Harvard DSO Begins Approving New Student Organizations Following Year-Long Club Freeze

The Dean of Students Office has begun approving new student organizations for the first time since spring 2023.

The DSO paused its recognition of new clubs for the 2023-24 school year in order to conduct an internal audit of independent student organizations in conjunction with Harvard’s risk management office.

The audit resulted in the elimination of more than 100 organizations, leaving 366 clubs with official recognition, and a revamped application process for prospective clubs. The internal audit came after a series of financial mismanagement allegations involving student organizations.

The DSO announced in September that it would resume its club approval process, allowing prospective clubs to begin to apply for official recognition in the fall.

Justin J. Black ’27 — who is co-president of the Harvard Undergraduate Rural League, a club currently awaiting approval — said that the Office of Student Engagement underscored the importance of well-organized clubs that have a greater focus on longevity during the club application process.

“One thing that they definitely stressed during this process was that people would form clubs and then they would sort of die with them as they graduate from Harvard,” Black said. “They really wanted to prevent that from happening and make founders have more of a long-term vision for their clubs.”

The revamped application process included submitting a club constitution, a mission statement, and an explanation of the club’s impact on campus and use of resources.

Black added that he submitted a five-to-ten-year goal plan, and a roster with at least 10 active members

Clubs that were approved in a preliminary review process, which was conducted by the Office of Student Engagement and Harvard Undergraduate Association’s extracurricular team, were required to attend a mandatory training series. The series, which took place over three sessions in October and November, covered policies ranging from acceptable club conduct to funding protocols.

Gowri Rangu ’26 — who is the student director of Harvard Undergraduate Food Security Initiative, a new club — said she felt the DSO allowed club leaders who missed the training sessions to complete makeup work.

Black said he thought applying for recognition for his club was a “relatively smooth process.”

“I think structurally and organizationally, it was a well-thought-out program by the DSO,” he said.

“I think that we’re just happy that the club freeze is lifted and that Harvard is allowing its community to organize and bring students together,” Black added.

Rangu said that she was “happy” the DSO ended its club freeze.

“It was definitely a downer last year — so happy to have it back,” she said. “Hopefully they don’t do it again.”

—Staff writer Sophia Y King can be reached at sophia.king@thecrimson.com. Follow her on X @sophia_kingg.

—Staff writer Anneliese S. Mattox can be reached at anneliese.mattox@thecrimson.com.