The Cognitive and Neural Systems Student Organization (CNSO) was founded on February 23, 2007 by a group of 26 students in the department of Cognitive and Neural Systems. After a week long constitutional convention, during which all were invited to take part in the genesis of the document (LaTeX, of course), the founders of the organization assembled to sign the constitution and discuss their bright futures over refreshments of a jovial nature. As is to be expected with the signing of any document of importance, ceremonial accoutrements were worn by all.

Since its inception the CNSO has held regular meetings at which students discuss the various responsibilities of the organization, their concerns with respect to the department and Boston University, and their social lives. Meetings provide a forum for students to talk about their research and experiences, and help to foster a healthy attitude among those who spend (all of their) time in the CNS building. The CNSO has taken on a number of responsibilities, such as kitchen cleaning and other aspects of building maintenance, which were otherwise carried out in a disorganized and individual manner. Additionally, the CNSO has acted as a liason between students, faculty, and administrators, effecting significant changes within the department on behalf of the student body, such as the placement and emptying of recycling bins. At present, the CNSO is developing this website as a repository for information, both useful and trivial, but nonetheless important to the student body at CNS. When students have new ideas for bettering their experiences in the future, the CNSO will be here to help them realize those ideas in a way which is consistent with the expectations of all who are affected.

The constitution can be viewed here or can be downloaded in pdf form.

According to the constitution, the CNSO was "formed to foster a sense of community amongst students and provide a forum in which they can address any issues that arise in their careers at the department of Cognitive and Naural Systems." The document goes on to state that the CNSO should collect views of the student body and express those to the faculty. In this way, individual students are provided with a support system, and can thereby express fears and concerns while, if necessary, maintaining a degree of anonimity.

As new students are admitted into CNS, the student organization will also welcome and integrate the new students into the community. Currently, the CNSO is assembling materials that will help new students adjust to life at CNS. Little tricks that older students have learned along the way needn't be independently discovered by new generations; one of the goals of the CNSO is to impart the wealth of knowledge that exists within the student body onto incoming graduate students.

The CNSO has several executive positions that are described in the constitution. Those positions and the current holders are(as of April 2009):

Several other positions have become necessary since the drafting of the constitution so many months ago. The following are some of the subcommittees and their admins(as of April 2009):