We recommend connecting with previous leaders to receive a copy of the most recent version of your group's constitution.
4. Gather the group's general information, including the following:
- Contact Information: Include the full name and contact information (UofT email address and phone number) for your group's two (2) signing officers, one of whom will be the main contact person. In your application, you may also include the names and contact of the group's executive members. Insufficient contact and signing officer information on the online application will cause delays!
- Who are the Primary & Secondary Contacts? They can be any executive on the team, but tend to be the President and Vice President. It us ultimately up to your group to decide, but they will serve as the main contacts with us and will have room and table booking access.
- Number of members: provide the number of group membership in the organization, including both the current number of members as well as an estimate of anticipated group members. Groups are only required to have a minimum of two U of T members, who would be the two signing officers of the group.
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General Information: Provide a mailing address with postal code, phone number, website, and so on, for ease of contact with the group.
5. Submit your application and have patience!
- We will do our best to process SOP applications as quickly as possible, with renewing groups receiving priority during the beginning of term. Applications are reviewed in sequence of submission date.
- Please note: A high volume of applications are received during the August-September rush, which may result in a delayed response time. During this peak time, applications can take up to ten (10) business days to be reviewed. Please be patient - we will contact you when your application is under review.
6. I still have questions!
- Please feel free to contact us via email at studentgroups.utm@utoronto.ca
- Check the "Group Leader Resources" on the SOP page for additional FAQs and common points of help.
View a video to learn more about the recognition process for new clubs
Re-Recognition Process
For Academic Societies, Course/Program Unions or Student Societies... your group does not need to apply for re-recognition, but you do need to update your listing on the SOP to ensure that information is up to date. Please feel free to contact us for assistance.
If your group was listed on the SOP in the past and wants to renew, you do not need to submit a new application! The steps to re-recognize a previously SOP-recognized student group includes the following:
- The currently listed Primary and Secondary Contacts of the group may submit a Renewal Application online during the renewal period.
- Note: If the contact person is no longer available, please contact us for further assistance
- Once on the SOP page, please click Edit Group to update the information and then select Submit Update for Approval at the bottom. You can read more about renewal here on the SOP page.
- In the renewal application, please indicate who the NEW signing officers will be, if applicable.
- The Primary or Secondary contacts are encouraged to complete this step after elections for the new executive members have been completed. It is the role and responsibility of the Primary & Secondary contacts to update and transition information of the new leadership onto the SOP!