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Membership
How to Join Renaissance
Half-year 2025 Membership signups are now open!
You are now able to join or renew for The Renaissance Society for the 2025 Spring semester only.
The cost is $60. When the spring semester opens, you be able to sign up for as many of the programs as you like. Your membership will be good through June 30, 2025.
You can choose to sign up online with a credit card (see link below) or you can use the paper form that you mail or take to the office (see below where it says Apply on Paper).
What does Renaissance 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 alternatively 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 as hybrid--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
You can register online. The online registration process is simple and safe. Follow the prompts on the page.
Past member--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. You will be up to date with your Renaissance Society membership from now to June 30, 2025!
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. Call the office and they will mail you a copy or you can use the form below.
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. Your 2023-24 one is good until June 30. 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 new one-year 2024-25 pass now costs $41 plus a $1.09 convenience fee 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 are available for $10 for the full academic year. They can be purchased when you join or renew your membership online or on paper. If you already joined or renewed, and wish to purchase a library card separately, you’ll need to mail or bring a $10 check to the Renaissance Society Office. Checks should be made out to “Renaissance Society” and have “Library Card” in the memo line. 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 ApplyPlease 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.
A Membership Gift
Looking for the perfect holiday or personal gift? Why not give a Renaissance Society membership? The full year 2024-2025 membership will be good through June 30, 2025, and will give your recipient a chance to enjoy all the programs, the Forums, social events and everything else Renaissance has to offer. It is the perfect way to share your love of learning and the Renaissance Society with others 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 recipient'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.