Student Organizations

Student organizations at Yeshiva University are recognized in two tiers: Chartered Student Organizations and Student Associations. Chartered Organizations are our most established groups — they have a demonstrated track record of activity, generally operate on both campuses, receive higher budgets that are set prior to the start of the year, and carry greater autonomy and responsibility. Only currently recognized student organizations may apply for Chartered status. Associations are open to any group of students, new or returning, and operate within a thematic Network of similar organizations. All student organizations are assigned a Torah Mentor and are expected to meet the standards outlined in the Student Organization Framework.

Both applications are now open. The Chartered Organization application deadline is Tuesday, March 31, 2026. The Association application deadline is Friday, April 24, 2026. Info sessions will be held on both campuses throughout March and April.

The Chartered Student Organization application is available through CampusGroups and is accessible to current students who are taking on leadership of a recognized student organization. The application deadline is Tuesday, March 31, 2026. Applications will be reviewed in consultation with Torah leadership, and decisions will be communicated the week of April 20.

Some of the elements of the application are included below for students who want to prepare before beginning:

Section 1: Organization Information Select your currently recognized student organization or umbrella group; indicate whether you are continuing under the same name, changing the name, or applying from within an umbrella; campus; mission statement; incoming leadership confirmation; identify your Wilf and Beren Campus Presidents and any additional Presidents; additional officers or board members.

Section 2: Track Record Number of events held in 2025–2026; description of your most impactful events; challenges faced and how you handled them; how your organization has demonstrated alignment with YU's mission and values; why your organization is the right fit for Chartered status.

Section 3: Planning and Goals Overall goals for 2026–2027; optional long-term goals; detailed plans for at least two events or programs (including dates, budget, expected attendance, and goals); total requested budget with breakdown; how your organization will integrate Torah values into its programming.

Section 4: Leadership and Continuity Plan for leadership succession; expectations for your Torah Mentor relationship; resources needed beyond budget; anticipated challenges.

Section 5: Additional Information for Evaluation (Optional) Learning outcomes; community impact; mission alignment; additional information

Section 6: Outside Organizations or Individuals Whether your organization intends to work with outside organizations; details if applicable; confirmation of compliance with the Student Organization Framework regarding outside organizations.

Section 7: Student Leadership Readiness Past experiences preparing you for this role; what you hope to learn; confirmation of academic and behavioral standing; commitment to spring semester deliverables including policy review, training course, OSL Liaison meeting, and board list submission; signed statements of honest completion and commitment to standards.

The Student Associations application is available through CampusGroups. Both new and returning groups may apply. The application deadline is Friday, April 24, 2026. Decisions will be communicated before the semester ends on May 20.

Some of the elements of the application are included below for students who want to prepare before beginning:

Section 1: Organization Information Whether you are applying as a returning or new organization; select your current group (if returning); organization name (if new or changing); campus; mission statement; Association Head(s) for each active campus; additional officers or board members.

Section 2: Plans and Goals Why this organization should exist (new organizations only); how you plan to build membership (new organizations only); overall goals for 2026–2027; plans for at least two events or programs (including timeframe, description, and estimated attendance); requested budget for the fall semester (up to $500) with breakdown; what your organization accomplished this year (returning organizations only).

Section 3: Values and Outside Organizations How your organization will reflect YU's mission and values; whether your organization intends to work with outside organizations; details if applicable; confirmation of compliance with the Student Organization Framework regarding outside organizations.

Section 4: Leadership Readiness and Confirmations Past experiences preparing you for this role; what you hope to learn; confirmation of academic and behavioral standing; training course commitment; acknowledgment of summer deliverables and Network structure; signed statements of honest completion and commitment to standards.

Use of YU Marks by Student Clubs
These guidelines are intended to protect and control the use of the University’s logos and marks. While the University is proud to identify its student organizations and clubs as valued members of our community, it must be clear to the University community and to the public at large what is part of the University, which goods/services originate from the University, and which do not. 

Council Logos and Promotion Guidelines
Give credit where credit is due and use the relevant council logos on your event flyers. There are also promotion guidelines for events that are co-sponsored by outside organizations.

Please note: University policy is to generally not permit recording of student club events due to privacy and other considerations.

2025 Vision

As we launch the Yamim project, we embrace the exciting opportunity to bring strategic vision to all areas of the undergraduate student experience. We have thus far gratefully incorporated many positive changes to campus life and will continue to do so with renewed focus and intention. In alignment with these goals, we recognize that our foundational mission of quality educational experiences and genuine leadership training can be elevated through enhanced mentorship, higher standards, and comprehensive support and guidelines in our student organizations. Drawing inspiration from the best practices of other values-based universities, we see tremendous opportunities to advance our standards and to align our undergraduate club and student organization program (hereafter referred to as student organizations) with their highest purposes: providing substantive educational value to our students while offering authentic opportunities for growth, service, mentorship, and values-driven leadership training.

