Terms & Definitions
To ensure clarity and understanding across the MIT community, definitions are provided below for specific student organization terms.
To ensure clarity and understanding across the MIT community, definitions are provided below for specific student organization terms.
An individual with regular student status at MIT. During the fall and spring terms, undergraduate and graduate students must be properly registered with no registration holds. Undergraduate students are not required to register for the Independent Activities Period (IAP) or summer term. Graduate students are not required to register for IAP, but those engaged in research or thesis work during the summer must register for the summer session, per Graduate Policies & Procedures.
Any person who is not an MIT student. Examples include students on leave, non-student Institute employees, alumni, donors, guests, collaborators, K-12 groups, cross-registered students from other institutions, performers, event attendees, and contractors. Non-student individuals are not eligible for privileges reserved for MIT students and student organizations. All non-student individuals, with the exception of non-student Institute employees, are considered “visitors” of the Institute and must abide by the MIT Campus Visitor Guidelines.
An MIT student involved in a student organization who regularly participates in meetings or organizational operations.
An MIT student that serves in either the president role or the treasurer role in a student organization. These roles must be held by separate individuals for the same organization.
A non-student individual that provides guidance and support to a student organization, often with special responsibilities. Advisors provide guidance and support to the student organization as a supplement to the guidance and support the group receives from the staff advisors of the SOLE Office.
An MIT student that serves in a leadership role in a student organization.
A non-student individual involved in a student organization who regularly participates in meetings or organizational operations.
Any individual, MIT student or non-student, who attends organization events or activities but is not otherwise involved in the student organization.
The process by which a student group gains status as a recognized student organization, granting access to special Institute privileges. Recognized status is maintained through completion of the annual re-registration process and by remaining in good standing with the ASA and the SOLE Office.
The annual process by which all recognized student organizations submit updated information and complete required training to maintain their recognized status.
A short-term status granted to a student group by the Institute in exceptional circumstances, providing access to certain student organization privileges. Groups with this status must complete the full recognition process for long-term access to all student organization privileges.
A designated four-to-six-week period after the re-registration deadline during which ASA officers and SOLE Office staff review re-registration submissions for accuracy and completeness.
A group, directed and controlled by MIT students, that has been granted access to special Institute privileges by the ASA and the SOLE Office. The group’s activities support the educational process, promote cultural understanding, enhance student welfare, and contribute to the enrichment of the MIT community.
A temporary status for recognized student organizations, assigned by the ASA and the SOLE Office, that includes the removal of certain student organization privileges (e.g., reserving space, accessing funding) due to incomplete or late re-registration.
A temporary status assigned by the MIT Committee on Discipline (COD), removing all student organization privileges. The COD determines the specifics of this status, including onset, duration, reasons, and required steps for reinstatement.
A student organization has met the Institute's requirements to stay active and recognized. This includes following campus policies, completing annual re-registration, managing finances responsibly, and participating in required training. Organizations not in good standing may lose access to campus resources and privileges.
A student organization that has lost its recognized status and associated privileges, typically due to failure to complete annual re-registration or maintain good standing with the ASA, the SOLE Office, or the Institute.
An online platform, managed by the SOLE Office and the ASA, where student organization core executive officers can add and update important information about their student organization.
An online platform, managed by the Campus Activities Complex (CAC) and the Department of Athletics, Physical Education, and Recreation (DAPER), where student organization space reservation signatories can request to reserve select campus spaces.
An online platform, managed by the Institute, where student organization event planners can register their upcoming events.
An online platform where student organization leaders can report and get reimbursed for student organization travel.
E: sole@mit.edu
P: 617-253-6777
Student Organizations, Leadership & Engagement
77 Massachusetts Ave
Cambridge, MA, 02139