Utah Valley University to create Charlie Kirk memorial, conduct independent review of assassination

OREM, Utah (ABC4) — Utah Valley University (UVU) is looking to strengthen safety practices after the assassination of conservative political activist Charlie Kirk at the university’s campus on Sept. 10. The Utah college will also be forming a committee tasked with creating a memorial in Kirk’s honor.

UVU announced today, Sept. 22, that they are initiating a “comprehensive independent review with an external organization” in order to bolster safety protocols at the university. Through this review, the university seeks to shed light on the assassination and how it may have been prevented, as well as ways to improve their response to violence moving forward.

“We believe the findings of the comprehensive, third-party independent review of this targeted act of violence will offer valuable insights on how college campuses improve response and preparedness moving forward,” said Astrid S. Tuminez, president of UVU. “We will integrate the findings into our efforts to strengthen and improve safety practices for UVU and all of Utah higher education.”

UVU will be offering support through mental health services and additional resources through the semester. They also affirmed their commitment to “free speech, intellectual inquiry and constructive dialogue,” a university press release states.

In addition to their efforts to strengthen safety protocols and preparedness, the university is forming a committee to develop a memorial in Kirk’s honor. The UVU Memorial Committee will be co-chaired by Scott M. Smith, UVU Board of Trustees chair and Qualtrics co-founder, and Amanda Covington, Utah Board of Higher Education chair. It will also include students and political leaders along with other stakeholders.

“As a committee, we will listen to community voices and carefully consider the many perspectives surrounding this memorial,” said Amanda Covington, committee co-chair. “This is an important process, and we are committed to approaching it with thoughtfulness and respect.”

The college has reportedly received an outpouring of ideas and suggestions for the memorial, including from students, faculty, staff, the community, local and national business leaders, and elected officials. UVU said they are committed to ensuring the community input guides the memorial’s direction.

“As we support our community in the days ahead, we are committed and dedicated to creating a memorial,” said Scott M. Smith, UVU Board of Trustees chair. “We will coordinate with state and local officials, the family of Charlie Kirk, the wider community, the Utah Board of Higher Education, UVU’s Board of Trustees and our students to develop an appropriate long-term plan.”

You can offer your ideas and input on the memorial here.

While a Change.org petition supporting the memorial has gained over 19,000 signatures, a petition opposing the memorial has gained over 11,000 signatures.

The petition opposing the construction of a memorial cites the following reasons:

“Our concerns arise from profoundly disagreeing with his political views, which we believe do not represent the values of inclusivity and diversity,” the petition states. “Charlie Kirk is a controversial political figure known for his divisive rhetoric. His organization, Turning Point USA, has been criticized for promoting messages that some consider homophobic, transphobic, and racist. Many in our community feel that glorifying such a figure with a memorial could send the wrong message to our students, staff, and residents.”

The petition asks UVU and the community to reconsider and reject any plans to honor Kirk with a memorial.

Those supporting the memorial say the community is left with a profound need for healing and reconciliation.

“Charlie Kirk’s words resonate profoundly: ‘When people stop talking, that’s when violence happens,'” their petition states, citing Kirk. “These words encapsulate the nonpartisan vision of a society committed to engaging in dialogue rather than succumbing to division and hate. By establishing a memorial at the site of the shooting, we can create a lasting reminder of the importance of open dialogue and peaceful discourse in our community. This memorial would not only honor Charlie Kirk’s memory but also serve as a constant reminder of the value of communication over violence.”