YAF rebuffs USG guest speakers amendment


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Students from Young Americans for Freedom and other student groups on campus voiced their concerns for a new USG amendment that would allow USG to pull funding for guest speakers. (Krystal Gallegos/Daily Trojan)

Members of Young Americans for Freedom and other student groups voiced concerns over a proposed bylaw amendment that would allow the Undergraduate Student Government to pull funding from guest speaker events specifically on the basis of campus safety. YAF is the organization responsible for hosting conservative commentator Ben Shapiro on campus in October.

“The moment you cross from a legislative duty into one of moral authority — to me that’s a form of corruption,” said Josh Masters, a senior majoring in animation and digital arts. “I don’t want to see that happen at this school.” Masters, who spoke in opposition to the amendment, is not a YAF member.

The bylaw amendment proposes that guests who pose a threat to student safety may be subject to approval through a senate vote. Students will be given 10 business days to file a petition against funding for guest speakers through USG.

A petition may be approved if it is proven that the speaker has encouraged violence from audiences or supported and received endorsements from hate groups. For the guest speaker to lose funding from USG, the petition must also receive at least a two-thirds vote from senators.

“The common goal is to keep the dialogue but you want to feel OK having these controversial speakers on campus,” senate aide Adenike Makinde said. “We’re not here to put something up and have no one say anything about it.”

Makinde, a freshman majoring in real estate development, suggested the idea of the amendment to Sen. Meagan Lane after Shapiro’s visit to USC. According to current bylaws, all guest speakers brought on campus qualify for USG funding.

The conservative commentator’s appearance sparked controversy throughout campus. Cultural groups including the Black, Latinx and Asian Pacific American student assemblies objected to USG funding of the event. Students protested on Trousdale Parkway throughout the day of the visit while the line for the event stretched from Bovard Auditorium to Jefferson Boulevard.

“We want to make sure students are put into situations where they’re allowed to have those conversations but [are] not afraid of their safety,” Makinde said.

Despite students’ objections during the meeting, the bylaw amendment was not discussed by senators since it was not budgeted for the meeting’s agenda. Makinde said Lane, who officially proposed the bylaw amendment, and YAF chairman Maxwell Brandon may meet later to discuss conflicts over the proposed legislation.

A previous version of this article contained an error. The article stated Josh Masters was a sophomore. Masters is a senior. The Daily Trojan regrets the error.