Turning Point USA at SUNY Cortland v. Cortland College Student Association
Description: Two SUNY Cortland students attempted to start a Turning Point USA chapter at their school, but the student government and school faculty denied them group status because of the group's political views. The students are challenging school officials for violating their First Amendment rights.
After ADF attorneys file lawsuit, NY college reverses vote, approves conservative student group, but unconstitutional policy remains
The following quote may be attributed to Alliance Defending Freedom Legal Counsel Mathew Hoffmann regarding the State University of New York Cortland Student Government Association’s decision Monday to approve a Turning Point USA chapter as an officially recognized club after the student government originally voted to withhold recognized status from it:
“SUNY Cortland students Gabriella Delorenzo and Megan Rothmund worked hard to form a TPUSA chapter at the university to bring together students who value freedom, free markets, and limited government. The Student Government Association rightly overturned its original vote and has now officially recognized the group. We commend the Student Government for recognizing the chapter, and we urge the college to revise its unconstitutional policy. Colleges are meant to be marketplaces of ideas where students learn to respect and defend diverse beliefs held throughout the country, but unfortunately, many college officials are encouraging students to silence opposing views. SUNY Cortland’s unconstitutional policy grants authority to the student government to approve or deny every student organization seeking recognition and it allows students to deny recognition for any or no reason at all. We will continue to ensure that the First Amendment thrives on SUNY Cortland’s campus and elsewhere.”
The following quote may be attributed to Turning Point USA Spokesman Andrew Kolvet:
“We’re thrilled with the overturning of the SUNY Cortland Student Government’s decision denying TPUSA’s club application—a significant victory for free speech on campus and for our incredible students. However, we remain committed to advocating for policy changes that ensure all viewpoints are respected and protected in the future. This win energizes our resolve to continue fighting for the rights of students nationwide.”
The ADF Center for Academic Freedom is dedicated to protecting First Amendment and related freedoms for students and faculty so that everyone can freely participate in the marketplace of ideas without fear of government censorship.
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ABOUT Mathew Hoffmann
Mathew Hoffmann serves as legal counsel for Alliance Defending Freedom, where he is a key member of the Center for Academic Freedom. Before joining ADF, Hoffmann clerked for the Honorable Robert J. Luck of the United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit and served as an associate at Jones Day. Hoffmann earned his J.D. from the University of Notre Dame Law School in 2018. He graduated summa cum laude and served as an editor for the Notre Dame Law Review. He is a 2016 Blackstone Fellow. Before law school, Hoffmann graduated from Georgetown University with a Bachelor of Science with honors in chemistry and a double major in government.