Three of nine proposed student organizations were approved by Student Government in this year’s new student organization cycle.
Combating Human Trafficking Initiative, Artificial Intelligence Club and Lafayette Global Review are joining the umbrella of Student Involvement.
“I started thinking, brainstorming about this club way back, so actually seeing it approved and finalized is very, very satisfying,” said Isabella Tang ‘26, the president of Combating Human Trafficking Initiative.
Inspired by her ongoing research on human trafficking, Tang said that she has around 25 current members intending to advocate for the issue on campus and in local government.
“I think this issue is something that does deserve more attention, whether it be nationwide or just Lafayette in general,” Tang said.
Artificial Intelligence Club aims to offer an interdisciplinary space to discuss new technologies, according to club president William Butler ‘28.
“We were looking for people to come in and talk about how it’s affecting their work, and provide a space for more societal implications discussing that,” he said.
With about 25 prospective members, Butler said that he plans to publish a monthly newsletter on technology updates, create an online server for discussion and host volunteer speakers.
He is also interested in collaborating with the existing Data Science Club, as his is “not meant to be a super technical club.”
Lafayette Global Review is a “grassroots, student-led academic journal dedicated to publishing high-quality research on international affairs, global security, and global economic policy,” according to the organization’s website.
Among the denied clubs were Best Society and Stress Less, both existing organizations hosted by other parts of the college.
Best Society, named after a former professor of engineering, aims to provide mentorship and collaboration to engineering studies majors because the program is “very general,” according to the organization’s alumni coordinator, Cristal Castillo Rodriguez ‘26. Though centered on engineering studies, the group is open to all students.
The organization has existed within the engineering division for about a decade, but Castillo Rodriguez said there was a push to move it under Student Government because the division cannot perpetually offer financial support.
“It made more sense to become a fully established club, because without it, we’re not visible, we’re not really gaining support,” she said.
The rejection email from Student Government said that the group’s proposal “did not align with the mission of Student Government,” which Castillo Rodriguez said was “frustrating.”
“What about it makes our club different than all the other engineering clubs?” she said. “What is it about Best Society that doesn’t align with Student Government?”
Following the rejection, Castillo Rodriguez said that the group will have to “be a little more savvy” without funding and anticipated resorting to fundraising for events. She said that the group currently intends to reapply next year.
Stress Less wants to make personal wellness more accessible on campus, according to Paulina Royzman ’27, who manages the organization’s social media. The mindfulness-focused organization has over 100 members and has been funded by the Office of Religious and Spiritual Life since its creation in 2022.
Royzman said that Stress Less functions “pretty much as a club already” but that the group hoped to gain more autonomy with the formal designation.
According to Royzman, Student Government rejected Stress Less with claims that it was already fulfilling its mission under the Office of Religious and Spiritual Life and that its programming was too broad.
Royzman called this outcome “disappointing,” but said the Stress Less board was hoping to “stay positive.”
“We respect this decision and continue to maintain confidence in our own mission,” Royzman said. “I just hope that even if we reapply in the future, our unique mission can be seen.”
J-BEATZ, Bridge Lafayette, Women in STEM Club and Swim Club were also denied student organization status.
“There’s a very multifaceted approach to how we approve clubs,” Student Government President Alex Brown ’26 said. “It’s not very straightforward, but we try to be consistent.”
He declined to share general themes in approving or rejecting clubs this year, deferring to the emails sent to groups to notify them of their status.
The discussion and voting process on new student organizations is held in executive session, part of a meeting during which only Student Government members are allowed to be present. An approved organization must receive a majority vote from the general body of Student Government; Brown shared that some votes were “close.”
All clubs, approved or rejected, received notification of their proposal result a week after the intended communication date.
While Butler said this delay was “nerve-wracking,” he and Tang agreed that it did not affect club operations.
Brown said that the postponement was “unfortunate” and attributed it to the timing of final exams alongside these operations.
“We are also students, too,” he said.
Tang expressed anticipation for the fall semester, when approved clubs will be officially operating.
“I’m just really excited to get started and start spreading the word,” Tang said about her program.
Elisabeth Seidel ’26 contributed reporting.
Disclaimer: Design Director Jen Parsons ’26 is a member of Best Society. She did not contribute writing or reporting.
