Many Tech students are involved in student organizations; they are a great resource for students who want to dive deeper into certain subjects or for students who are looking for some time to unwind and pursue their hobbies. Tech has more than 250 Registered Student Organizations (RSOs), spanning from sports clubs to railroad engineering clubs. A vast majority of RSOs are considered separate entities from Tech. This means they are given their own unique Employer Identification Numbers and are responsible for making their own decisions and dealing with finances, including taxes. On Nov. 13, Student Leadership and Involvement (SLI) hosted a meeting to inform RSOs about tax-exemption status and how to register.
Most of the student organizations registered with Michigan Tech are eligible for tax-exempt status because they are nonprofit organizations and don’t have to pay taxes to the IRS. SLI and the Undergraduate Student Government (USG) are helping RSOs apply for tax-exempt status and fill out annual returns to the IRS.
RSOs will use the resources provided through the Omega Phi tax proposal to apply and update their tax-exemption status. Omega Phi is a $118,000 USG effort that will provide important tax-paying resources for student organizations. SLI has a four-year contract with Omega Phi. During this time, SLI hopes to get as many RSOs as possible properly registered with the IRS.
Unfortunately, only a few RSOs a year will be able to get assistance with their registration. Since there are so many student organizations at Tech, they have been divided in order of priority based on their annual revenue and expenses. Some of the first organizations on the list include the Copper Country Cycling Club, Delta Upsilon, Lambda Chi Alpha, and the Indian Student Association.
