H 81°, L 61° | Tomorrow: 
H 81°, L 62°Student speech codes were supposed to be a thing of the past on this campus. But sometimes the causes of repression continue to rear their problematic heads — often in a different form.
Last semester, University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire resident assistant Lance Steiger sued his college and the UW System in federal court — and rightfully so — for violating his First Amendment rights to free expression and freedom of religion after prohibiting him from leading Bible studies in his room.
The controversy began when Mr. Steiger was sent a letter last summer stating that his actions were in violation of university policy.
In addition to notifying him that he was violating policy, UW-Eau Claire Associate Director of Housing and Residence Life Deborah Newman stated in her letter to Mr. Steiger, "It is very important to us that these students still feel that they can turn to you in a crisis, for information, or for support and hopefully that they would not feel judged or pushed in a direction that does not work for them."
While Mr. Steiger was engaging in these Bible studies, other RAs also engaged in actions the policy supposedly prohibited, including the sponsoring of "The Vagina Monologues" on campus. But only Mr. Steiger was told to cease his activity.
Somehow tales of feminism, sexual liberation and postmodern political thought give me the willies and push me "in a direction that does not work" for me. What do you say about that Ms. Newman? Students need to realize that college is preparation for the real world. There is a constitutional right to freedom of religion and expression, but there is no constitutional protection to feel "comfortable."
Unfortunately, because of the selective enforcement of the policy, UW-Eau Claire has sent a strong message that certain political statements and "The Vagina Monologues" are protected speech — while the Bible is not.
An institution of higher education — and a supposed "marketplace of ideas" — should be the last place where administrators selectively enforce a policy based on their political agenda.
While much attention has focused on the housing policy at UW-Eau Claire, this problem hits closer to home. UW-Madison has a similar RA policy against holding Bible studies, which the administration has been steadfast in defending. I originally believed this university was just plain ignorant of the basic principles of the First Amendment. But then I sought out a more plausible explanation — discrimination.
This wouldn't be the first time institutions within the UW System have slammed the door on Christianity while embracing other ideas such as sexual liberation. Last semester, the University of Wisconsin Roman Catholic Foundation was repeatedly denied funding by the Student Services Finance Committee while other organizations with religious affiliations such as the Jewish Cultural Coalition escaped the funding eligibility process unscathed.
The university gave a significant amount of funding to Sex Out Loud to fund "sexual facilitators" such as sex toys, porn, erotica, role-playing and S&M for students and dental dams for the Campus Women's Center — all paid for by student segregated fees. But UWRCF had to vehemently fight to receive funding, including two appearances before the Student Judiciary.
Last December, UW System President Kevin Reilly announced he would form a committee to assess "the appropriate level of involvement of RAs in leading and organizing activities for students who live in the residence halls."
Unfortunately, the committee charged with making recommendations regarding the RA policy — which was void of any student input — failed to produce any sound guidance or advice to the System.
Not surprisingly, Mr. Reilly has not decided when he will make a final decision on the RA Bible study ban. And don't expect him to make a decision any time soon. If Mr. Reilly was genuinely interested in protecting the marketplace of ideas we have come to expect at an institution of UW's caliber — regardless of the speech's popularity — the unconstitutional ban would have already been lifted.
The committee punted the issue, and, unfortunately, Mr. Reilly is not there to catch to ball. Meanwhile, student freedoms are once again taking a backseat to political correctness on this campus.
Darryn Beckstrom ([email protected]) is a doctoral student in the department of political science and a second-year MPA candidate in the La Follette School of Public Affairs.
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The UWRCF was denied funding not because of who they are, but because of how they spend the money, and they’re unwillingness to follow University & State rules on bookkeeping. UWRCF feels that once awarded funds they are no longer responsible to the students, which is flat out wrong. they feel that they don’t need to report how the $21,000 budgeted for salaries is actually spent. or the $16,000 for printing, or office & program supplies. The SSFC is just trying to keep groups that receive Seg fee funding accountable to the students.
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What is this, the third time? Would you shut up about this bible study thing already? This is another example of a stupid, trivial, nonsubstantive issue that you people use to rile up your room temperature IQ base to keep them from thinking about real issues…gay marriage anyone?
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Yawwwwwwwwwn
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Ok… Darryn… You’re a Ph.D. student. There are some things you should be able to figure out.
First, the school gives money to Sex Out Loud because there are potentially major consequences if you have a bunch of 17, 18 and 19 year old kids come to college and they aren’t given all the information necessary to decide, first, if they want to have sex, and second, how to have safe sex if they decide to do so. Teen pregnancy, STDs, etc. There’s a reason why the religious right has a higher teen pregnancy rate than their moderate and leftest secular (or at least rational) counterparts.
