“Seeking true truth” was written on the whiteboard in Latter 101 at Point Loma Nazarene University last week. Turning Point USA at Loma, a group not affiliated with the university, promoted the on-campus event on their Instagram, yet President Ginger Friess said Benjamin Mood, PLNU assistant professor of computer science, is the one spearheading it, not TPUSA.
Despite promoting the event on their Instagram, @turningpointloma, two days before, Friess, a first-year biology-chemistry major, said, “It’s separate [from TPUSA]. It’s just we like what [Mood is] doing.”
The event took place on Feb. 5, and 27 students and faculty attended. The lecture, about the concept of truth, was led by Mood. Students asked him questions, including one about how to question the “morality of students.” Many members of the TPUSA at Loma board were there.
TPUSA: The TPUSA at Loma board at their Jan. 22 meeting at Awaken Church. Photo by Sydney Brammer/The Point.
“Conservative students often feel out of place on campus,” Friess posted in the comment section on the Instagram post. “Some profs are stepping up with Biblically-centered & politically conservative talks to fill the gap that [TPUSA at Loma] couldn’t. We’re all excited for what’s coming!”
Mood declined The Point’s request for a comment on whether he’s affiliated with TPUSA at Loma and how he got permission to hold this event on campus.
“I am assuming last night answered your question,” Mood said in an email. “But, other than that, I would prefer to not be involved in the story. Sorry!”
TPUSA at Loma held their first meeting at Awaken Church on Jan. 22. At the end of the event, Friess said that their board would be hosting weekly meetings on PLNU’s campus, not through the student body, but through faculty members.
Friess said her team is still working on what it would look like to find space for their group to meet on campus. She said that while the event on Feb. 5 was not associated with TPUSA at Loma, they’re promoting it because of “personal interest” and to support Mood.
“There’s still a need on campus for … some conversation about conservatism and seeking truth,” Friess said. “I think it’s more just, my team is really interested in what’s going on and desires to attend.”
Friess said the board does not know if they will reapply to be an ASB club again.
“I will say that part of what we must do is gain official recognition from the school. Period,” Friess said.
Colin Sekerka, a fourth-year political science major, attended the event and said he thought the event was being hosted by TPUSA at Loma.
“I think the club’s doing some pretty impressive work, especially with the backlash they’ve received,” Sekerka said. “They’re doing a really, really good job of prioritizing … a conservative ideology.”
A source who requested anonymity for fear of safety and did not go to the event said that they also thought the event was being put on by TPUSA at Loma, and said their promotion of the event on social media was “deceptive.” They also said that they believe TPUSA’s push to meet on campus is disrespectful to PLNU.
“It’s completely unacceptable,” they said. “What they’re doing is … a violation of, in my opinion, the spirit of university policy … [ASB] determined that it was in the best interests of our community as a whole to reject a Turning Point chapter. Turning Point is just fully ignoring that.”
There is no plan for the upcoming TPUSA at Loma events, according to Friess.
Ava Bailey-Klugh