The student organization Quinnipiac University Democrats is once again no longer running on campus. The club had a seven-year hiatus beginning in 1996 and was brought back in 2003. Now, it faces an absence again.
The club gave students the opportunity to learn more about political topics or issues and served as an outlet for discussion.
Nearby universities including Sacred Heart, Yale, Fairfield and University of Connecticut all still have active Democrat organizations.
Former Quinnipiac Democrats president and senior political science and history double major Nick Fizzano joined the club during his first year at Quinnipiac in 2022. At the time the executive board was made up of only seniors, which led Fizzano to become the next president halfway through his first year.
“It was a good opportunity for people to talk about things, or even just listen to things that maybe they normally wouldn’t discuss,” he said. “Quinnipiac isn’t a particularly political campus, so I think having that outlet, was really particularly good for our members. But I also know people who weren’t members, who came to one or two events and really had a good time.”
Fizzano noted a couple of reasons for the club no longer running, one being a common reason among any club.
“Every time you get a political (organization), it’s one or two people who have found five to 10 people who are interested and willing to show up and willing to keep it running,” Fizzano said. “But that maxes out at four years.”
Fizzano also noted an additional reasoning, in regard to the Quinnipiac College of Republicans.
“Quinnipiac University Democrats have always done worse when the College Republicans have done worse.”
Fizzano explained that during his time in Quinnipiac Democrats, the College Republicans had low membership or were inactive.
“When you have a non-political campus, where people really aren’t engaged, unless there’s something to be engaged against, there’s really no interest,” Fizzano said. “What’s the point of Democrats without Republicans?”
With the now absence of Quinnipiac Democrats, Fizzano nodded to the Quinnipiac Political Science Association, which stands as one of the few remaining political organizations. Fizzano noted that QPSA “has kind of taken on the lead role as the political organization on campus.”
While still running, the Quinnipiac Democrats hosted a variety of events including guest speaker events, bingo and watch parties.
“We did the things that normal clubs would do, plus a couple of political things,” Fizzano said.
The Quinnipiac Democrats also collaborated with the Quinnipiac College of Republicans to host annual debates, discussing a variety of current issues and topics.
Fizzano hopes to see the club re-emerge once again at Quinnipiac, noting that several students have expressed interest to him in wanting to restart it.
“Really I’d just like to see a more engaged student body at Quinnipiac,” Fizzano said.