Second, while I’m not sure I necessarily agree with not allowing RA’s to lead Bible studies from their rooms, I understand it. Anything an RA appears to sponsor can have an heir of some sort of authority to it. Also, as a secular moderate Jew, there are a lot of issues I would not feel comfortable going to an RA with if I knew that he was an extremely devout Christian on the far right. Obviously, it’s potential that this guy leads a very moderate Bible study group, and he may be very open minded, but there is a comfort issue. Also, the school is not saying that he cannot lead or join any Bible Group he wants. They are just saying he can’t hold meetings for them in his room.
And, honestly, I’m a little sick of the Protestant community claiming how they are being discriminated against. You can’t hold a prayer meeting in an RA’s dorm room? You aren’t told Merry Christmas when you enter every store on Christmas? Ooooh. Big freaking deal. I’ve been called the k-word on several occasions and been told I am going to hell because I don’t believe that Jesus is my savior more times than I can remember. I don’t have a single black friend who hasn’t been called the N-word derogatorily. I don’t have a single Muslim friend who isn’t discriminated against on an almost weekly basis.
In other words, you have no idea what discrimination is. Not in this country, at least. You and your ancestors have never been told you can’t live, work, or attend school somewhere because of your race or religion. That is the history of all of the groups I mentioned above. Don’t try and make yourself out as a persecuted majority. You aren’t.
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Once again: Christians are not persecuted in the U.S., unless your definition of persecution is “not being the state religion.” Stop pretending you’re living under Caesar Augustus.
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“Unfortunately, the committee charged with making recommendations regarding the RA policy — which was void of any student input — failed to produce any sound guidance or advice to the System.”
The committee did in fact include three student government leaders from around the state.
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Keep up the good fight…how comical and hypocritical that the gay rights guy would bemoan the tired, hackneyed approach to this issue while calling for yet another discussion on the need for gay marriage.
Of course, he’s from the Daily Cardinal.
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Michael Malcolm,
So you are saying that free speech/individual liberty issues on public university campuses are not important? Wow. I can’t think of anything more important to the modern university!
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Darryn, you are sooooooo right on the money—as always!
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I still have a Help Wanted Irish need not apply sign that my grandfather removed from a window in the 1920’s so by that logic I never have to do anything on my own again as my ancestery was treated poorly by another ethnic group. Give me a break. In some places back East and in Wisconsin you find communities where people of Irish decent are called white N**.
If you are a minority in the U.S. or Jewish go be poor in Europe and you will finally understand how little discrimination occurs in the best country in the world. Try and be Jewish or Black in Austria and find an apartment to rent. They are allowed to tell you no based on race. I have a buddy who lived 40 miles outside of Salzburg and drove into work because as a Bulgarian he wasn’t white enough.
As far as an RA goes who cares, my RA could have been smoking crack as long as I didn’t get busted with a keg in my room I didn’t care what he/she was doing. In fact the best RA’s pitched in for the keg. The worst had D&D nights in their room where again, I didn’t go. If they want to cast spells as wicken hold 6 times a day muslim prayer sessions it is not the business of the university to tell them they can not. If they compel students to attend and threaten them with consequences then they should be tossed. The University System would not have acted the same way if an RA held a gay, lesbian not sure still deciding meeting in their room and that is the point. You can’t kick relegious wacko’s in the groin and let the same behaviours be trumpted and cheered because the group happens to have a liberal leaning.
As for bookkeeping arguements that would be a neat angle to take if all the other student groups were not so pathetic at presenting their own budgets. They all lack anything approaching decent accounting practices but are learning how to run the education department for the DNC in the future.
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No - read the comment again, nice and sloooowly this time. Gay marriage is another example of an idiotic nonissue that Republicans harp on to get dumb rednecks to show up to vote.
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It would be different if I didn’t think that any attempt by a witch to have a similar study session wouldn’t have you calling for a good old fashioned burning at the stake.
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by the way, you are going to hell if you dont believe Jesus is your savior…. sorry anonymous jew
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Lets see last time people were burned at the stake was…..now we celebrate them once a week on the WB while watching charmed. I know people who declare themselves withces, other than making fun of them behind their backs I could care less. 9pm anynomous you are projecting your anxiety on to others which is why you fear some dorkie RA holding a bible study meeting in his room. Because his views scare you, or judge you, you want to crush them. Stop assuming that the collective we are as closed minded as you. Not every conservative is Jerry Falwell.
Now of course if she was wearing a pointy hat and had a witches nose we would be in a Monty Python sketch, which would require a good….
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You did go to your RA’s room for D&D night, we all know the truth…
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I just fundamentally don’t get it. Why the big comparison between the Bible and “feminism, sexual liberation and postmodern political thought”? You are a PhD student in American Politics, surely you have read the Constitution. I don’t remember seeing a separation between feminism and state in there, do you?