Group Types & Categories

Group Types and Categories are administrative identifiers for student organizations based on their unique characteristics and requirements. These are determined during the New Student Organization Review process for new organizations starting Fall 2024. These will be re-set for any returning student organization prior to the Student Organization Registration Audit process starting July 1, 2024 and running through the 2024-2025 academic year.

Group Types are differentiated by the following:

  • Funding available to the organizations
  • Insurance requirements for the organizations
  • Additional training requirements and expectations for the organizations

During the New Student Organization Review Process student organizations are asked to identify which Group Type they perceive they most align with. The Review Committee will determine, based on the differentiators above, if the student organization has selected the appropriate Group Type.

Prior to the Student Organization Registration Audit, all student organization’s will be re-assigned their Group Type to align with the new model. This will ensure they complete the correct registration audit for their Group Type.

Each Group Type has a Group Type Manager associated with it who works with the Student Organizations Team in OSI to support the student organizations in their Group. Each Group Type Manager also sits on the New Student Organization Review Committee and determines if the student organization aligns with the Group Type they have requested in their application. If you have questions about a Group Type, please contact the Group Type Manager listed below:

Group Types

General Student Organizations

General student organizations do not have any additional insurance requirements, training expectations, or department or area guidelines to follow outside of those expected of all student organizations.

Group Type Manager: Tito Castañeda, Coordinator for Student Organizations, Office of Student Involvement

Club Sports

Club Sports are student organizations that represent the club sport community offered through Campus Recreation and must have additional insurance through The Ray. These groups are eligible for Club Sport Funding and are required to abide by the Club Sport Handbook and participate in Club Sports Trainings. These groups are required to receive approval from Campus Recreation. Club Sport student organizations are limited to only selecting "Club Sport" as a category during the registration process.

Group Type Manager: James Alexander, Assistant Director of Club Sports, Campus Recreation

Religious & Spiritual Groups

Religious & Spiritual Groups are student organizations that focus on supporting and nurturing students' spiritual and faith life based on the shared beliefs of each group. Religious & Spiritual student organizations are required to receive approval from the Division of Mission and Ministry. Additional expectations and training are required for Religious & Spiritual groups, and they are only elligible for Division of Mission & Ministry funding. Religious & Spiritual student organizations are limited to only selecting “Religious & Spiritual” as a category during the registration process.

Group Type Manager: Diane Dardon, Director of Religious Diversity & Pastoral Care, Mission & Ministry

Law Groups

Law Groups are organizations directly associated with the College of Law to encourage professional development outside of the classroom in specific law interest areas. Law student organizations receive direct support from College of Law staff and administrators. Law student organizations are limited to only selecting "Law" as a category during the registration process. Additional expectations and approvals are required for Law affiliated groups.

Group Type Manager: Ana Vazquez-Rivera, Student Services Director, College of Law

Fraternity and Sorority Life (FSL) Groups

Fraternity and Sorority Life Organizations belong to one of the four following governing councils: Interfraternity Council (IFC), Multicultural Greek Council (MGC), National Pan-Hellenic Council (NPHC), or Panhellenic Council (PHC). They are required to abide by the Fraternity and Sorority Directive & Resource Guide, report to the FSL staff, and hold additional liability insurance. These groups are required to receive approval from Fraternity and Sorority Life. All fraternities and sororities must be affiliated with an inter/national organization and be approved through the FSL expansion process before applying to be a student organization.

Group Type Manager: Patrick Rezek, Assistant Director for Fraternity and Sorority Life & Civic Engagement, Office of Student Involvement

Departmental Groups

Departmental Groups are student organizations that are supported, funded, and recognized through their associated department. Departmental student organizations have significant oversight by university faculty and staff. Departmental student organizations are limited to only selecting "Departmental" as a category during the registration process.

Group Type Manager: Tito Castañeda, Coordinator for Student Organizations, Office of Student Involvement

Graduate Groups

Graduate groups are student organizations that provide a benefit or service to graduate students at DePaul and should be open for any graduate student to join. Graduate student organizations are groups that have 75% of members within a graduate program at DePaul. Graduate student organizations are limited to only selecting “Graduate” as a category during the registration process.

Group Type Manager: Tito Castañeda, Coordinator for Student Organizations, Office of Student Involvement

Vincentian Service & Formation Groups

Organizations in this Group Type are affiliated with the Division of Mission and Ministry's Vincentian Service and Formation Office (DePaul Community Service Association - DCSA) and work to provide community service. Additional requirements and approvals are required for DCSA affiliated groups, and they are only eligible for Division of Mission & Ministry Funding. Vincentian Service & Formation student organizations are limited to only selecting “Vincentian Service” as a category during the registration process.

