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St. John’s University recently rejected an attempt by Turning Point USA, a conservative organization founded by the late Charlie Kirk, to establish a chapter on its campus following Kirk’s assassination last fall, The Post has discovered.
The student government at St. John’s University (SJU), which is recognized as one of the largest Catholic universities in the United States, turned down the application to form a Turning Point chapter several months after Kirk was tragically killed by a sniper on September 10.
According to a university spokesperson, the student government holds the exclusive authority to approve or deny new campus organizations. Any group aiming to establish or renew a chapter at the university must successfully navigate a comprehensive four-step “Power to Organize” process, as stated to The Post on Tuesday.
Brian Browne, a spokesperson for the university, remarked, “During the Fall 2025 semester, only four out of 19 proposed organizations managed to successfully complete the approval process. Students at St. John’s interested in Turning Point USA are encouraged to reapply to the Student Government, Inc. (SGI) in the spring or explore other existing options for department-sponsored organizational support.”
Turning Point USA, which was established by Kirk in 2012, aims to identify, educate, train, and organize students to advocate for principles such as fiscal responsibility, free markets, and limited government.
Critics said the refusal of St. John’s to open a Turning Point USA chapter at its Queen campus smacks of liberal bias and cancel culture run amok.
“Charlie Kirk was an advocate for civil discourse on campus. That was his trademark,” said Bill Donohue of the Catholic League for Religious and Civil Rights.
“Why any school, especially a Catholic one, would find fault with that boggles the mind. St. John’s idea of inclusion clearly extends to the LGBTQ cause, but not the cause of free speech.
“The alumni at St. John’s are known for their commitment to traditional moral values, but in recent years the school seems to have lost its moorings,” Donohue added. “They need to speak up, preferably with their wallets.”
National Review first reported on the rejection and the College Fix reported Monday that university officials didn’t intervene on behalf of Turning Point.
Massimo Guerriero, a 19-year-old student seeking to form a Turning Point USA chapter on campus, told College Fix that the student government leaders seemed biased against the bid.
“Many of the questions posed were not centered on our proposal or compliance with university requirements but instead focused on how we would respond to potential backlash tied to the ideologies of TPUSA’s founder,” Guerriero told the outlet.
He then received an email from the student government, which did not give a reason for the rejection but encouraged the group to reapply.
“We believe that with continued refinement, your organization has the potential to make a meaningful impact on our campus community,’” the rejection letter said, according to Guerriero.
The SJU student government had no immediate comment.