Only currently enrolled GSAS students, Professional School students, and Postdocs can be members of GSAS registered student groups. GSAS students must make up at least 51% of the membership and leadership positions in the organization must be held by GSAS students.

Members

Officers are responsible for maintaining a complete, up-to-date roster of members on the Yale Connect portal for their student organization.

Membership Criteria:

Any student organization that receives university resources must be equally open to all people in these categories.

Student organization membership ordinarily continues for the duration of a student’s time at Yale. Organizations may choose to have shorter durations (membership per semester or year, for example); this must be made clear to all prospective and current members.

Membership may not be restricted based on personal characteristics, beliefs, or behaviors outside the organization’s core functions. This is true even for organizations which focus on a specific issue or identity. Membership may, however, be restricted to students who support the core goals of the student organization. For example, “Yale Women for Forest Preservation” must be open to people of all gender identities willing to work for the involvement of women in protecting forests.

Student organizations that require specific skills may restrict their membership through a structured audition process open to all GSAS students and Postdocs. The standards used to select members must be related to the needs of the organization, and public announcements about auditions or competitions should be made to ensure that interested students are informed about the opportunities to be considered for membership in the organization. The information must be outlined clearly in the organization’s constitution and must include a timeline of the process. The criteria must be skills based and operate in accordance with Yale’s non-discrimination policy.

Each August, there is a student involvement fair where clubs can advertise to incoming Yale graduate students; all GSAS student clubs are welcome to join to advertise your student organization.

Organization Registration

Returning groups of can re-register their organization here: GSAS Student Organization Re-Registration Form

Students interested in forming a new GSAS group can apply here: GSAS New Student Organization Registration. New groups must not overlap with the missions of currently registered student groups.

All organizations must send a representative to attend the GSAS Student Organization Training session that will be held at the beginning of each academic year. This training session will provide important information related to expectations, operational requirements, and responsibilities of student organizations. Attendance is mandatory.

All graduate student organizations must maintain a written succession plan documenting transfer of roles and responsibilities from one academic year to the next.