As students prepare for a memorial marking one year since conservative commentator Charlie Kirk was killed — and others prepare to protest — some are asking why the event was being held at Utah Valley University months after the school canceled its commencement speaker over safety concerns.

Turning Point USA’s “Freedom Built to Last Memorial” was scheduled to begin at 6:30 p.m. at the UCCU Center, 800 W. University Parkway. The event was to feature a lineup of conservative speakers who the organization says will carry on Kirk’s legacy.

The memorial comes months after UVU announced in April that keynote commencement speaker author and educator Sharon McMahon would no longer speak at graduation. That decision came after McMahon faced criticism over comments she had posted on social media following Kirk’s shooting at UVU.

While the event was being held on the UVU campus, Sharon Turner, a spokesperson for the university, said the event is not sponsored or affiliated with the university, nor was it promoted by the school.

The UCCU Center is owned by UVU, which operates the venue through an interlocal agreement with Utah County, according to the university’s 2025 financial report. The agreement requires at least 40% of the center’s use to be for public or community events in exchange for the county’s financial contribution.

That’s why the 8,000-seat arena, which is home to UVU’s Wolverines basketball teams, also hosts concerts, expos, galas and other community events, according to the center’s website.

When the arena isn’t being used for athletics, other organizations can rent the space, Turner said, and the university “does not endorse the third-party activities” presented there.

UVU President Jon Anderson said earlier this week that allowing the group on campus aligns with the school’s requirements to allow any organization to host an event regardless of a group’s affiliations.

Although it is not a school-sponsored event, Anderson said the university reviewed plans for it and is providing security based on the event’s size and potential for controversy.

Any security supplemented by the university would be for outside of the event, Turner said, and inside is entirely up to the renter.

In light of the anniversary of Kirk’s death, UVU closed its Orem campus Thursday and canceled classes to “provide time and space for reflection.”

The decision to host the memorial at UVU has drawn opposition from some students.

UVU’s Students for a Democratic Society club scheduled a protest for 6:15 p.m., shortly before the memorial was to begin. More than 600 people also signed an open letter to Anderson arguing that by allowing Turning Point USA to hold the event on campus, he is aligning himself with the organization.

Turner said in a statement that “UVU, including its leaders speaking on behalf of the institution, does not take official positions on political, social, or cultural issues unless they directly impact our mission, operations or core values.”

She added that the university “remains committed to free expression and constructive dialogue” while making sure those conversations can happen “safely and respectfully.”