Liz Mantush | staff writer

The Student Government Association will vote on the installation of a chapter of Turning Point USA on Duquesne’s campus next week.

The decision comes after a senator announced the voting prematurely in the Oct. 8 meeting. The announcement violated the SGA legislative process by presenting the club before it was brought up to the administration.

The club was shot down by the senate, but since it did not go through the process properly, it was reevaluated.

Normally, a club is proposed through SGA’s Campus Link page, where it then goes to the Center for Student Involvement and Adam Wasilko, dean of students and associate vice president for student life. The club is then reviewed by the executive board, and then it is voted on by the senate.

In the instance of TPUSA, the club skipped over this process and went straight to the vote.

“I’ll take the blame because I should have done better in preparing [the senator]. Ultimately, it’s a learning game,” SGA President Nick Miller said.

The proposition of the club came shortly after the death of its national founder Charlie Kirk.

Current Executive Board Member and former SGA President Claudio Simione was presented with a Duquesne chapter of TPUSA in 2024. When the vote came to allow the club to exist or not, Simione removed himself from the conversation.

“​​I let the senators speak amongst themselves, and ultimately, they came to the conclusion at that time that they did not feel comfortable having that organization on campus,” he said.

Originally, the club was proposed by Ava Hickman, who petitioned SGA with more than the required amount of student interest in joining the organization.

The organization’s request was denied, but because of Hickman and other students’ efforts, the College Republicans were reinstated onto campus. Hickman was formerly president of the organization.

“I think it’s great to have political discourse and political opportunities and clubs on college campuses, because college is where you’re supposed to go in order to receive education, and a lot of that, it has to do with politics and finding out why you believe the things that you believe, and discussing them with others and finding community and that,” Hickman said.

TPUSA’s new application allows more discussion within the SGA as to whether the club adheres to Duquesne’s mission. Previously, the club was denied because of a lack of a senate majority.

The stated mission of TPUSA, which is a nationwide organization, is to identify, educate, train and organize students to promote the principles of fiscal responsibility, free markets and limited government. They say they believe firmly in the Constitution, American patriotism and capitalism.

Riley Hunter, the president of an unaffiliated chapter of College Democrats made up of Duquesne students, believes the existence of political organizations such as the College Democrats and Republicans are important to foster political discourse and free speech. But she said TPUSA is unlike these associations.

“I think Turning Point USA has different implications, where it’s a bit more extreme in their rhetoric, and [they are] less accepting of people. I personally disagree with the club, but I do understand that this is a free speech issue, and they should be allowed to exist,” she said.

Jonathan Collins, the president of Duquesne’s chapter of College Republicans, denied a request for comment because TPUSA has no affiliation with his organization.

Paige Gritzke said the assassination of Kirk prompted her to propose a Duquesne chapter of TPUSA. She said it is an important time to foster civil discourse and free speech.

Gritzke declined to provide the name of the club’s advisor in hopes for them to remain neutral and to avoid professional unrest.

She said the goal of Duquesne’s chapter of TPUSA is to make students feel like their voices are important and give them resources to learn about the United States’ operations.

“I think there’s a really, really big misunderstanding, and people think that this is a hateful organization, and it’s not by any way. I want to be very clear, this is nonpartisan, and all of the students that want this, and there’s a very big student base that’s advocating for this, are kind, peaceful, loving, compassionate and understanding individuals,” she said.

Liz Mantush can be reached at mantushe@duq.edu