Philosophy

Student organizations at Yeshiva University represent a privilege and unique mentorship opportunities for students' personal and professional development. This enhanced undergraduate student organization framework elevates student participation from involvement to meaningful leadership training that aligns with our university's religious and educational mission and the broader vision of the Yamim project. Alongside the consultation of the Torah leadership, the framework will integrate our religious values in all areas of student development.

Strategic Framework

The new undergraduate framework will expand opportunities for student involvement and leadership, building upon our strong religious foundation while introducing focused guidance and comprehensive training. To support these elevated goals and to ensure exceptional student organization experiences, several innovative elements will be implemented this year:
- Torah Mentor Program: Each undergraduate student organization will be assigned a Torah Mentor to provide genuine mentorship and leadership training from our trusted Torah leaders and faculty from both campuses. This collaboration with Torah leadership will allow us to embed our values in all elements of our campus and will enable students to seek out religious guidance independently, scaffolding their development and growth as active members in a faith-based community.
- Student Organization Excellence: Undergraduate student organizations will be approved through a comprehensive application process designed to ensure the highest quality experiences. Student organizations will be thoughtfully curated to ensure that the experiences we offer our students are of exceptional quality and educational value. This intentional approach prioritizes depth of programming and meaningful impact over quantity of organizations.
- Training, Development, and Continuity: Students taking on leadership roles in undergraduate student organizations will begin comprehensive training for their roles before assuming their positions, and they will continue to develop their skills and leadership qualities throughout their tenure. In addition to the important areas of responsibility outlined below, leaders of student organizations will be equipped to plan for the continuity of their groups, identifying and nurturing opportunities for other students to grow in their roles.
- Unique to Yeshiva University's Mission and Values: As reflections of the unique values of our institution, all student organizations are exclusively Yeshiva University organizations and maintain our institutional integrity by not partnering with or representing outside organizations. While student organizations are encouraged to engage with the broader community as part of their educational goals, this collaboration takes place under the 
mentorship and guidance already established at Yeshiva University. All titles, content, and responsibilities of student organizations remain within the Yeshiva University community.

Implementation Timeline

- Comprehensive Preparatory Workshops: Undergraduate Student Life will offer an enhanced preparatory course every spring to ensure students are fully prepared for the elevated expectations of leading a student organization. All students applying for leadership of an undergraduate student organization in the fall must complete this comprehensive course in the prior spring semester to qualify for application. The workshops will include:
 • Advanced leadership principles
 • Event planning fundamentals
 • Responsible budgeting and financial stewardship
 • Educational programming design
 • Torah values integration
 • Understanding organization expectations and responsibilities

Fall 2025 Semester: Streamlined Application Process

- Pre-Application Period: During the transition period before student organizations are initiated under the new framework, all undergraduate programming will be expertly coordinated by the Office of Student Life in collaboration with the Office of Undergraduate Torah Studies and Torah and Spiritual Life. This fall we will offer an accelerated preparatory course to ensure all students who are interested in applying to lead a student organization are optimally prepared. (In the years following, we will offer the preparatory course in the Spring semester). 
- Application Opening: Following the completion of the preparatory course, applications will open. All undergraduate applications will be thoughtfully evaluated by the Office of Student Life and Torah leadership based on the established criteria detailed below.

Application Evaluation Criteria
- Learning Outcomes:
 • Clearly articulated skill development objectives (leadership, professional, academic, spiritual)
 • Measurable learning goals that extend beyond social interaction
 • Programs that complement classroom learning or address identified educational opportunities
- Community Impact:
 • Serves the genuine needs of the student body or broader community
 • Demonstrates lasting value and meaningful impact beyond individual events
- Mission Alignment:
 • Reflects a deep understanding of Yeshiva University values and educational philosophy with clear implementation strategies
 • Meaningfully integrates Torah values with the student organization's specific focus area
Student Leader Readiness: In addition to completing the preparatory course, all students applying should demonstrate a history of leadership and event planning excellence on our campus. Students must be in good 
academic and behavioral standing.

Expected Outcomes

This strategic framework will create a more intentional and educationally enriched student organization program that:
• Provides exceptional leadership development opportunities
• Ensures meaningful mentorship relationships
• Maintains the highest standards for programming quality
• Seamlessly integrates Torah values with practical leadership skills
• Optimally prepares students for post-graduation leadership roles in their communities and careers

Looking Forward

This visionary framework represents a pivotal moment in Yeshiva University's commitment to 
excellence in student development and leadership training. As part of the transformative Yamim 
project, these enhancements to our undergraduate student organization program embody our 
dedication to creating exceptional educational experiences that seamlessly integrate Torah values 
with cutting-edge leadership development. We are excited to embark on this journey with our 
students, confident that this enhanced framework will not only enrich their university experience 
but also prepare them to become values-driven leaders who will make meaningful contributions 
to their communities and professions for years to come. Together, we are building the future of 
Jewish leadership.

