May 6, 1968 | Black Student Union submits letter of 5 Demands to President Odegaard

May 20, 1968 | BSU and allies occupy Odegaard’s Office

1970 | Dr. Samuel E. Kelly appointed as Vice President of OMA&D

1972 | Establishment of ECC

• For over 50 years, the Kelly ECC has been the center of the university’s effort to encourage bot multicultural exchanges and learning beyond the classroom
• The ECC is funded by the Services and Activities Fee (SAF) and is open to all UW students
• For RSOs to affiliate with the ECC, RSO’s mission and vision must be consistent with the Kelly ECC
• The Kelly ECC supports and advises over 100 diverse student organizations every year

Our core areas of emphasis are:

• Leadership Development
• Education on Social Justice
• Advising for Student Organizations
• Diversity Programming & Training
• Sacred Space

It is our belief that a significant amount of student’s learning takes place outside of the classroom through engagement and involvement in:

• Student Organizations
• Community engagement/participation
• Mentorship
• On-campus leadership opportunities (examples: Office of Minority Affairs & Diversity (OMA&D), Student Advisory Board, ASUW, RSO Office positions, etc)
• Kelly ECC student staff positions

Example of ECC Leadership Programs include:

• Diversity Leadership Conference
• Education & Training workshops
• Mentor Power for Success
• ECC RSO Community Bond Night
• RSO Awards/GALA

Cass Nguyen’s role as the Advisor for Leadership includes:

• Overseeing the RSO Training/Orientation & Affiliation Process
• Assist with a variety of issues RSOs may be facing
• Leadership and Organizational development (providing guidance, workshops, trainings)
• Co-sponsorship requests, funding, and fundraising
• Compliance with UW policies and guidelines
• Coordinating and planning events & programs (consulting)

Cass hosts weekly drop-by advising hours for student organizations. Fall 2026 drop-by advising hours will be published in September 2026

By being an affiliated RSO with the Kelly ECC, your RSO will have the following access:

• Meeting, Event, & Theatre Space at a discounted price
• Student Diversity Event Fund (if a program/event needs additional funding)
• Student Organizational Advising
• Leadership & Organizational Development

In order to support RSOs, the ECC wants to provide best practices for RSOs.

• SAO also offers training sessions for RSOs to utilize. Visit Leadership Training for more information

• ECC funding and co-sponsorship for student programs: Co-Sponsorships For Student Programs
• RSO funding options through the Student Activities Office: RSO Funding
• Campus Sustainability Fund: Apply for Funding

• Start transition conversations before the end of the quarter/year—don’t wait until the last meeting 
• Create a transition timeline/calendar with important dates, deadlines, elections, and upcoming events
• Meet with the incoming leadership team as a group and individually when possible
• Reflect, discuss, and write down what worked, what didn’t, and what you would do differently
• Introduce incoming officers to important on-campus resources, advisors, and community partners
• Walk through your organization’s accounts, platforms, shared drives, social media, and other resources
• Make sure incoming officers know where information lives—not just that it exists
• Leave behind notes about recurring events, annual traditions, funding opportunities, and common challenges
• Don’t just transfer responsibilities—transfer context. Explain why things are done a certain way
• Give incoming leaders opportunities to shadow outgoing officers before the transition
• Celebrate the outgoing leadership team and recognize the work they contributed

• Update any officer position descriptions before handing them off
• Organize files before transferring access
• Make a list of important contacts and explain who they are
• Write down recurring responsibilities and approximate timelines
• Document passwords/access through your organization’s approved system—never share personal passwords
• Share templates for emails, event plans, budgets, social media posts, meeting agendas, etc.
• Explain common problems and how you handled them
• Be honest about challenges—but avoid discouraging the next person from taking on the role
• Finish outstanding tasks or clearly communicate what still needs to be completed
• Remove yourself from organization accounts when appropriate and ensure the incoming officer has appropriate access
• Leave the organization better documented than you found it
• Trust in the creative vision of the incoming team! Evolution in organizational direction is expected, give grace for changes

• Meet with your outgoing officer and ask lots of questions
• Review your RSO’s constitution/bylaws, policies, and important documents
• Learn what your organization is responsible for each quarter
• Identify your organization’s key on-campus resources and partners
• Learn who your advisor(s) are and ask questions early—especially when you’re unsure
• Meet individually with your leadership team to understand their goals and strengths
• Establish expectations for communication, meetings, and accountability
• Create a calendar with important deadlines and events
• Don’t feel pressured to keep doing something just because “that’s how we’ve always done it”
• Preserve traditions that matter while making room for new ideas
• Get to know your members too—not just your executive board
• Give yourself permission to learn as you go
  

• Check in with members beyond asking them to attend events
• Create space for members to share feedback, concerns, and ideas
• Celebrate small wins—not just major accomplishments
• Be intentional about welcoming new members
• Make sure responsibilities are distributed fairly
• Watch for burnout among officers and highly involved members
• Normalize asking for help
• Create opportunities for members to connect outside of formal meetings
• Be mindful of accessibility, cost, transportation, food, scheduling, and other barriers to participation- recognize that members may have different cultural, personal, academic, and financial needs
• Respect members’ different levels of involvement
• Address conflict early rather than allowing tension to build
• Make sure your organization is a space where people can contribute without feeling like they have to “earn” belonging
• Don’t be afraid to build community across other RSOs

• Keep organization documents in one shared, organized location
• Create folders by year, quarter, event, or leadership position and title them in a way that will be easily searchable
• Save important templates instead of recreating them every year
• Record event timelines, vendors, contacts, budgets, and lessons learned
• Save copies of successful marketing materials
• Keep track of funding sources and application deadlines
• Document recurring annual processes
• Create a master calendar for important organizational deadlines
• Review and clean up files at least once per year
• Archive outdated documents instead of deleting everything
• Make sure incoming officers know where documentation is stored
• Avoid storing sensitive information in shared documents when it isn’t needed

• Building community through your relationships is everything!
• Utilize your resources! 
  • SAO Advisor 
  • Fund/Grant Opportunities (SDEF, ECC, etc.)
  • Fellow RSO communities
  • External CBO’s (Community Based Organizations)
• You are the breath of life for the longevity of the RSO! 
• Communication is key!
• It’s important as a leader to show vulnerability and openness to students since that’ll make you more approachable and create a safe space where everyone feels welcomed
• Make sure you provide guidance for student leaders that come after you! Many students may not have that much experience and may not know how to successfully lead, so providing advice can greatly help the outcome of their leadership
• Feel confident in your abilities!

• Ask early, ask often. Staff are generally better able to help when you reach out before a deadline or crisis
• If you’re unsure whether something is allowed, ask before making plans
• Keep track of important deadlines—don’t rely on someone else to remind you
• Read emails from campus partners and advisors thoroughly before following up with questions
• Save important emails and communications for future reference
• When asking for help, explain what you’re trying to accomplish, not just what you need
• Bring specific questions to meetings with advisors
• Don’t be afraid to say, “I don’t understand this yet.”
• Build relationships with on-campus resources before you need something from them
• Give yourself extra time for processes involving approvals, funding, reservations, or multiple campus partners
• If a policy changes, update your organization’s documentation and inform your team immediately
• Keep your leadership team informed—not just the president
• When something doesn’t go as planned, focus on problem-solving rather than blame
• Remember that staff advisors are here to support your organization, but student leaders are still responsible for leading their organization
• Use your advisor as a thought partner—not just someone who approves things
• We are here for you!!!!!!!!!!!!