The Northwestern University student government overwhelmingly passed a resolution for the recusal of the school’s chairman of the Board of Trustees from its presidential search committee because of his conservative views.
“J. Landis Martin donated $30,000 to ‘Trump Victory,’ a PAC supporting Donald Trump’s campaign for President of the United States in 2016,” the resolution reads. “Donald Trump has demonstrated significant ableism, sexism, racism, xenophobia, and homophobia and transphobia, both prior to and during his presidency.”
The resolution goes on to explain that financial support of PACs or candidates “are made primarily to ‘support the candidate that shares their views.’”
“Northwestern University students are a diverse population that identify with many of the groups that Donald Trump harmed during his campaign and presidency,” the resolution continued. “The 2020 ASG survey demonstrates that the median student at Northwestern identifies with a Left political ideology.”
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“The conservative political ideology of Donald Trump, including those that support him, do not align with the views of the average Northwestern undergraduate,” the resolution concluded.
The resolution passed with a 17-1 vote, the lone nay vote coming from the College Republicans senator, David Grow. Grow said he voted against it because “the legislation does not account for Republicans on campus.”
The resolution also demands Martin’s position on the committee remain unfilled. If it must be filled, the resolution demands the new candidate be chosen by recommendation of the Associated Student Government executive board.
Martin, a successful businessman and Northwestern alumnus, was elected to chairman on the Northwestern Board of Trustees in 2017. Martin was first elected to the board in 1999, rising to vice-chairman before his election to chairman.
Martin has donated millions of dollars to his alma mater over the years, including a $15 million donation to support Northwestern Athletics and Recreation. As a result, the university’s renovated soccer and lacrosse field, Lanny and Sharon Martin Stadium, was named in his honor.
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But Martin has also been a controversial figure on campus for his conservative views, most notably after the school’s student-run newspaper, The Daily Northwestern, published a story noting he has a history of supporting GOP politicians such as Lindsey Graham, Marco Rubio, Ted Cruz, and Jeb Bush.
Northwestern University did not immediately respond to the Washington Examiner’s request for comment.