The Beren Campus Student Government (BCSG), serves the entire student body at the Yeshiva University Beren Campus. The BCSG offers a wide variety of events in order to cater to the diverse interests on campus. There are over 150 clubs, ranging from the Psychology Club to the Cookies for Kindness, from the Bowling Society to the Environmental Club, and everything in between. While the clubs coordinate student run programs, the BCSG also strives to unite the Beren Campus and build a community. The BCSG is the voice of the students, creating and developing events and projects for which there is an interest. If what you are looking for does not exist, create it! Take advantage of all of the incredible opportunities here and get involved!

• BCSG Constitution
• BCSG Bylaws 

The Torah Activities Council, also known as TAC, works to enhance Jewish life on campus and strengthen the campus community through Shabbat programming, events, and diverse speakers. Through TAC programs we hope to inspire students to think, explore, and take an active role in the Beren community as well as the Jewish community as a whole.

The Yeshiva Student Union ("YSU") is the presiding body of student government, representing every student at Yeshiva University. The YSU board plans and implements school-wide events and promotes and enables club activities. The YSU board members serve as advocates for the entire undergraduate student body. In a university with a diverse student body, the YSU board aims to serve all groups within Yeshiva University fairly. In addition, the YSU board serves the various other boards on campus, maintaining open lines of communication and encouraging cooperation within the Student Council. The YSU board, along with the Student Council, acts as a liaison to the university administration. The goal of YSU is to infuse the Yeshiva University experience with enthusiasm and excitement, creating a vibrant and fun environment for all students.

• Wilf Campus Student Constitution

Student Organization of Yeshiva, also known as SOY, focuses on fulfilling the religious needs of Yeshiva University's Wilf Campus Students.  SOY is determined to fulfill its mission to create a comfortable Jewish environment, filled with Torah learning and religious life on campus, as well as to serve the greater YU community and support Torah and religiously oriented activities.  As representatives of a diverse student body - whether it's the Mechina program, the IBC program, the SBMP program, the MYP program or RIETS - it is our goal to create a unified atmosphere of Torah and Jewish identity on campus.  SOY's goal is to facilitate each student's opportunity to maximize his own unique religious experience.  At the end of the day, the Yeshiva College/ Sy Syms School of Business Student body can rely on SOY to create the religious, educational and experiential opportunities that they hope to experience while attending Yeshiva University.

The Yeshiva College Student Association (YCSA) represents the students of Yeshiva College. It aims to maximize the potential of each student by enhancing their experience at Yeshiva College and the Yeshiva University Community.  YCSA coordinates and encourages all student activities within the scope of Yeshiva College, providing for the promotion of students' interests.  YCSA oversees more than thirty clubs, ranging from the Economics Club to the Physics Club, from the student publication The Clarion to the Student Holocaust Education Movement.  Furthermore, YCSA works closely with the Yeshiva Student Union, Student Organization of Yeshiva and Syms School of Business Student Council on the Wilf campus, as well as SCWSC on the Beren campus, creating, planning and implementing university-wide events for all students to enjoy.  Additionally, YCSA provides a voice for the students, working closely with the administration in all matters affecting the welfare of the student body.  We encourage all students to take advantage of the incredible opportunities that Yeshiva College presents and to get involved in the various aspects of student life.

The Sy Syms School of Business Student Council is dedicated to promoting and representing the interests of the Sy Syms student body.  By implementing a wide range of academic and social activities, the council seeks to aid in the development of future business leaders as well as to provide students with the opportunity to network and develop professional relationships. 

The Student Council facilitates student involvement through workshops/clubs, speakers, networking opportunities and site visits. The council works with administration, faculty, staff and school committees to ensure that students feel free to express their ideas, interests and suggestions. SYMSSC sponsors a variety of clubs designed to promote student participation and enrichment and to encourage all students involvement.  SYMSSC fosters improved student-faculty relationships in order to achieve our stated aims.  Please feel free to contact us regarding any suggestions, ideas or concerns you may have.

The Student Life Committee (SLC) serves as a communication bridge between the student body and YU’s administrative faculty and staff. By partnering with YU’s administration and departments, the SLC strives to enhance the quality of life on Yeshiva University’s Wilf campus. SLC Liaisons voice students’ concerns and propose innovative ideas to benefit the Wilf Campus in any way, shape, or form. They also anticipate future problems on campus and resolve current issues faced by the student body. The committee currently consists of thirteen students: two co-chairmen and eleven members. Have suggestions? Contact us at wilfslc@yu.edu

Committed to giving each and every student on campus a voice, The Student Life Committee works hard to make your opinion matter and ensure that the Yeshiva University faculty and administration hear your voices.