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The Renaissance Society

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Membership

How to Join Renaissance

Fall 2023-Spring 2024 Membership signups now open!

Annual memberships, which are good from now until June 30, 2024, are now open! The Renaissance Board is pleased to announce that Membership Dues will remain at $100 for the full year. Paid membership will allow you to attend as many of our programs as you like. We offer:

  • Seminars: These are classes held weekly that are taught by our members. They may be given on campus or on Zoom and viewed remotely. Seminar lengths vary.
  • Shared Interest Groups (SIGs): These informal groups are facilitated by fellow members and are centered around a common interest topic. Dates and times are in the current catalog.
  • One-Time Presentations: These may be given by members or guest speakers.
  • Forums: These are one-hour talks presented on Friday afternoons. Designed as on-campus sessions, most can be viewed remotely. They feature highly acclaimed speakers, and recognized subject matter experts.
  • Recorded presentations: Many of our program sessions are recorded and are available for watching at your convenience--great for when you miss a session.

Monday through Thursday programs are presented virtually via Zoom. Friday sessions are primarily on-campus in-person programs. Some of the Friday programs may be offered both on Zoom and in-person. Many of the Zoom presentations, including the Forums, are recorded, and can be viewed at your convenience.

Join Online

The online registration process is simple and safe. Follow the prompts on the page. Renewing members must use the “Sign Me In” button on the left of the page. New Members use the “Sign Me Up” button on the right side to create a new member number and password.

Important: Returning members (Anyone who has ever been a member before), you need to know your Renaissance Society membership number to register. You can look it up by clicking on the “Help Me Login” link on the registration page. Please do not register as “New.”

The system will ask for credit card information to make your payment but it does not retain credit card information once the transaction is complete. Your safety is assured. Submit only once. If you have a problem or question with the registration process, please call the Renaissance Office at (916) 758-5133 for assistance.

It’s quick and easy to renew online. Do it now and you will be up to date with your Renaissance Society membership from now to June 30, 2024!

Online Membership Signups

Apply On Paper

Online Registration is preferred and saves the Renaissance Society administrative costs. It also promotes security and data accuracy. If you don’t wish to register online, our paper registration form Is available below. Just download the form and follow the instructions. Mail it to the Renaissance Society Office (address on the form) with your check made payable to The Renaissance Society. You can also find the paper form in the June issue of The Recorder. Call the office and they will mail you a copy.

Download Print-Friendly Form

Honorary Members

Renaissance Society members who turn 90 before July 1 are eligible for Honorary Membership and no longer have to pay membership dues. However, these members must still register, just not online. You must contact the office at (916) 758-5133 in order to receive your free membership for the new year.

Members who are already Honorary Members must also register with the office, phone or email renaissa@csus.edu.

Parking

On-campus parking requires a permit. When you purchase your virtual permit Sac State parking enforcement uses your license plate number to verify your permit when you park on campus. A one-year pass costs $40 and is good for Fridays and Saturdays only. You can find all the details at the University Transportation and Parking Service (UTAPS) here. Online purchase is your only option.

Please use the Guest Login link to register for your parking account. This process should take less than five minutes and will make annual renewals much faster and more convenient. Remember, you can register up to two vehicles but only one can park on campus at any one time or you risk a citation.

Library Cards

Sac State Library cards for Renaissance members cost only $10 for the year or for one semester. They are available as part of the online membership signup. You can also get the cards at the Renaissance office. Details are here.

Renaissance Society Member Scholarship Program 

The Renaissance Society (RS) has a scholarship program to help those who need financial assistance with their membership dues. We encourage anyone who has financial hardship to apply for this scholarship.

The scholarship program waives the membership dues as well as UTAPS parking permit costs, A limited number of scholarships for the current academic year are available. Qualified members must apply each year that they have an identified need. Upon approval, your account will be credited. The Board is committed to removing barriers that keep new and existing members from joining due to their financial hardship.

How to Apply

Please complete a Membership Scholarship Application, which includes an explanation for why you require assistance. You can find a PDF of the application here: Member Scholarship Application. You can also request one from the office at renaissa@csus.edu or (916) 758-5133.

Submit Applications

  • Electronically: at renaissa@csus.edu
  • By mail: at The Renaissance Society, CSUS 6000 J St., Mail Stop 6074, Sacramento, CA 95819-6074

Applicants will be reviewed for completeness and meeting the need criteria.

Questions?

Please contact MDCE Co-Chair Debbie Martinez, Debralyn78@pacbell.netor call (916) 802-6530.

A Membership Gift

Looking for the perfect birthday, anniversary, or retirement gift? Why not give an annual Renaissance Society membership? At $100 a year, about $2 a week, it would mean that you can share a year of your Renaissance Society experiences with someone else in your life. Now, with the option of taking seminars over Zoom, your friends can attend classes with you no matter where they live.

To buy a Gift Membership simply go to Gift Membership. Then click on “Sign Me Up” for new members; fill out your family member, relative, or friend’s personal information; click submit; and then enter your credit card information. You can also get a specially designed gift certificate to send to your recipient! Contact the RS office at renaissa@csu.edu for the certificate.