January 17, 2024 President Richard Linton 110 Anderson Hall Manhattan, KS 66502 Dear President Linton: The Kansas State community is in the heartland of the country and where the spotlight of our country’s next generation is. Our morals in making a community should be where everyone’s voice has an equal chance to be heard. As president of our university, the actions of the staff and students fall on you, and with that, you take on the burden of critical decision-making. We have an issue that appears on the outside as promoting diversity, but its existence excludes true diversity. As college students, we strive to be heard and seek to express our ideas with our peers; however, the current system that the Student Allocations Board has set up discriminates the voices of the student organizations that wish to be heard on campus, cutting them off from access to funds that could better support a difference of ideas that aren’t limited to talking about diversity, equality, and inclusivity that currently require them to filter the events that they seek to get funded. Every voice should have a chance to be heard, even if people disagree with what they say. As President, you are responsible for making the campus a safe place so that the exchange of ideas can happen. According to the Princeton Review, the Kansas State University community has a proud history of being the friendliest and second-happiest campus in the nation. Still, the involvement of the Student Government is only ranked 15th in the country.[1] Within Kansas State University's Org-Central page, 430 listed student organizations are on campus; however, only some of the student groups have the same opportunity to host events as other groups.[2] While both fund pools have the exact requirements regarding what they fund – that events must be educational – one fund separates from the other by explicitly requiring events to be about specific topics.[3] Two significant separate student allocation funds fall under the Student Government. One is run by the Student Allocations board, which has a fund pool of $39,000. In contrast, the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusivity Board controls the other central fund with a pool fund of $137,000.[4]
Many organizations on campus would like to do more with the student body but are limited due to a separation of funding by having two separate fund pools. For example, the Young Americans for Freedom chapter that I lead on campus attempted to apply to the DEI fund earlier in the semester to bring an immigrant from Venezuela to speak on campus about his experience living in a socialist country; the DEI fund told us that the topic and story did not meet the requirements for the use of the funds. When we applied through the smaller fund pool, all they would offer us was $200. That example shows how hard it is for groups that don’t fit into the eyes of the DEI board to receive funding when trying to voice their opinions, as some would see a difference of opinion that doesn’t align with certain people's views. The problem is that having two funds goes against Kansas State University's notice of Nondiscrimination by allowing only certain types of funding to be approved and not others and limiting free speech for all.[5] Students coming in are excited to join new clubs and organizations, to feel as if they are part of a larger community, but when the clubs they are a part of feel like they cannot participate on campus, they won’t want to engage within the community. Within those clubs that do not host events that fit a box set of requirements, those students are less likely to want to be involved in the future, which affects not only students but the overall K-State greater community and town as a whole. The fund issue has recently been updated to what it is currently. The Student Government Association recently met and voted on the issue and thought it best if the pool funds were separate, but not once did the student body get a vote on it or a notification that it was being voted on.[6] Even though a student body is drafting the legislation, the average student within the school system needs to learn how the process works within the student body. To continue to have more active participation on campus so that all voices can be heard, the funding issue needs to be addressed; without that, we will not likely see an increase in the exchange of ideas and beliefs. By trying to separate the funds into two separate pools for the cause of Diversity, Equality, and Inclusivity, it has, in turn, done just the opposite. If this problem continues, it will limit the number of student organizations trying to have their voices heard on campus. As the leader of the Young Americans for Freedom chapter, I can testify that we are the only conservative voice on campus and that our voice is just as important as everyone else's. If we are going to have school funding that organizations can use to help spread their voices, then we should not restrict what can be said, for true diversity is the diversity of thought.[7] The creation of the two funds was originally an attempt to have the outward impression of being diverse. Still, in reality, it has only made it harder for others to voice their opinion and is only recently being seen as a problem that needs to be fixed by a growing community on campus. As the President of the University, it is part of your role to be fair and just by keeping to the rules set in place, and when something doesn’t fit into the laws of the code of conduct, fix it so that it
