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On November 11, 2025, Baldwin Wallace University’s Student Senate voted to deny Turning Point USA’s application to become a recognized student organization. The Senate’s vote came after reports of student hostility on campus to TPUSA’s charter and was made without providing any justification for the denial.  

FIRE wrote BW and its Senate on December 22, explaining that BW’s stated commitment to free expression precludes denying a student group recognition on the basis of the organization’s ideas or mission — and doing so constitutes impermissible viewpoint discrimination. FIREurged BW to ensure that all student organizations are evaluated using content- and viewpoint-neutral criteria.

On January 11, BW President Lee Fisher responded, affirming the school’s commitment to “promoting civil discourse” and “safeguard[ing] free speech.” President Fisher also promised that, should TPUSA choose to resubmit their application, he would “work constructively to ensure that the Student Senate provides them another opportunity to seek recognition via viewpoint-neutral criteria.” FIREcommends President Fisher’s response as an example for other schools to follow.