Students bring to the campus a variety of interests previously acquired and develop many new interests as members of the college community. They are free to organize and join associations to promote any legal purpose, whether it be religious, political, educational, recreational, or social.

Student organizations must be granted a charter by the ASYVCC senate before they may be officially recognized. Prior to becoming chartered, a student organization must submit to the ASYVCC senate a statement of purpose, criteria for membership, a statement of operating rules or procedures, and the name of a college employee who has agreed to serve as advisor. All student organizations must also submit to the student government a list of officers and keep that list updated when changes occur. In order to qualify for issuance of a charter, a student organization must be open to all students. YVCC policy prohibits conduct that discriminates against individuals based on their race, color, creed, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation and/or gender identity, age, marital status, disability (including the use of a specially trained guide dog or other service animal), genetic information, honorably discharged veteran or military status, status as a disabled veteran, Vietnam era veteran, or the right of a mother to breastfeed her child. Affiliation with a noncollege organization shall not be grounds for denial of a charter provided that other conditions of the charter issuance have been met.