@rezynezy Maybe I can put some dressing on your word salad to make it more palatable. Yes, I originally said this was an unforced error by the university to not address the ill-advised rejection of TP that caused poor publicity. Then after the public relations was seen to be bad, just one hour following the Lt. Governor's critical social media post, Pres. Konkol, to his credit, stated in a quick response that the Student Senate had made an error in misinterpreting policy, so he requested they revisit the issue, likely hoping they would reverse their decision.
Now, the senators have needlessly doubled down and repeated their rejection despite the fact that their original reasoning was shown to be mistaken. Apparently, they even voted a third time to override a veto by the senate president. This is what I regard as an unforced error that has the potential as an unnecessary consequence to alienate possible prospective students at a time when Valparaiso University is severely lacking in admission.
an unforced error that has the potential as an unnecessary consequence to alienate possible prospective students at a time when Valparaiso University is severely lacking in admission.
I think it is equally probable that having a TP chapter could alienate possible prospective students. (If a TP chapter is a demonstrable admissions draw, I would like to see that data — from a source other than TP.)
But both statements are equally impossible to validate. And this will all blow over once the TP crew find a new campus on which to declare themselves victims of censorship.
Though I do think there is something beautiful in a student body exercising its right to self-determination, even against what might have been some top-down pressure to make this go away by passing it (hence the student body president’s veto). If there are 30-40 students who want a chapter, they should join student senate. Change the system from within. That’s how democracy works, and the “civic education” crowd ought to know that.
I think it is equally probable that having a TP chapter could alienate possible prospective students.
Evidence everywhere seems to indicate a TP chapter would be more of a draw for prospective students rather than a detriment, especially at a Christian school like Valparaiso. Considering the current state of the university's admission stats, I think it would be worthwhile.
According to an objective search by AI:
"There are now more than 900 colleges with active TPUSA chapters, and 38 collegiate chapters in Indiana.
Indiana University, Bloomington, has a very active chapter with significant growth (membership nearly tripled to around 360+ in late 2025, and events like hosting major speakers continue).
Purdue University has an active and growing chapter, with membership surging (at least tripled), requiring larger venues for events; official presence via BoilerLink student org portal.
Indiana University, Indianapolis, has an active chapter with reported interest drawing new members.
Ball State University has an active chapter, hosted memorials/events (e.g., Charlie Kirk vigil in 2025) and has social media presence (@tpusaballstate).
Butler University has a recognized chapter (approved spring 2025 or earlier), that hosted speakers like state senate candidates in 2026.
Indiana State University has a registered student organization listed on the campus engagement platform.
Saint Mary's College (Notre Dame) approved/recognized a chapter in spring 2026."
an objective search by AI:
Nope, try again. I’m looking for actual sources, not biome-killing aggregates that are likely scraping biased info. And these factoids don’t demonstrate any impact on campus enrollment.
an objective search by AI:
Nope, try again. I’m looking for actual sources, not biome-killing aggregates that are likely scraping biased info.
Cited sources by AI include Indiana Public Radio, Indy Star, Inside Higher Ed, Ed Week, AAUP, Fortune Magazine, and the university newspapers of each school mentioned in addition to TPUSA public records.
TPUSA is the least of Valpo’s concerns right now.
@valpopal An English prof citing AI is wild. Just because it cites sources doesnt mean a whole lot of anything. Another double standard as you used to preach the benefit of real genuine research and now you dont do even that. You cannot blatantly trust the resources AI gives you as it can and will jumble up its sources to fit the prompt you are asking it. It synthesizes the information to give you an answer that you will be satisfied with. Not necessarily one that is true.
The student body said no and offered solutions. You seem to ignore such because it doesnt fit your narrative.
YOu once again double down on your buzzword soup and word babble and dont even attempt to refute anyone. All you do is attempt to hold yourself on a pedestal of superiority. There is no dressing to the word salad. There is no unforced error. In fact. The school has barely seen any coverage since this nonissue was brought to light. If anything you are the one keeping this "issue" in the forefront. 1 article in the span of 2 weeks since the LT GOV made a statement
@valpopal “cited sources” do not include evidence that a TP chapter increases University enrollment by even a single student.
