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UWS considers not allowing Christian group as sanctioned student organization
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8/18/2006 |
A Christian student organization is asking UW-Superior to not remove its student organization designation. Mike Simonson reports from Superior.
But some members of student government there say the InterVarsity Christian Fellowship discriminates against non-Christians, and shouldn't get student money. The InterVarsity Christian Fellowship started on UW campuses in the late 1940's...but this is the first time a campus is recommending that the group not be sanctioned as a student organization. InterVarsity member Eric Boerboom says this would be a great loss. "To me, to be able to give that back has been a big part of my life. To lose that, it kind of hurts." At stake is use of the campus and getting student funding. Regional Director Rick Mattson says the Christian voice belongs on campus. He says InterVarsity is open to people of all faiths, but leaders have to be Christian. "We want to have the ability to elect our own leaders who hold our own values, just like any other organization does. To me anyway, that's what true diversity on campus is. You have this multiplicity of organizations, voices, groups." The decision is up to the UW-Superior Student Senate. A committee has already recommended InterVarsity Christian Fellowship not be recognized as a student group. Student President Stefan Fletcher says by allowing only Christians as leaders, they may violate student funding regulations. "The intent of student government should never, ever be to purposely alienate the student body. I set out this year with an agenda of welcoming everyone and trying to incorporate and collaborate with as many people as possible. And we are still going to try to do that." Fletcher says a final decision probably won't come until October, after he gets a ruling from the UW System legal department. If InterVarsity is kicked out of student life, UW-Superior would be the first UW campus to take that action.
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