In a recent incident at the University of Delaware, a student television network known as STN49, which operates under the university's Department of Communication, sparked controversy by extending a "special thanks" to "Charlie Kirk's Killer" during the credits of a comedy program.
The university, which is home to the Biden Institute, quickly removed the contentious joke from the episode.
According to The Washington Free Beacon, the credits of the Biweekly Show, a comedy program produced under the university's supervision, included a "special thanks" section with entries such as "COCAINE," "AMNESTY WEEK," "VIOLENCE"and notably, "CHARLIE KIRK'S KILLER."
The episode was uploaded to YouTube on the evening of September 25 and was replaced the following afternoon with a version that omitted the controversial credits.
The episode, however, still contains a dark jest at Kirk, who was assassinated on September 10 while speaking at a Utah college. The show's host, Reed Stoltz, made a comment, "More like Charlie Twerk the way that ass dropped," followed by a skit involving student actors playing President Donald Trump, Vice President JD Vance, a drunken Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, and two soldiers.
A student portraying second lady Usha Vance joined the scene, stating, "Charlies body isnt even cold yet, have some respect."
Nick Miles, the executive director of the Delaware Republican Party, described the incident as "disturbing and unacceptable." He pointed out that the program operates under faculty oversight, uses taxpayer-funded resources, and carries the university's stamp of approval. "
For something like this to make it on air is both disturbing and unacceptable," Miles stated.
The university's response to the incident was swift. A spokesman for the University of Delaware told the Free Beacon that the institution "unequivocally condemns the deeply offensive and insensitive language that appeared in the rolling credits" of the broadcast.
The student group removed the credits after a member of the station raised concerns about offensive language immediately after the episode was livestreamed.
The spokesman emphasized the university's stance, stating, "We want to state clearly that UD does not condone the use of any language that diminishes the value of human life. Respect and civility are core University values." He added that the university remains committed to fostering opportunities for dialogue about civility and the responsibilities that come with free expression in a diverse and inclusive community.
The University of Delaware is not just a center of controversy but also a hub for policy discussion. It houses the Biden Institute, a domestic policy think tank established in 2017 under the leadership of Valerie Biden Owens, the sister of former president Joe Biden, an alumnus of the university.
In 2020, as Biden ran for president, the institute refused to provide the Free Beacon with records regarding its donors. Public universities are typically required to comply with open records laws since they receive taxpayer funding.
The University of Delaware receives over $100 million, but the Biden Institute argued its privately funded.
However, a 2023 Free Beacon review of U.S. Department of Education records found that since the Biden Institute opened in 2017, the University of Delaware had received millions in donations from foreign entities, including China, Saudi Arabia, Oman, and Turkey.
This raises questions about the transparency of the institute's funding and its potential influence on the university's operations and policies.
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