Student government leaders at Point Loma Nazarene University denied Turning Point USA’s request to become a chartered club.
The leaders and a university official at the private Christian university in San Diego said there was “misalignment” between TPUSA activities and the Associated Student Body mission statement.
“Misalignment between that mission statement and TPUSA publications and activities was the primary basis for denial,” university spokesperson Jill Monroe told The College Fix in an email.
While Jenna Moses, the director of student relations for the Associated Student Body, ultimately made the decision to decline TPUSA as a campus club, the director of community life and other members of the ASB Board of Directors at Point Loma weighed in and supported the club’s denial. The board functions as the executive team for the student government.
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“The director of community life was consulted as the staff advisor and liaison to ASB and per the ASB Handbook for Clubs and Societies, although this role has no authority on the decision,” Monroe told The Fix.
“Because the decision is so discretionary, the director of student relations chose to also consult the rest of the ASB Board of Directors,” she said.
The Board of Directors allegedly were wary of the TPUSA club due to their belief that the group intends to engage in harmful attacks rather than healthy discussions.
“The general opinion of the student BoD was that TPUSA’s intended purpose seems to be generating unnecessary conflict rather than fostering helpful communication and would likely be a net detriment to the PLNU community,” Monroe told The Fix.
“The decision to not charter TPUSA was not based on ideological beliefs or biases,” the board of directors wrote in an open letter in the student paper The Point at the end of April.
In explaining the denial of the group, the directors said they wanted an “inclusive environment” and “ to foster an environment that supports our students in these dialogues on many sides.”
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