Campus Profile: Vassar College

Campus Reform Campus Profiles evaluate individual American college campuses based on liberal bias, speech codes, and other relevant policies and factors.

Vassar College is a private college in Poughkeepsie, New York. Around 2,516 undergraduate students are enrolled at the university.

Official Political Student Organizations: 

Conservative Organizations: 

    Vassar College Republicans

Liberal Organizations:

    Crafts Not Bombs

    Democracy Matters

    Gender Inclusivity in STEM

    Idlewild

    Indecent Exposure

    Squirm

    Students for Equitable Environmental Decisions

    Students for Justice in Palestine

    Transcending Binaries and Dichotomies 

    Vassar Alliance of Women in Foreign Affairs

    Vassar Democrats

    Vassar Greens

    Vassar Voices for Planned Parenthood

    VC royalty 

    Vassar Leftist Union

    Gradient

    Maroon Society

University Leadership:

    Elizabeth Howe Bradley, President

Board of Trustees

    Francesca Amann

    Eric H. Beringause

    Jason Blum

    Ernie Ceberio

    Sharon Davidson Chang

    Leslie Jackson Chihuly

    Winston Clement

    Patrick DeYoung

    Brian Farkas

    Robyn Field

    Amy Gurley

    Seiji Hayashi

    Eric Liu

    John McCormick

    Natalie Nixon

    Mark Ordan

    Carol S. Ostrow

    Cynthia Patton

    Tamar Smith Pichette

    Kathy Zillweger Putnam

    Alexandra Shiva

    Padmini Sekhsaria

    Robert Tanenbaum

OpenSecrets Data on Vassar College Employee Political Donations:

In the 2020 election cycle, 99.83% of Vassar College employee donations went to Democratic candidates in federal elections, while 0.17% of donations went to Republican candidates, according to data from Open Secrets.

Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression Rating:

Vassar College has been given a yellow light speech code. According to FIRE, this is due to “at least one university ambiguous policy that too easily encourages administrative abuse and arbitrary application.” FIRE also notes that a yellow light policy at a public institution is unconstitutional. 

COVID-19:

Vassar College is requiring a COVID-19 vaccine mandate for students or employees. 

Campus Reform stories about Vassar College:

Obama’s DHS secretary cancels graduation speech after students criticize administration’s ‘inhumane detention facilities’ along Mexico border

After student uproar over his immigration legacy, a high-ranking official from the Obama administration will no longer deliver the commencement speech at Vassar College.

Vassar teaches freshmen to ‘appreciate social justice’

Incoming freshmen at Vassar College will be required to complete a series of diversity-themed workshops as part of their new-student orientation.