@rezynezy You are correct that I am an expert with decades of precisely citing sources and correcting others, which was exactly why I purposely mentioned the information I provided came from sources searched by AI for a social media forum. That is called transparent honesty and research integrity. For further transparency, since you asked, my prompt was merely the following objective question: "How many universities have TPUSA chapters and which ones are in Indiana?"
@valpopal And Like I said. Those sources are often synthesized to provide an answer that best fits your data. Your simple prompt is not as you claim. A simple prompt. A prompt must be carefully crafted in a method we call "Prompt Engineering" in order to avoid some of the issues caused from AI not truly being an unbiased source. Even then it is near impossible to remove such bias. simply asking a prompt "how many" or "Give me a source for" can come with a large multitude of other factors caused by either the data others trained the AI source to perceive, or by your own training of the AI with previous prompts. Those previous inquiries are saved to provide what I outlined above. A tailored answer that you will be satisfied with. Not an answer that is necessarily correct or well researched. You can clearly see this inside of your provided answer as your prompt generated extra fluff that would satisfy you. This fluff may be true, but the very reason it was given to you in the first place was because of this careful tailoring of the reply to your interests. I asked AI the same prompt. THis was the reply I generated with my data
Total number of universities with TPUSA chapters
The conservative student organization Turning Point USA (TPUSA) reports about 900 college chapters across the United States as of 2025. Independent reporting generally confirms a similar range, estimating roughly 800–900 universities with active TPUSA chapters.
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≈800–900 universities: commonly cited estimate for active college chapters.
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≈900 chapters: figure frequently stated in TPUSA materials.
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TPUSA also reports ~1,200 high-school chapters, but those are separate from universities.
So the best-supported answer:
About 800–900 U.S. universities host TPUSA chapters.
Universities in Indiana with TPUSA chapters
Publicly documented TPUSA chapters in Indiana include:
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Ball State University
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Indiana University
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Purdue University
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Purdue University Northwest
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University of Indianapolis
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Valparaiso University
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Saint Mary's College (chapter approved again for 2026)
These are examples of universities in Indiana where a TPUSA chapter has existed or been documented in chapter directories or reports.
✅ Summary
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U.S. universities with TPUSA chapters: about 800–900
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Indiana universities with chapters (known examples):
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Ball State
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Indiana University
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Purdue
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Purdue Northwest
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University of Indianapolis
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Valparaiso University
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Saint Mary’s College
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✅ If you want, I can also show:
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A complete map/list of every Indiana campus with conservative or TPUSA-style groups, or
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Which Indiana campuses recently approved or denied TPUSA chapters (there have been several controversies).
However since we are on the topic of sources. Here is one that outlines the hostile nature of partisanship in school environments.
I would also hardly call AI integrity of research as there is no integrity to talk about with a prompt manufactured from the data you have given the source and not from a truly scholarly nature
https://idea.gseis.ucla.edu/publications/files/diverse-democracy-report
... since we are on the topic of sources. Here is one that outlines the hostile nature of partisanship in school environments.
I would also hardly call AI integrity of research as there is no integrity to talk about with a prompt manufactured from the data you have given the source and not from a truly scholarly nature
https://idea.gseis.ucla.edu/publications/files/diverse-democracy-report
First, I never claimed AI as "integrity of research"; in fact, I stated the opposite, that transparently revealing my information came from AI was "research integrity." Second, you offer an apparently disguised political publication that supposedly "outlines the hostile nature of partisanship" but seems written as a hostile partisan document, which is evident in the paper's intro that declares: "Specifically, public schools are targets of conservative political groups"; and the conclusion that rails against national and local "conservative pressure that borders on harassment and bullying." In any case, my position had to do with welcoming students simply to possibly increase the anemic enrollment numbers, which is where I would like to keep the focus, and I avoided any political commentary, which this forum prohibits.
PS: Thank you for verifying my AI search with your own that also lists 800-900 college chapters nationally and identifies specific Indiana colleges with chapters.
Ali-Frazier! Great fight to be sure! Doubt you would find anything close to this level of intellectual debate on any Valley forum.
Ali-Frazier! Great fight to be sure! Doubt you would find anything close to this level of intellectual debate on any Valley forum.
Thank goodness we still have more basketball to get back to and discuss!
