"Get in the game with organizations" is the theme for this semester's O-Days, short for "Organization Days," an Auburn tradition which is familiar to returning students.
O-Days is a chance to see what opportunities are available to get involved on campus.
"We decorate the concourse and encourage all the organizations to decorate their table according to the theme," said Neena Singhal, assistant director of organizational programs for the SGA. "We also award a prize for the membership of the organization who decorates their table the best."
O-Days, held once a semester, gives groups a chance to set up camp on the concourse and distribute information in an attempt to raise awareness and recruit new members.
All interested campus organizations are welcome to participate, provided they reserved a table through the SGA.
"There are a number of steps to being recognized as a University-sponsored organization," Singhal said. "You must submit a membership list, bylaws, dues, have an adviser, set up a bank account and various other things."
This year, approximately 150 organizations participated, with Monday and Tuesday reserved for the first 75 groups, and Wednesday and Thursday held for the other half.
Students walking by can stop at any of the tables to take a flier or speak to a representative of the organization.
"SGA tries to bring in food from venues on campus and donations from local businesses like Panera Bread, and we encourage organizations to pass out food and freebies or do some other type of entertainment to get themselves noticed," Singhal said.
Caitlin Guffin, sophomore in public relations, said, "There's a lot of stuff on Auburn's website, but this gives you the opportunity to go and talk to people in the organization and find out more about what they do."
Guffin said she had already signed up with one organization through O-Days and was hoping to talk to a few more.
According to Singhal, a wide variety of organizations participate in O-Days.
Haley Porter, director of volunteers for the SGA, said, "It's really good for freshmen because there are over 300 organizations on campus."
In addition to students looking for groups to join, O-Days is helpful to organizations looking to promote membership.
"It's just good publicity, I guess, and there's good traffic," said Cailin Thomas, project coordinator for IMPACT. "When people come up to ask about it (the organization), we can actually explain it."
Sabrina Lynn, member of the Bolivia project team for Engineers Without Borders, said O-Days was especially helpful for lesser-known organizations.
"I think with it being a new organization, it definitely helps get our name out there because we don't have a lot of history here," Lynn said.
In addition to the usual fall and spring semester O-Days, Auburn will be hosting its first "Organizations showcase" in October.
"It is going to support the Beat Bama food drive and we will have a contest for which organization can collect the most cans during the day," Singhal said. "We are trying this out to give the organizations another chance to show off what they do on campus, promote their upcoming projects and recruit members again since school has gotten under way."
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