APPLETON, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) — A potential Turning Point USA chapter at Lawrence University in Appleton is getting some pushback.
“We applied for recognition in November and faced immediate backlash from the Lawrence community — mainly the students,” said chapter president Zach Currier.
Turning Point USA is a nationwide nonprofit organization that advocates for conservative politics on high school and college campuses. It was co-founded in 2012 by the late conservative activist Charlie Kirk.
Currier shared his experience of attempting to start a TPUSA chapter at Lawrence, a private school of 1,500 students. The process, according to Currier, has been rocky.
“It was interrupted by a student-initiated petition, where 10% of the students signed a petition to have it put into a referendum, to where it was sent to our emails to have us disqualified from obtaining club organization status,” he said.
Online voting began three weeks ago. The document, sent from Lawrence’s student government called the Lawrence University Community Council, to students to vote on, says in part:
LUCC representatives have received concerns from students regarding whether the Organization’s affiliations, public messaging and anticipated activities are consistent with Lawrence University’s mission to foster an inclusive, respectful and academically free learning environment.
Public statements and initiatives associated with Turning Point USA leadership and affiliated chapters at other institutions, including the use of tools such as the “Professor Watchlist,” have been widely criticized by academic institutions and organizations for their potential to undermine academic freedom of faculty.
The referendum seeks to deny the recognition of the group as a student organization, with an added clause that says members of the group will not be discriminated against.
LUCC reaffirms its commitment to recognizing student organizations representing a diversity of political viewpoints, provided such organizations operate in compliance with University non-discrimination policies, safety standards and expectations for responsible campus conduct.
When a group is denied recognition, it receives no funding from the LUCC and cannot reserve space on campus for use.
According to Currier, around 35 students support establishing a Turning Point USA chapter at Lawrence. He said while they’ve faced harassment, they won’t back down from their goal.
“For them to hold up to their end of the deal for a diverse community, for a respectful community, for a community that encourages independent thought,” he said. “And from what we’re seeing, we’re not getting that. So, I’m hoping to change that tide.”
Voting on the referendum ended at midnight Monday.
In a statement Friday, Lawrence officials said the decision to approve or refuse a student organization is up to the student government, not the university. You can read their full statement below:
We have had inquiries about our student organization recognition process, and we would like to make sure everyone has the correct information and is on the same page. At Lawrence University, the review and approval of student organization applications is constitutionally delegated to our student government, Lawrence University Community Council, which follows established policies and procedures for all groups. With respect to the student application of Patriots of Faith, who has an affiliation with Turning Point USA, the student organization recognition process is currently underway, and no decision has been made. Because the process is still in progress, we will not comment on the application itself. Current reporting that the University has already decided whether or not the group can become a recognized student organization is inaccurate.
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