At Student Senate’s latest meeting on Jan. 20, a controversial topic was addressed: the possibility of a chapter of Turning Point U.S.A (TPUSA), a nonprofit conservative organization, opening on campus.
The meeting was well attended, with dozens of non-officer students present, representing varying opinions on the matter.
Student Senate originally voted at a recent meeting to overturn TPUSA’s application for a provisional charter, with the biggest point of contention being the organization’s Professor Watchlist, which documents and exposes professors deemed to “discriminate against conservative students, promote anti-American values and advance leftist propaganda in the classroom.”
The concern is that specific professors may be harassed, fired unjustly or even targeted with political violence because of the Professor Watchlist.
Ashland University President Jon Parrish Peede joined Student Senate and discussed the possibility of overturning the Senate’s decision, however he didn’t give a definitive answer as to whether he would and attended the meeting for student input towards his decision.
“If you ever need a national organization to let us know what’s happening in your classroom, then we have failed you as an administration…It’s a mechanism we don’t need,” said President Peede, explaining that if he allowed a TPUSA chapter on campus, it wouldn’t include the Professor Watchlist.
Several Ashland community members and students, as well as senators, voiced their concerns about the issue, both for and against it.
“Anytime I vote, I look to the people who are sitting behind, and though you are not all freshmen, I vote for their opinions,” said Freshman Class President Amelia Auchard.
“The reason I voted against the provisional charter originally was fear of hostility being invited onto this campus, and that is something I can never morally allow myself to invite,” she continued.
“I think we are doing ourselves a bit of a dishonor by saying that bringing an organization on campus will incite violence among the students. I do not think that Ashland University brings in violent students,” said Officer of Academic Affairs Mary Anderson.
Ultimately, President Peede will make his final decision in consideration of the input he has received from students.
For more information about Student Senate and its upcoming events, visit its Instagram page.
