Turning Point USA Chapter Says Vanguard University Barred Political Clubs, Forcing Group Off Campus

Sadie Burnett, a third-year student at Vanguard University in Costa Mesa, California, says the school's Turning Point USA campus chapter has been denied official recognition after the university adopted a policy prohibiting student clubs tied to political advocacy.

Burnett, who serves as the chapter president, told Fox News Digital the group has been active since 2023, hosting events and participating in club fair activities that drew student interest. She says the chapter previously stood out on campus and was celebrated by some for bringing discussion and engagement to a Christian university setting.

"Since 2023, we've had a lively and very active presence on campus," Burnett said. "We're not 'conservative,' we're just students hanging out," she added, noting some members feel unsafe appearing publicly amid what they describe as anti-conservative sentiment.

Under Vanguard's new student organization model, the university stopped recognizing political advocacy clubs and moved to a system that routes political activity and civic events through administrative channels. That change means the Turning Point chapter may meet on campus only outdoors and cannot reserve rooms, table at events, receive university funding, or participate in club recruitment in the same way registered student organizations do.

University Response and Alternatives

Amanda Lebrecht, Vanguard's vice president for student development, said the university began restructuring student groups in 2023, disbanding an inter-club council and establishing a new "student clubs and organization" model. She told reporters that current policy "does not permit campus clubs affiliated with political advocacy initiatives" and framed the move as intended to advance "our educational mission within the context of our small Christian community."

Lebrecht said Vanguard is encouraging students to pursue civic engagement through co-curricular programming such as last year's "Year of Civility" and this year’s "Courageous Conversations," which included a campus appearance by pro-life activist Lila Rose of Live Action. The school also points students to academic outlets through the history and political-science departments and notes campus safety resources, including access to the head of campus safety and proximity to the Costa Mesa Police Department.

What This Means For Students

For Burnett and other chapter members, the loss of official recognition carries practical and symbolic consequences. Registered student organizations retain privileges—indoor meeting spaces, event funding, tabling and formal recruitment—that unaffiliated groups do not, limiting the group's ability to host events, reach new students, and operate with the same visibility.

Both students and administrators say they will continue to meet: administrators aim to channel student voices through institutionally aligned programming, while students seek ways to continue their activities and advocate for recognition. The university maintains it is not banning student political expression outright but is restructuring how that expression is organized on campus.