Student Government Association (SGA) and the Commission of Community Standards recently voted to de-charter the Rowan College Democrats after the latest SGA senate meeting on March 24. De-chartering means the club will no longer be able to use the SGA-affiliated name, SGA funding, or representation within SGA.

The commission came to the unanimous decision after the club reached nine total “points” for various violations of SGA bylaws, specifically in meeting SGA’s standards. The violations counted since the spring semester of 2024 and included missing senate and committee meetings along with president’s, senator’s, and treasurer’s workshops. 

There was a forgiveness of points at the end of the spring and fall 2024 semesters, which removed six points and brought the total accumulated points to nine. That is one more than the eight necessary for the commission to put the club under review.

“In the case of the College Democrats, I reached out to schedule a formal hearing on March 10, 2025,” Theodore Young, chief commissioner of community standards at SGA, said in a statement to the Whit.

The College Democrats attempted to reschedule the night before the hearing due to “unavailability of past leadership,” but the committee denied the club.

“After consulting with my advisor, we determined that rescheduling was not necessary,” said Young. “As the meeting was scheduled in accordance with the Commission’s process and current organizational leadership, and it was important to proceed as planned.”

Club leadership missed the hearing and therefore waived their right to it.

Clubs can still be recognized by Rowan, according to Drew Tinnin, Associate Vice President for Student Life. They need documentation of “alternative sponsorship,” which is a sponsorship from a campus department. They must also maintain an advisor from Rowan faculty or staff.

The College democrats have yet to provide this documentation, so their ProfLink page is frozen until a sponsoring department chair can provide that information.

It is unclear as of now why the Rowan College Democrats were unable to keep up with SGA’s demands.

In a statement to the Whit, the Rowan Youth Democratic Socialists of America (YDSA), said, “As an organization however, we believe the general apathy among students towards the news of their de-charterment—particularly under this current presidential administration— is indicative of a wider, and more concerning social trend where many Americans have become disillusioned with our current political system.”

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