PHOTO: Lawrence University
APPLETON, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) — The Lawrence University Community Council has yet to decide whether to officially recognize a Turning Point USA chapter on campus.
Lawrence University President Laurie Carter said the student-led council is working toward making their decision in the coming weeks.
“I have been told by the president of the LUCC that they were still waiting for some documentation they requested from Patriots of Faith,” Carter explained. “And as soon as they have that documentation, they will move forward.”
Patriots of Faith chapter president Zach Currier said spring break has delayed the process.
“Before we went on break, we resubmitted our Constitution after meeting with the steering committee,” Currier said. “They needed us to make a few more revisions, so we did. Submitted it before we left. When we get back, when they come out of recess, we will be waiting on them to put us back on the docket so we can have another meeting and find out if we’re going to get sent to General Council or we’re going to have to meet with them again.”
In February, Patriots of Faith drew the public eye after a student-led referendum was proposed to bar the group from official university recognition. That referendum failed to receive enough votes to pass or fail.
At that time, Currier said to reserve space on campus, you must be a recognized group. According to Carter, that’s not accurate.
“All of the students who have an interest in beginning a student organization can actually meet on our campus,” Carter said. “They can reserve rooms, they can have functions and invite other students to attend those functions. No one is banned from meeting on our campus.”
Currier said the chapter doesn’t have that option.
“We are not able to reserve a room because their rules state that we have to be a club, or we have to be using it for educational purposes, to organize a room,” he said.
Currier said as of now, the group needs to meet off-campus in public spaces, like the Appleton Public Library.
“We’re not in it for the funding. We’re just in it for the recognition status and the ability to have the presence on campus in the form of booking the rooms and having the events on campus,” Currier said.
As recognition talks continue, Carter said the university is welcoming to all groups on campus.
“I know Zach. I know that he is passionate about this issue, and I support his right to be passionate about it and to bring this organization to campus, if it goes through the process in the way that it should,” she said.
Currier expects to meet with the Lawrence University Community Council next week.
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