Academic Programs Catalog

 The Council of Graduate Students represents all registered Michigan State University graduate and graduate-professional students. COGS is composed of one representative from each degree-granting unit and seven officers. COGS exists to promote the academic, social, and economic aims of graduate and graduate-professional students; to establish effective communication among these students; and to create channels of communication with other student organizations and with the academic and administrative units of the University. COGS maintains an office at 120 Chittenden Hall where it provides a copy service and a thesis and dissertation printing service. A loan program sponsored by COGS is administered by the Office of Financial Aid. ASMSU/COGS Legal Services provides graduate students a prepaid legal services plan.

Since 1872, Michigan State University students have had the choice of participating in a nationally affiliated Greek letter organization.  Today, the Greek community is comprised of more than 60 internationally affiliated social Greek letter organizations with a combined membership of over 4,000 students.  Greek letter organizations merge almost every segment of the campus community into their chapters-leadership development, community service, athletics, social life, housing, management and business functions, alumni relations, accountability, and responsibility. Through quality educational experiences, fraternities and sororities support the Guiding Principles of the institution, as well as provide an avenue whereby all students experience active learning through self-governance.

The 62 fraternities and sororities are governed by governing councils responsible for representing constituents to the greater campus and East Lansing communities, providing programs and services to chapters and their members, and creating and enforcing standards and policies throughout the Greek community.  Through mutual interdependence, the governing councils assist all 62 member organizations in providing a quality Greek experience for their members. The governing councils include:

• Interfraternity Council (IFC), governing 31 internationally affiliated men's Greek letter organizations.
• Panhellenic Council (Panhell), governing 14 National Panhellenic Council Greek letter organizations
• National Pan-Hellenic Council (NPHC), governing 9 historically African-American men's and women's Greek letter organizations.
• Multicultural Greek Council, governing 8 multicultural men’s and women’s Greek letter organizations.

Other community-wide organizations that are collaboratively coordinated by the governing councils include Greek Week and the Order of Omega National Greek Leadership Honorary.

For more information on the Greek community, contact the Department of Student Life, 101 Student Services Building, 1-517-355-8286 or www.greeklife.msu.edu.

The Student Housing Cooperative (SHC) is the governing group for cooperative living units. Cooperatives are student owned and managed organizations that contribute to the living experiences, social benefits, and economic savings of the members. The SHC meets regularly to discuss problems and coordinate activities of cooperative living and is represented on the ASMSU General Assembly. The primary goal of the SHC is to provide affordable housing for the East Lansing area. Additional purposes and goals are: democratic control, open and voluntary membership, continuous education, improvement of services, and cooperation and communication among cooperatives.

Information about cooperatives is available at the MSU Student Housing Cooperative office, 541 E. Grand River, East Lansing, MI 48823, telephone 1-517-355-8313.

The University Apartments Council of Residents (UACOR) is recognized by the university as a governing group with authority to govern the affairs of the residents of MSU Spartan Village Apartments, University Village, and 1855 Place.

UACOR provides activities and services to residents. They also represent students' views to University Residence Education and Housing Services, and other institutional partners.

The Executive Board, along with Village Representatives, are elected by the general membership. Voting privileges are extended to the aforementioned. Residents are encouraged to participate in monthly Town Meetings and bring their ideas, interests, and concerns to the attention of UACOR. A tax is assessed every semester. For further information contact UACOR at the University Apartments Residence Education office at 1-517-353-9499. The UACOR office is located in Room 138B, Spartan Village Community Center.

Residence Halls Association (RHA) represents the highest level of undergraduate residence hall government and is the governing body for all undergraduate residence halls. Membership is composed of an elected representative from each hall on campus and from:  Black Student Alliance, Cultural de las Razas Unidas, North American Indian Student Organization, Asian Pacific American Student Organization, Alliance of Queer and Ally Students, Women’s Council, Arab Cultural Society, and Council of Students with Disabilities and area based caucus groups. RHA is recognized as a legitimate part of the university decision-making process and its purposes include:  developing communication between individual halls and the university community; sponsoring and coordinating all-university activities for students living in residence halls; formulating policy and regulations pertaining to residence halls students; and representing areas of interest and concern to such students. In addition, RHA also sponsors workshops, the Campus Center Cinemas, Movie Rental offices, Spartan Leadership Conference, RHA-TV (channels 11 and 12), RHA Karaoke, concerts, and special events. All residents of Michigan State University undergraduate residence halls are members of RHA and may exercise their voting rights and opinions through the representatives of their respective halls. A tax is collected during registration for fall and spring semesters from each undergraduate and graduate student living in a residence hall to support the activities listed above. The fall and spring only tax also supports the functions of each hall government. Contact RHA at: rha@msu.edu.

Owen Graduate Association OGA) represents the interests of Owen Graduate Hall residents and functions as the major governing body for that hall. OGA provides a program of information and services for Owen Graduate Hall residents and participates in the formulation of policies and regulations pertaining to residents of that hall. All residents of Owen Graduate Hall are members of OGA and pay a tax to support the activities of the OGA.