Belmont University Denies TPUSA Chapter on Campus
Belmont University, a Christian college located in Nashville, Tennessee, denied the creation of a Turning Point USA student chapter on campus, alleging that the organization represents “partisan” advocacy, despite its nonpartisan nonprofit status.
In an email obtained by TPUSA, the Assistant Director of Student Engagement Jordan Cooper told Mya Conrad, the student hoping to start the TPUSA chapter at the university, that “Turning Point USA does not satisfy the guidelines and policies for new organizations,” because TPUSA “was determined to be a partisan national advocacy organization. Therefore, we are unable to approve a Belmont branch of the organization.”
Cooper said that Belmont will only approve student organizations that “fulfill the university’s commitment to Christian standards of morality, ethics, and conduct,” and support the university’s “educational efforts and does not serve as an affiliate of a partisan national advocacy campaign,” among other requirements.
“We are a Christ-centered, student-focused community, dedicated to developing diverse leaders of purpose, character, wisdom and transformational mindset, eager and equipped to make the world a better place.”
Belmont University Mission Statement
Conrad provided TPUSA with screenshots of their application to form a TPUSA chapter, which accurately defined the organization as a nonprofit and nonpartisan organization, not affiliated with any political party or group, with a mission to “educate students about the importance of fiscal responsibility, free markets, and limited government.“
“Belmont was very aware that it was a non-partisan organization … I made [it] clear in a rationale paper I had to write,” Conrad told TPUSA. She called the university’s response “shocking” and expressed disappointment in the school’s decision to exclude conservative student organizations.
Despite this, Belmont University classified TPUSA as a “partisan national advocacy organization.” The school administrator then said that in some cases, the university makes an exception and approves student organizations that do not meet this criteria.
“While there are several active [partisan] groups on campus that may fall within the bounds of this policy, the policy applies only to groups applying to become new or re-activated organizations,” Cooper did not note, however, that TPUSA previously had a presence on the campus in years past, and thus would likely qualify for this exception.
Several groups that appear to oppose Belmont’s “Christian standards of morality” have been approved by the Office of Student Engagement to have a presence on campus. Approved groups include clearly partisan organizations that advocate for a particular political party, the Black Student Association (BSA) of Belmont University, which celebrated Pride Month last summer, and the Belmont Bridge Builders which is the university’s student-led “Sexuality and Gender Identity Organization.”
Conrad said that Belmont removed the previous TPUSA chapter after student members had “get-togethers” during the COVID-19 pandemic, which was allegedly against the school policy at the time regarding social gatherings. Conrad said that other university-approved student organizations participated in BLM protests throughout the pandemic, which “did not align with the University’s Covid policy at the time,” but “did not receive any repercussions.”
“I love Belmont and have found it to be a quality education,” Conrad explained, “but parents are deceived into believing Belmont is a conservative Christian school.”