Group Type Manager: Karl Nass, Director of Vincentian Service & Formation Office, Mission & Ministry

Categories

Categories identify which interests a student organization’s mission and activities align most closely with. Each student organization may be affiliated with up to 2 categories; however, these may depend on the organization’s Group Type. If you have questions about a Category, please contact the student organizations team at studentorgs@depaul.edu.

See a description of each category below:

Academic and Pre-professional organizations are student organizations and/or local chapters of national organizations often related to specific academic discipline and/or career path to support and enhance the academic goals of the university. Some organizations may receive direct support from an academic department on campus.

Activist & Political student organizations are student organizations focused on bringing about social, political, economic, or environmental change. Political organizations focus on a political party or issue and promote/educate political views.

Club Sports are student organizations that provide opportunities for students with common interests to participate and compete in a variety of activities. These organizations represent the club sport community offered through Campus Recreation. Club Sport student organizations are approved through the Club Sports Group Type. Additional requirements and approvals are required for Club Sport affiliated groups. Club Sport student organizations are limited to only selecting "club sport" as a category during the registration process.

Community Service & Engagement student organizations include organizations that mainly focus on providing service to the campus and community. Students can support a variety of social causes and communities in Chicago as volunteers and members on these organizations.

Community Peace Makers is both a student organization and a program offered out of Mission & Ministry and serves as one of DePaul University’s responses to youth violence in Chicago. Community Peace Makers are limited to selecting Vincention Service & Formation as their Group Type and may not select any other categories.

Cultural student organizations are self-defined groups of people who share a commonality of cultural experience. Cultural organizations may be defined by many types of commonalities, such as race, ethnicity, religion, or physical commonality. Cultural groups offer a lively social and educational environment for students and promote preserving cultural heritage and identity. These organizations work to promote unity and cultural awareness to the college community.

Departmental student organizations are supported, funded, and recognized through their associated department. Departmental student organizations have significant oversight by university faculty and staff, and are limited to only selecting "departmental" as a category during the registration process.

DePaul Community Service Association (DCSA) is a collection of 15 student organizations who are dedicated to providing weekly service with community organizations across the city of Chicago. DePaul Community Service Association organizations (DCSA) are limited to selecting Vincention Service & Formation as their Group Type and may not select any other categories.

Esports and Gaming are student organizations that host competitive and casual gaming, tournaments, viewing parties and all things Esports. Affiliated groups compete in the BIG EAST Conference.

Entertainment & Performance student organizations are student organizations that provide campus with a variety of forms of entertainment (including student sponsored entertainment events and programs) and provides the opportunity to allow students to express their creativity in various capacities.

Fraternity and Sorority Life (FSL) student organizations only include chapters from Interfraternity Council (IFC), Multicultural Greek Council (MGC), National Pan-Hellenic Council (NPHC), or Panhellenic Council (PHC). Additional expectations and approvals are required for FSL affiliated groups.

Graduate student organizations are student organizations that provide a benefit or service to graduate students at DePaul and should be open for any graduate student to join. Graduate student organizations are groups that have 75% of members within a graduate program at DePaul.

Honorary student organizations are often called Honor Societies and recognize students who excel academically or as leaders among their peers, often with a specific academic discipline or affiliation with a university department. Membership in honor societies is typically based on GPA.

Law student organizations are organizations directly associated with the College of Law to encourage professional development outside of the classroom in specific law interest areas. Law student organizations receive direct support from College of Law staff and administrators. Law student organizations are limited to only selecting "law" as a category during the registration process. Additional expectations and approvals are required for Law affiliated groups.

Media & Publication student organizations are groups that exists to provide information related to their purpose through means of mass communication, such as newspapers, magazines, film, radio or television, whose mission/purpose further the content knowledge or experience for these areas.

Special Interest student organizations are organizations with a wide range of purposes that encourage interest in a topic not necessarily related to other categories. These student organizations are groups that encourage social interaction around a shared interest or theme.

Religious & Spiritual student organizations are groups that focus on supporting and nurturing students' spiritual and faith life based on the shared beliefs of each group. Religious & Spiritual student organizations provide students with an opportunity for spiritual or religious engagement. Organizations in this category can be affiliated with the Division of Mission and Ministry. Additional expectations and approvals are required for Mission & Ministry affiliated groups.

Please see the comparative chart below for more information on how Categories and Group Type intersect.