Imagine logging into Garnet Gate this fall, only to find your favorite student organization gone. It doesn’t show up in search, you’re no longer a part of it and the leaders of the organization can’t access any university resources. As of November, only 3% of groups are fully compliant with the new standards; at this pace, most organizations could face those consequences next spring unless completion improves.
As of fall 2025, USC ties student-organization recognition to new mandatory trainings. Every organization must attend three workshops during the academic year and send at least one representative to an annual conference. Groups that want to reserve campus space or request funding from Student Government or the Student Organization Funding Assistance Board must complete those specialized trainings as well.
The question is: what kind of training this really is? Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion programs are meant to foster belonging and representation across campuses. At USC, DEI has shaped student engagement for many years, from launching commissions to review racist building names to creating Inclusive Excellence programs. The department now enforcing these workshops also runs Social Justice, Diversity and Inclusion workshops and trainings…