BUFFALO, N.Y. — Nearly five months later, the battle that consumed UB’s campus continues.
The university’s Young Americans for Freedom chapter filed another lawsuit against the university, alleging a recent policy passed by its student association — that requires club leaders to surrender their right to file a lawsuit against the university in order to maintain club status — violates students' first amendment rights.
“That's unprecedented,” said the student group’s attorney Caleb Dalton. “We haven't seen a policy like this.”
The suit comes in response to another policy that was put in place just three weeks after the chapter hosted its controversial Michael Knowles event that sent the campus into a frenzy.
The policy barred Young Americans for Freedom and certain student groups that were affiliated with national organizations but was revoked by the student association earlier this month after another lawsuit was filed by the conservative student group.
“That underscores why the university really needs to step in and establish overarching policies to prohibit this type of discrimination and unconstitutional behavior in the future,” Dalton said.
A spokesperson for the university told 2 On Your Side that they were not aware of the student association’s changes, but said in a statement that the decision is in its students association’s hands.
“SA is a separate, self-governing non-profit organization, led by elected student leaders who serve and represent undergraduate students at the university,” the statement read. “Elected student leaders develop and establish SA policies independent of the university.”
“That’s the type of policy that organizations or governments put in place when they don't want accountability, and accountability is core to upholding whether its rights or freedoms,” Dalton said.
2 On Your Side reached out to the student association for comment on the policy, but they did not respond to our requests. The student group’s attorney says the university has received the lawsuit and that they are awaiting a response.