Turning Point USA Organizes at MHCC: What You Should Know

Jennifer Childers

The Advocate

Students may have noticed individuals affiliated with Turning Point USA gathering in the Main Mall courtyard in recent days, speaking with students and collecting information.

Turning Point USA is a national nonprofit student organization founded by Charlie Kirk in 2012. The group describes its mission as identifying, educating and organizing students to promote conservative principles of limited government, free markets and individual liberty. According to its website, the organization operates nearly 800 college chapters nationwide and calls itself “the ultimate activism club for college campuses.”

CURRENT STATUS AT MHCC

The Advocate reached out to Dave Shirer, Student Leadership and Engagement coordinator, and as of Monday, Feb. 23, Turning Point USA is not a recognized club at Mt. Hood Community College.

“Turning Point USA is not a recognized club on campus and has never applied for a club charter at MHCC,” Shirer said.

To become an officially recognized student organization, a group must:

• Identify at least five student members

• Secure an MHCC employee to serve as a club adviser

• Submit a written constitution aligned with the MHCC Clubs and Organizations Manual

• Complete the club charter review process through Student Life and Civic Engagement

If approved, clubs receive voting rights in the Student Organizations Council (SOC), may request funding from the SOC operational budget and gain access to an on-campus account through the Business Office. As of publication, there is no confirmed club charter application on file.

FREE SPEECH AND CAMPUS POLICY

While Turning Point USA is not currently recognized as a club, MHCC policy allows individuals and groups to advocate, petition and demonstrate in designated public areas of campus.

The Main Mall courtyard is the college’s designated free speech area. According to Shirer, “Any community organization, student group, employee group, etc. is allowed to host demonstrations or engage in conversation as long as they adhere to the college policy on free speech.”

This policy is outlined in AR 3900: Speech: Time, Place and Manner.

STUDENT PERSPECTIVES

Several students who spoke with The Advocate expressed uncertainty or concern about the group’s presence, particularly regarding reported polling questions about whether hate speech should be illegal.

“Freedom of speech and the right to organize is important,” one student said, “but everyone on campus deserves to feel safe, and I don’t feel safe with an organization like this on campus.”

As of publication, no students interviewed expressed direct support for establishing a Turning Point USA chapter at MHCC.

WHAT HAPPENS NEXT

If students affiliated with Turning Point USA choose to pursue official club status, they would need to complete the formal chartering process through the Office of Student Life and Civic Engagement.

Until then, their activity on campus falls under the college’s free speech guidelines. Students with questions about club recognition or campus policies can contact the Office of Student Life and Civic Engagement.

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