EXCLUSIVE TO FOX: Rutgers University has come to the defense of an instructor who endorsed an online petition advocating for the dissolution of the university’s Turning Point USA chapter.
Launched earlier this week on Change.org, the petition charges the conservative organization with “fostering hate speech and inciting violence within our community.”
Although Change.org restricts public access to the signature list, each petition includes a dynamic “Recent signers” carousel displayed at the top.
During a surveillance of the “Recent signers” section, Fox News Digital identified Tia Kolbaba, an associate professor of religion at Rutgers, as one of the signers petitioning to eliminate the right-leaning organization.
In a statement to Fox News Digital, a representative from Rutgers affirmed, “Rutgers University is dedicated to ensuring a safe environment for learning, teaching, working, and researching, where every community member can express their opinions without fear of intimidation or harassment.” The statement added that “the university values the essential rights of free speech and academic freedom for students and faculty.”
The statement concluded, “Rutgers does not comment on specific personnel or student conduct matters.”
Kolbaba has not responded to requests for comment.
The petition emerged shortly after the assassination of Turning Point’s founder, Charlie Kirk, during an event at Utah Valley University. The alleged perpetrator, Tyler Robinson, reportedly wrote, “hey fascist, catch!” along with leftist slogans on shell casings.
A representative from the school’s Turning Point chapter criticized the petition on Wednesday.
Ava Kwan, the outreach coordinator for the Rutgers Turning Point USA chapter, told Fox News Digital, “The petition aiming to dissolve our Turning Point chapter is outright defamatory.”
Kwan stated, “The allegations of ‘inciting violence’ and ‘making threats’ are completely untrue. Those claiming we’re suppressing their free speech are ironically attempting to silence us for expressing our views. This hypocrisy is not only ironic but completely absurd.”
Last week, the Turning Point chapter also initiated a petition calling for the dismissal of professor Mark Bray, whom they label “Dr. Antifa.” Bray authored “Antifa: The Anti-Fascist Handbook,” in which he openly advocates for “militant anti-fascism.”
He is also accused of serving as a financier for Antifa, having mentioned in his book that “at least 50 percent of royalties will support the International Anti-Fascist Defense Fund, administered by over three hundred anti-fascists across eighteen countries.”
In the wake of actions taken during the Trump administration to curb Antifa activities, Bray announced his intent to relocate to Spain this week, citing threats to his safety.
Following that, the petition to remove TPUSA at Rutgers indicated that the chapter was blamed for Bray “fearing for the safety of his family due to threats and harassment linked to this group.”
There is no substantiation for that claim, which Kwan dismissed. She stated, “Any dissenting opinion is immediately categorized as ‘hate speech,’ a term manipulated to suppress opposition and safeguard their misleading narrative. This petition, Bray’s flight overseas, and my own doxxing by misguided Rutgers leftists illustrate one reality: they realize they are losing.”
