The University of Maryland’s Student Government Association (SGA) is facing renewed scrutiny over accusations of racism following the dismissal of its Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Director, Mofi Solarin.
According to screenshots obtained by Mitzpeh, student government President Dhruvak Mirani dismissed Solarin, a Black student, over violations of multiple sections of the SGA Accountability and Ethics Handbook, including, but not limited to: Article II, Section 1, subsection A: “Members should not single out other members of the organization in a public setting without first making every effort to do so privately;” and Article II, Section 4, subsection B: “SGA members shall strive, to their best ability, to make all members and non-members feel comfortable and welcome in the organization.”
Accusations of these violations and her subsequent removal came shortly after a heated verbal altercation with SGA Director of Research and Technology Mateo Rojas, according to The Diamondback. Solarin told the Black Explosion newspaper that there were multiple instances of tension between her and Rojas that night, including Rojas allegedly provoking Solarin. Eventually, Mirani stepped in between them and escorted Rojas to his office, according to Solarin.
A recent report in the Black Explosion details the incidents that led to Solarin’s dismissal and her accusations of racism against SGA following her removal. Solarin argues that her dismissal reflects a broader pattern of racial bias within SGA leadership, claiming that concerns raised by Black students are often ignored or minimized. Her statements have sparked a wider campus conversation about power dynamics and how SGA handles issues of race and accountability.
According to the Diamondback, Solarin said that on Nov. 4, Rojas repeatedly provoked her in the main SGA office at the Stamp Student Union, which led to a verbal confrontation. She claimed she gave him multiple chances to leave her alone, but the situation escalated, and Solarin got too close to Rojas, waving her hands in his face. Rojas later filed a no-contact order through campus and local police, citing her behavior.
In the following days, Solarin said on social media, “it WILL be on sight tomorrow, tell him!” She told the Black Explosion that she meant, “when I see you, we are going to continue the conversation.”
Solarin reported that in her final email to SGA, she told them, “despite the multiple instances in which Mateo initiated conflict, inserted himself into conversations and weaponized stereotypes about Black women being ‘aggressive,’ I was removed from SGA while he faced no consequences.”
This incident sparked greater controversy. Talks of attempting to impeach Mirani are spreading, according to the Diamondback, after his failure to mediate the conflict between Solarin and Rojas. Mirani claims that he stepped in to diffuse the situation when he saw Solarin wave her hands in Rojas’ face. He later dismissed Solarin, stating in an email that she would be removed from her position for “egregious violations” of SGA policy, as stated in their handbook.
Since then, SGA members have criticized his decisions, stating that he should have brought the incident to the organization’s ethics committee. Mirani told the Diamondback that Solarin’s behavior warranted her dismissal, but he has not ruled out possibly dismissing other members involved for their conduct.
Mitzpeh spoke with Mofi Solarin to discuss her experiences serving on SGA and the broader culture regarding race and inclusion.
Solarin said she felt included in SGA. “The friends I’ve made in SGA have never singled me out because of my race.” However, she claimed that SGA has no bylaw rules that protect members against discrimination. According to SGA’s bylaws, there is a mandatory Diversity and Inclusion training, but no explicit bylaw that prohibits members from discriminating against other members. Although a specific anti-discrimination clause does not exist within SGA’s bylaws, the organization and all of its members are protected under the university’s non-discrimination policy.
Solarin mentioned there was one rule that members could not “single out” other members, but she said this rule was often used against her. “I would be reported to the ethics committee for ‘singling’ these members out, and they would use the words ‘aggressive’ and ‘unprofessional’ in their statements against me,” she said. “If you are familiar with the history of racism in America, this term has been used for decades to justify the maltreatment, villanization and dehumanization of Black people, so it struck a cord with me, especially because I know I didn’t do anything to warrant such a label.”
Solarin said the ethics committee often ruled in her favor, but individuals making complaints were not sanctioned because claims of racism could not be proven by the ethics committee.
“It’s the same issue we have now with this impeachment trial. How can you spot a different type of racism you’ve never been exposed to?” she asked.
The impeachment trial of SGA President Dhruvak Mirani began as a result of Solarin being fired from her position. Members claimed that he breached his power as president, although the SGA bylaws allow the president to dismiss members as they see fit.
