Columbia Black Students' Organization Demands Defunding of College Republicans

The Black Students’ Organization at Columbia University is demanding that administrators cut off funding to the school’s College Republicans chapter.

The student group asked the student government board this week to stop the funding of the Columbia University College Republicans on the basis that the group “oppose[s]…[their] livelihood and humanity.” The College Republicans received $4,640 in funding from the student government board’s appropriations committee last year.

“We do not support, in any capacity, giving a platform to beliefs that blatantly oppose our livelihood and humanity, and especially not in the name of intellectual diversity,” BSO said in its proposal.

Last month, Tommy Robinson drew massive protests during an event hosted by the College Republicans at Columbia. This week, Mike Cernovich faced a large protest effort from campus groups as well as outside organizations.

The Black Students’ Organization asked the funds typically appropriated to the College Republicans be redistributed to groups that they allege are targeted by the speakers that the College Republicans group have invited to campus.

Columbia College Republican’s Director of Operations Joseph Siegel argued the Black Students’ Organization was conflating intellectual ideas with “physical ideas of safety and violence” and in doing so allowing “a heckler’s veto to whomever (sic) feels emotionally hurt by anyone.”

According to the College Republicans group, both the Robinson and Cernovich events were funded by outside donations.

“If the word ‘white supremacist’ can be applied to a person, maybe don’t invite them to our campus,” Nicole Allicock, CCSC vice president of policy, said during a discussion on the Black Students’ Organization’s demand that the College Republicans be defunded.

Towards the end of the conversation, the student government board decided that they would submit a general concern report against the College Republicans chapter to the Student Conduct and Community Standards board, a faculty group that ensures that community members “uphold the highest standards of respect, integrity, and civility.”