Iowa State University Fires Employee Over Charlie Kirk Death Social Media Post

Iowa State University terminated financial aid adviser Caitlyn Spencer for a social media post expressing negative remarks about the recent fatal shooting of conservative activist Charlie Kirk, stating Kirk "got what was coming". The university's president, Wendy Wintersteen, cited violations of the Board of Regents’ freedom of expression policy and the Financial Aid Code of Conduct, noting Spencer's conduct caused significant disruption and harm to university operations. The firing followed a directive from the Iowa Board of Regents to investigate social media posts by university employees related to Kirk’s death, which also involved placing implicated employees on administrative leave during investigations. The post gained widespread attention, including a repost by Rudy Giuliani, and sparked calls from political figures like Gov. Kim Reynolds and State Rep. Taylor Collins for strict consequences, emphasizing that celebrating violence should not be tolerated. Spencer has the right to appeal the termination to the Board of Regents. This incident highlights ongoing tensions around free speech, political expression, and professional conduct within public universities in Iowa.