A debate-packed ASUW session, which was attended by three Wyoming state legislators, passed a new finance policy for RSOs on campus and absolved several suspensions.
The policy in question, established by Senate Bill No. 2593, sets new, clearer terms and gives three RSOs that were suspended after a December audit of 18 organizations a clean slate—including the UW chapter of Turning Point USA, which invited conservative talk radio host, Dennis Prager, to speak on campus last year and was the primary focus of debate at ASUW’s Feb. 13 session. The event was the context for TPUSA’s suspension on the grounds of several infractions, which the president of TPUSA at UW asserted were unjustly responded to.
“My perspective of it was that the punishment that was put on us was way too harsh,” Timothy Nelson, TPUSA president, said. “It was very basic stuff. It was about stickers, it was about using a website instead of the Wyoming ticket venue—those were the big kickers against us.”
The matter of overturning TPUSA’s suspension, along with two other RSOs that were found to have violated finance policy during the audit, was thought by some to be the reason for the interest of three Wyoming state representatives in that night’s session. Representatives Bo Biteman and Scott Clem of the Republican Party, along with Michael Gierau of the Democratic Party, were all in attendance. The United Multicultural Council, a program of ASUW intended to represent parts of the UW population that are not conventionally recognized by the full senate (along with Freshman Senate), issued a widespread statement expressing its wariness of the representatives’ visit—which initially included a third Republican representative.
“This unprecedented visit from these three Republican senators is concerning,” the United Multicultural Council said. “We do not support in their use of power to intimidate the ASUW Student Government nor the University of Wyoming.”
UMC’s statement did not mention the fourth representative, Gierau, or his stake in the session’s handling of TPUSA’s status. Gierau himself was briefly available for comment during a recess of the debate and indicated that he was simply there to observe.
“I’ve got opinions, but it’s not about me—it’s about you guys,” Gierau said.
The president of TPUSA at UW, Timothy Nelson, had a similar view of the representatives’ presence in the gallery as mere observers there to see the student senate in action.
“The only reason the representatives were there is because they care about what happens at the University of Wyoming,” Nelson said. “I think the loose narrative that they were there to scare the poor student senators is an obnoxious thing to think. I really have no pity for the student senators who are intimidated by people who have opposing views that they might not agree with.”
The session proved to have a great deal of debate to observe. One proposed amendment included language that would have ensured that previously suspended RSOs remained so and would not have the opportunity to start fresh under the new, clearer policy. Some senators argued that such an approach would not be treating all RSOs on the same fair and just level and that those in favor of it were responding to TPUSA with a double standard and a blanket punishment that would have included other RSOs.
“I think this is singling them out when we have the opportunity here to learn from our mistakes and have a clean slate going forward,” College of Business Senator Joe Rubino said.
The amendment drew support from several other senators and the issue prompted a rare address from Vice President of Student Affairs Sean Blackburn despite being as uninvolved as possible.
“As you all know, I try not to address you guys too often in the middle of legislation, unfortunately, I’ve found it quite necessary to do so tonight,” Blackburn said. “I advise you against this amendment. The only reason Turning Point USA is in the position they are in, is because of the notoriety of that event. None of you, none of you, cared about violations prior to Turning Point USA. I advise you against this amendment and encourage you to fix your mistake.”
The amendment was rejected by the senate and the full bill eventually passed with 19 senators in favor, five against and one abstaining.