does. It would be in our university's best interest to combine the regular SGA and the DEI funds into a singular one. In November, YAF National Chairwoman Jasmyn Jordan testified before the United States Congress arguing the importance of free speech and its necessity for all groups to have a voice, even if people disagree with people's speech on college campuses.[8] Her comments apply to our campus, where we currently have a separate fund pool, making it difficult for everyone’s voice to be heard. The solution to the problem here at K-State is as simple as combining both funds into one pool; that way, each club and student organization has an equal and fair chance to receive funding for their events. In addition to the combination of funds, it would be wise to do away with the DEI fund's restrictions, forcing students to focus on DEI-only events. It would also allow students to be more active without that restriction. However, I do find it necessary that the policy of events being educational and at no cost to students to attend should remain because, after all, K-State is a university, which is a place of learning, so any school-funded event that uses student fees, should be educational to some degree.[9] Since there are two separate boards, it would require a unification of the two boards into one to make the solution flow better since the DEI policies would no longer be needed for a singular board. With the structure and advice from the president of the University, the SGA could quickly implement these changes. That change has to come from the president of our great university to better align with the K-State code of conduct.[10] The solution would immediately affect the student organizations wanting to be better involved with the student body and the overall K-State campus being made aware of new organizations they needed to be mindful of. The best part of the solution is that the only cost would be the time to restructure the student allocations committee into a singular committee since the fund pools already exist and would be combined into a singular one. Other solutions that have come to mind include making each fund pool equal or adding more faculty oversight. Still, neither of these solutions gets to the root of the problem of having two separate fund pools, to begin with, limits free speech and would appear from the outside that K-State favors DEI philosophy over everything else, which ignores those who may have different views of the DEI culture that has been created in America. At its heart, K-State is a college, a place of learning and community. There is a reason that the Prinston review has labeled the campus as one of the friendliest campuses in the nation.[11] Despite that, we should, as a campus, strive to be even better. If the campus is to follow along with its morals and code of conduct found in PPM Chapter 3010, which states that students and staff have a First Amendment right to free speech and that it is considered discriminatory to have requirements that have a disparate impact on academic opportunities which would include student organizations try to access funds but being denied because they don’t meet a certain level of diversity, then we must get rid of having two separate funds.[12] One alternative to combining the two funds would be to offer more faculty oversight instead of having a primary Student Allocations Committee. That option does have some benefits,
including more involvement with members of staff to help make sure every student organization that applies for funding has equal opportunities within each fund, it does not address the root cause of the problem of the discriminatory practice of having two different funds and would also come across that the campus staff is choosing what can and can’t be funded potentially creating hostile public relations as well as limiting student growth within their roles in SGA. The only option to maintain the rights of student groups to voice their thoughts and opinions equally is by having one fund specifically while upholding the rule that events should offer some educational benefits and be free and open to students like the current rules state.[13] By combining the two funds, more student groups would have more access to funds, allowing more of the community to be together and exchange different ideas and learning because true diversity is that diversity of thought.[14] Recent reports that the Knight Foundation has done have found that students are worried about their freedom of speech being silenced on campus and that the right of students to speak even if others disagree is essential for many students entering college.[15] Where there have been reports that our campus is the number one in the nation on allowing free speech, from my observations, I would have to disagree.[16] Having two funds only separates kinds of speeches and is not free then but only limited, especially when, politically speaking, more conservatives are afraid to voice their opinions on campus compared to liberals.[17] Our goal as a campus should be to allow everyone’s voice to be heard regardless of political or religious differences. Like anyone else in society, college students want to feel like they have a place where they belong, and student groups and organizations are a great way of doing that. It is a place and a way for different groups to be heard and for the exchange of ideas to take place, something that is essential to the continual growth of our understanding of one another as well as finding who we are ourselves in the groups that we choose to be a part of. Without equal funding, some voices appear more critical than others. People come to K-State because of the outward appearance of being an amicable community. Still, we can become even better and more welcoming by allowing our current underrepresented groups to be heard. We should make the change because it would allow more students to be involved on campus and have their voices heard. Combining the funds into one is urgent so that student organizations can plan accordingly. Students join organizations where they belong and share ideas, values, and morals. It is wrong to limit certain groups’ voices simply because they do not fit into the school's definition of diversity, equality, and inclusivity. After all, it requires student organizations to limit their speech to have a chance to acquire funding. With the proposal above, we can finally have a place where everyone has a voice. If it isn’t fixed, I fear new students will seek college elsewhere; if the exchange of ideas cannot happen on college campuses, it will only worsen our nation's political and disagreement divide. To prevent that from happening, it would be best to see the change implemented by the Fall 2024 semester.
