Ohio State Council on Student Affairs Caves, Grants Funding To YAF Chapter Ahead Of Shapiro Lecture

The body responsible for fielding student requests for funding relented in its opposition to the Ohio State University Young Americans for Freedom (OSU YAF) chapter Monday, granting the maximum annual amount of $2,000 ahead of OSU YAF’s November 13 lecture with Ben Shapiro. This decision comes less than a week after Young America’s Foundation rang the alarm over the false information used by OSU’s Council on Student Affairs (CSA) to repeatedly deny OSU YAF’s requests. While the CSA’s reversal is a win for conservative students, this sudden shift in the face of media pressure and public criticism proves YAF’s questioning of the motivations behind the CSA’s ruling. As a refresher, the Council on Student Affairs notified OSU YAF that their appeal to receive funds for their upcoming lecture was denied on October 25. The CSA’s rejection noticed stated, “Per the guidelines, there are no further opportunities to appeal.” On November 1, Young America’s Foundation went public with the CSA rejection and the false information they relied on to deny funding. On November 2, OSU YAF was notified that the CSA would be “re-visiting” their proposal at a meeting on November 5. Following that November 5 meeting, OSU YAF was notified by the CSA that their funding request was approved. This successful resolution is not mere coincidence—it is the result of bold Young Americans for Freedom activists at Ohio State, paired with the unrivaled reach and influence of Young America’s Foundation that prevented the school’s Council on Student Affairs from getting away with denying funding for conservatives on false pretenses. More information on next week’s Shapiro Lecture at Ohio State—part of YAF’s Fred Allen Lecture Series—can be found here. Media who plan to cover the lecture can request credentials for the event here.