The Associated Students of Stanford University was created in 1891 and is the only organization at Stanford of which every student is a member. The ASSU provides funding to over six hundred Volunteer Student Organizations (VSOs). These organizations in turn provide the majority of cultural, political, recreational and religious programming for the entire campus. The financial independence that the ASSU affords student organizations is one of the founding principles of the organization.

The ASSU also works to represent the interests, needs, and perspectives of Stanford students at every level of decision making within the university. The ASSU advocates on behalf of students in across a number of issues, including the cost of living, diversity, student life, and student activity spaces.

Each year, the ASSU pursues innovative projects and creates new services that will improve the quality of student life offered at Stanford.