Our campus should be the front line of fixing the issue since we are the friendliest campus in the nation. Let us show the country what it means to be a Wildcat together. I would like to meet with you to discuss this proposal and steps for implementation. Please let me know your availability for either this week or next.
EMAW,
Thomas Adcock Chairman Kansas State Young Americans for Freedom
[1]
“Kansas State University - The Princeton Review College Rankings & Reviews,” accessed November 10, 2023, https://www.princetonreview.com/college/kansas-state-university-1023722?ceid=find-college-se arch. (Rankings chart) [2]
“List Of Groups,” accessed November 10, 2023, https://orgcentral.k-state.edu/club_signup?group_type=9999. [3]
“CampusGroups,” accessed November 10, 2023, https://orgcentral.k-state.edu//Funds/survey?survey_uid=efb38a5b-bea1-11ed-88c0-0a68a752a54 d&feedback_event_id=&content_type=&content_type_id=. [4]
“Funding,” accessed November 10, 2023, https://www.k-state.edu/sga/funding/index.html.
[5]
“Notice of Nondiscrimination,” accessed November 10, 2023, https://www.k-state.edu/nondiscrimination/. [6]
“Student Services Fee Breakdown,” accessed November 10, 2023, https://www.k-state.edu/sga/student_services_fee/. [7]
“The Power of Diversity Is in Diversity of Thought | Psychology Today,” accessed November 10, 2023, https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/empathy-and-relationships/202206/the-power-diversit y-is-in-diversity-thought.
[8]
“Free Speech on College Campuses | House Judiciary Committee Republicans.” n.d. Accessed November 27, 2023. https://judiciary.house.gov/committee-activity/hearings/free-speech-college-campuses-1.(Jasmyn Jordon testimony) [9]
“Student Allocations.” n.d. Accessed November 10, 2023. https://www.k-state.edu/sga/funding/student-allocations/index.html. [10] PPM Chapter 3010: Policy Prohibiting Discrimination, Harassment, and Sexual Harassment, and Procedure for Reviewing Complaints | Policy and Procedures Manual | Kansas State University,” accessed December 1, 2023, https://www.k-state.edu/policies/ppm/3000/3010.html. [11] “Kansas State University - The Princeton Review College Rankings & Reviews,” accessed November 10, 2023, https://www.princetonreview.com/college/kansas-state-university-1023722?ceid=find-college-se arch. (Rankings chart) [12] “PPM Chapter 3010: Policy Prohibiting Discrimination, Harassment, and Sexual Harassment, and Procedure for Reviewing Complaints | Policy and Procedures Manual | Kansas State University,” accessed December 1, 2023, https://www.k-state.edu/policies/ppm/3000/3010.html. [13] “Funding,” accessed November 10, 2023, https://www.k-state.edu/sga/funding/index.html. [14] “The Power of Diversity Is in Diversity of Thought | Psychology Today,” accessed November 10, 2023, https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/empathy-and-relationships/202206/the-power-diversit y-is-in-diversity-thought. [15] “College Student Views on Free Expression and Campus Speech 2022,” Knight Foundation, accessed December 1, 2023, https://knightfoundation.org/reports/college-student-views-on-free-expression-and-campus-speec h-2022/. [16] October 21 and 2020, “Kansas State Ranked Highest among Public Universities for Free Speech in New Report,” The College Fix, October 21, 2020, https://www.thecollegefix.com/bulletin-board/kansas-state-ranked-highest-among-public-univers ities-for-free-speech-in-new-report/. [17] “All US Students Are Afraid to Speak — and We Should Be Worried,” American Enterprise Institute - AEI (blog), accessed December 1, 2023, https://www.aei.org/articles/all-us-students-are-afraid-to-speak-and-we-should-be-worried/.