NEW ORLEANS (WVUE) - Loyola University's Student Government Association voted to deny official recognition to a proposed chapter of Turning Point USA on campus, a decision that has drawn national media attention and criticism from Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry.
Several students at Loyola petitioned the Student Government Association to officially recognize a chapter of Turning Point USA on campus. The students said Loyola needs a group focused on biblical and conservative values.
"As students who are conservative here on campus, we feel like we are a minority voice," said Viviana Capasso, president of Turning Point USA at Loyola.
Capasso said since student government denied their organization, national media and the governor are weighing in. The group said differing opinions spark important conversations.
"Now that our voices on campus have been heard because of the denial, they've been amplified. I think having the support of the governor is essential," Capasso said.
Gov. Landry criticized the decision, saying universities should welcome freedom of speech and dialogue.
"I think it's terrible that our universities, which are supposed to be where freedom of speech is welcomed -- where the ability to dialogue and disagree and to agree to disagree -- is not welcome," Landry said.
A spokesperson for Loyola University said the decision on Turning Point is completely student-driven.
"The beauty of it, in a sense, is that it is peer to peer. The students are the folks on campus in charge of these decisions," said Aariel Charbonnet, Loyola's vice president of marketing and communications.
Charbonnet said student government screens all proposed student organizations.
"The SGA senators make a recommendation to the president of SGA whether or not to approve or not approve the charter of that student org," she said.
Dillard University political analyst Robert Collins said he was surprised Landry decided to weigh in on Loyola's inner workings.
"He makes it sound like the president or the board of trustees or the administration of Loyola did it, and that's not true. It's important for everyone to keep in mind these are the elected student representatives -- this is the Student Government Association that made this decision," Collins said.
Collins said some want Landry to pull funding from Loyola, but it's a private school.
"It does not receive any direct appropriations from the state," Collins said.
Turning Point USA at Loyola plans to appeal the Student Government Association's decision.