UTC approves Charlie Kirk’s Turning Point USA chapter despite student government objection
The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga (UTC) has approved a chapter of Turning Point USA (TPUSA) on campus, overruling the decision of the school’s student government that had initially voted against the establishment of the group.“As part of the process of becoming a Registered Student Organization at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, the Dean of Student’s Office has completed its review of a group of students’ application to establish a chapter of Turning Point USA on campus,” Jay Blackman, vice chancellor of communications and marketing at UTC, told Fox News Digital.Blackman confirmed that the group has now been officially recognized. “The Dean of Students’ Office has determined that Turning Point USA is approved as a Registered Student Organization,” he said.
Student government opposition and campus context
The decision comes after the Student Government Association at UTC opposed the formation of the chapter. The organization’s founder and chief executive officer, Charlie Kirk, was shot and killed on September 10, 2025, while speaking at Utah Valley University during his “American Comeback Tour.”Blackman emphasized that recognition of student organizations falls under the authority of the Dean of Students and the university chancellor, not the student government. “While the Student Government Association may voice opinions, recognition of student organizations is determined by the UTC Dean of Students and Chancellor. Turning Point USA has been authorized in accordance with university policy and the law,” he said, according to Fox News Digital.
Legal pressure and public attention
The UTC decision followed public criticism from trial lawyer Robert Barnes, who highlighted the student government’s rejection on X. “My hometown school — @UTChattanooga — apparently told students they cannot form a campus chapter of @TPUSA due to false claims of ‘hate speech,’” Barnes wrote. He added that if the decision was not reversed, he would pursue legal action on behalf of the students.The response drew attention from Harmeet Dhillon, Assistant Attorney General for the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, who commented on Barnes’ post: “Let us know what happens.” Barnes later described Dhillon’s support as a pivotal factor in the reversal.
Turning Point USA and broader controversies
Turning Point USA is a national conservative youth organization founded by Charlie Kirk in 2012, with a stated mission of promoting free markets and limited government on college campuses. The UTC approval follows other recent controversies at universities such as Rutgers, where students have alleged political bias against conservative groups.