When asked about SGA leadership’s efforts to create diversity and tackle racial issues, Solarin stated, “if by leadership, you mean Dhruvak Mirani, then I’ve never seen or heard him speak about diversity and/or racial issues—either publicly or privately,” she said. “It never seemed like a real priority for the SGA, no matter how hard the DEI committee tried to make it one.”
Solarian said she also noticed a difference in how members of color were treated in meetings compared to white members, noting that her feedback was not taken seriously, while other members were allowed to freely give feedback to other directors on SGA. She also mentioned that her body language was policed. “I noticed it when every time I didn’t smile like a crazy person when asserting myself in a meeting, it was taken as an attack.”
“It’s sad to see such well-rounded adults still hold these archaic beliefs and prejudices about black people that won’t let them see past color and into my soul, that I’m just like everyone else,” Solarin said.
For Solarin, the DEI committee was very important. She served as the Co-Director. “We tried so hard to do all that we can within the limits of SGA’s powers to enact real change, but it’s hard when the SGA does not have the power to change systematic imbalances.”
Solarin claims that “SGA is too busy playing fake politics for the admin of the university to actually hold them accountable.” She also mentioned that with the proximity to the white house, and UMD being under federal radar, it was hard for SGA to push for change without risking federal funding being pulled.
Mitzpeh asked Solarin if SGA has a history of racial discrimination, which she believes exists.
“The history of racial discrimination within the SGA goes way back to something so unspoken and covert that I can’t even explain myself.”
Solarin met with Black student groups on campus who expressed to her that they felt forgotten by the SGA, they no longer requested funding because SGA repeatedly ignored them. Solarin was also one out of four Black members on SGA when she was elected. She realized over time that there were so few Black members because she believes SGA frequently neglects Black students. “The sidelining of Black voices within the SGA is heartbreaking. It doesn’t make sense for any Black person to want to be there.”
“There’s definitely been a pattern, especially with conveniently placed microaggressions. The aggressors love to claim innocence and ignorance, but it just speaks to a broader culture of systemic racism to the point where your racism flows on autopilot, and you don’t even realize it.”
Solarin said she’s speaking out because injustice can affect anyone. Even as an elected member of SGA, she faced discrimination that resulted in her losing her position. “These issues matter because tomorrow, it could be any one of you.”
Solarin emphasized that her decision to speak out comes from her lived experiences with racism as a Black woman, and she urged others to take these claims seriously. “If I don’t fight today, then the same injustice that happened to me can happen to someone else tomorrow,” she said. “Racists in the 21st century thrive on anonymity, so screaming their names from the rooftops puts them in check.”
Solarin believes that the racial bias she experienced within the SGA is part of a long-standing problem. Some students have expressed concerns that SGA has failed to represent all students and often act in ways that marginalize minority communities.
In 2019, Taylor Green, a Black presidential candidate, withdrew from SGA elections and accused SGA leadership of systemic racism and creating a hostile climate for marginalized voices.
In October of this year, SGA passed a Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) bill, a nonbinding resolution that urges the university to divest from companies implicated in genocides globally. Members of UMD’s Jewish community found this bill extremely problematic. UMD Hillel, Chabad, Jewish Student Union and Terps for Israel claimed in a joint statement that SGA has an implicit bias against Israel. The vote on the bill was also set for Yom Kippur, when observant Jewish students could not cast a vote. Due to this, SGA declared they would allow proxy votes via email for students who were unable to attend the meeting. UMD Hillel and other organizations condemned the timing of the vote.
In 2019, a bill of the same nature was voted on over Passover.
SGA is also now largely populated with members who ran on the Justice UMD slate, associated with Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP). Some Jewish students say that SJP has spoken over Jewish voices and instigated the Jewish community at UMD. Most notably, when they held an event on the anniversary of Oct. 7, SJP ignored Jewish concerns that they were disrespecting the deeply mournful day and creating a celebration out of it.
The broader campus climate has reflected this with increased hate-bias incidents, including racial slurs and antisemitic graffiti in residence halls. These instances show that SGA has neglected to address the underlying biases that affect the student body. SGA has shown implicit bias, even in instances where they intend to promote social justice, like the BDS bill.
The controversy surrounding Mofi Solarin’s dismissal highlights a deeper, systemic issue within UMD’s Student Government Association. While the isolated altercations between her and Rojas have drawn attention, students like Solarin believe that they represent a culture where Black students and other marginalized groups are dismissed.
