Posted on 12/21/2003 6:18:45 AM PST by madprof98
If there were any place that would embrace her Christian, anti-abortion student club without hesitation, Ashley Horne figured it would be Gonzaga University, a 116-year-old Jesuit school in Spokane and one of the Northwest's leading Catholic institutions.
But to her surprise, Gonzaga's Student Bar Association (SBA) has refused to recognize her Pro-Life Law Caucus as a university-sponsored group, ruling that the club would discriminate because only Christians can hold leadership positions in the organization.
"We live in a strange age, indeed, when a Catholic, Jesuit university would deny a Christian pro-life group recognition because its religious nature is considered discriminatory," said Greg Lukianoff, spokesman for the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education (FIRE), a Philadelphia-based group that considers itself a watchdog for students' rights on college campuses.
The unusual debate started this fall when Horne and Katie Hauck, both second-year law students, formed a club to promote an anti-abortion agenda and assist a crisis-pregnancy center in Spokane.
To enhance the club's profile, the students requested affiliation with the Student Bar Association (SBA), which represents law-school students and sponsors clubs and other activities for them.
Official recognition would entitle the group to money from student fees and to be mentioned on the university's Web page and in the student handbook.
The Pro-Life Law Caucus has about 20 members.
While membership is open to all students, the group's bylaws stipulate that only Christians can become club officers — president, vice president, secretary or treasurer.
The SBA considered that discrimination against non-Christians and denied the request.
The issue is not the group's stance on abortion; it's about discrimination, said SBA President Albert Guadagno. Leadership positions, he said, should be open to all students.
About 45 percent of Gonzaga's 5,800 students are not Catholic, and campus spokesman Peter Tormey said the university administration agrees with the SBA ruling.
"Any club seeking funds must not discriminate. This club has that discriminatory clause," Tormey said.
Lukianoff, acting as an advocate for the club, said Gonzaga's nondiscrimination policy states that the school "reserves the right to take religious faith into consideration where it is deemed appropriate."
What sort of campus clubs are permitted and which students can belong to them is a widely debated issue nationwide, most recently at Rutgers University in New Brunswick, N.J., and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, both public institutions.
FIRE recently fought Rutgers for attempting to revoke the group charter of a student Christian group over the same issue. The case was settled last spring, with the university allowing the group to continue to operate and allowing members to choose leaders based on their religious beliefs.
Lukianoff said the Gonzaga case is unusual because most similar student-rights debates are taking place at public universities.
"It's surprising that a religious school would not (recognize) a Christian group," agreed Horne, the club's co-founder.
Lukianoff wants Gonzaga's administration to intervene and grant the group official status, which would enable the club to use university facilities for meetings and allow the group to be called Gonzaga Pro-Life Law Caucus.
The group had to drop Gonzaga from its name after it was told it could not affiliate itself with the university.
Horne said the club is still operating and recently held a baby-supply drive for a crisis-pregnancy center that promotes alternatives to abortion, such as adoption.
Tan Vinh: 206-515-5656 or tvinh@seattletimes.com
Copyright © 2003 The Seattle Times Company
It would make sense if it were the "Christian Law Group." But, can't non-Christians also be be Pro Life? Shouldn't *everyone*, regardless of their religious beliefs, be Pro Life?
Therein lies the problem.
SS. Do you not think they should be able to set their own rules?
Do you not believe in the freedom of association?
SS. Yea right?(saccasm off)
Do you think they let a person be president , sit on the board or much less be a member of any group on campus like,lets say the Homosexual lesbian alliance, ( made up for discussion purpose) who would hold views contrary to theirs. These groups discriminate all the time, And collect those same fees. Every one of those groups have "thought discrimination" but thats ok just don't say you need to be a christian cause thats wrong. And the money in the till is the christians too. Just don't give them any, right?
I know for personal experience that the Gonzaga community reaches out to all. I was not a Catholic when I studied there, though I converted to Catholicism six years ago. My religious preference was not a factor in their treatment of me. Every trip I make back to the campus is like a welcome homecoming, because Gonzaga was my home for four years.
To me, the principle is simple: if you're going to ask for funds paid from student fees, you can't discriminate as to who's a member, or an officer, of that organization. OTOH, I can't imagine the University ever allowing student funds for an organization that espouses views that contradict the mission of the University, or the Church.
As to Al Gore speaking on campus, I was unaware that he had. However, if he was a Senator, or Vice President, at the time, I can't see how you could un-invite the man, especially if he was speaking at the Foley Center.
Father Spitzer took action immediately when he heard of the V-Monologues coming to campus, and booted them off campus. Also, he prohibited the NOW Gang from using campus facilities for promotion of their causes. The soul of Father Spitzer comes through handsomely in his book, Healing the Culture.
Gonzaga, OTOH, has welcomed Rev. Jesse Peterson on campus.
I cannot speak about the liberal nature of other Jesuit campuses. I can only speak from my knowledge and experience that Gonzaga is definitely not liberal, as we construe the word today.
Gonzaga is the jewel of the Inland Empire, and I would be proud to send my children there.
Of course they can. People are free to be narrow minded if they want to be.
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