OPINION & EDITORIAL
Anti-Catholic bias may fuel dispute
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Also by Kyle Szarzynski:
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- Critics ignore Kumar's progressive strides (November 26, 2007)
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- UW leaders ignore religious rights (October 10, 2006)
- Students shouldn't be forced to pay segregated fees (March 8, 2007)
- Neutrality violations rampant in SSFC (December 14, 2005)
- 'Exclusionary' rule unconstitutional (October 18, 2005)
by Kyle Szarzynski
Wednesday, April 25, 2007
Justice, at last.
After a yearlong legal struggle, a federal court has ruled that the University of Wisconsin Roman Catholic Foundation is eligible to receive segregated fee funding. It seems that the final chapter of one of the year's most misunderstood stories has been written.
Denied funding by the Student Service Finance Committee last fall, the UWRCF has since endured a long legal battle with the university. Most students of a secular mindset — like me — have probably instinctually sided against the religious organization. But if you take a step back and let the facts of the case fall into place, it becomes clear that, under the current segregated fee system, UWRCF is entitled to campus funds.
The most frequent criticism of UWRCF is that it is a religious organization. Shouldn't a religious group be ineligible for funding at a public university? And isn't this a violation of the First Amendment? To both questions, the answer is no. UWRCF does not receive money from student tuition and is, therefore, not supplemented by Wisconsin taxpayers. Rather, it receives funding from segregated fees, a financial source independent of government revenue. This practice is constitutionally sound.
Many students may have issues with the current manner in which the Student Services Finance Committee allots funds, or perhaps are opposed to the segregated fee system altogether. While I am certainly not of the latter opinion, such issues are not related to the current eligibility of UWRCF for SSFC funding.
The issue rarely discussed in this case is why UWRCF is being singled out. Other religious groups — including the Hillel, the Muslim Student Association and various Protestant groups — also receive SSFC money, according to Associated Students of Madison documents. According to The Badger Herald, SSFC originally claimed that the UWRCF used "exclusionary" language in its bylaws. UWRCF later removed the material deemed controversial and vigorously asserts that its services are open to all students, including non-Catholics. Therefore, it falls in line with the SSFC's non-discrimination requirement.
Detractors will claim that a Catholic organization — regardless of its officially inclusive status — is obviously unwelcoming to non-Catholics. This may be the case, but such a claim fails to address the identically exclusive nature of other student groups on campus, including other religious ones. Would a Catholic feel at home at the Lutheran Campus Ministry? Probably not.
Nonreligious groups operate in a similar manner. Just as a non-Catholic would likely not join UWRCF, neither would a political conservative join the College Democrats.
Either way, the fact that UWRCF only identifies with a certain segment of the campus population is a moot legal criticism. The 2002 U.S. Supreme Court case, Board of Regents of U. of Wis. v. Southworth, ruled that student activity fees could be dispersed to organizations with which other students have disagreement.
A final and less controversial criticism of UWRCF is that its board has historically had more non-students than students — a violation of SSFC bylaws. A March 9 ruling stated that this made it ineligible for funding. UWRCF has since altered the status of its board, satisfying the only legitimate legal contention against it.
UW's Roman Catholic Foundation may have technically been in violation of SSFC eligibility requirements, but the real reasons for its denial of funding are more complicated.
The Offices of the Dean of Students, for example, has never been a friend of the Catholic group. Speaking before SSFC members in November 2005, UW Interim Associate Dean of Students Elton Crim expressed his belief that UWRCF is unbefitting of segregated fee money. To what extent has SSFC been influenced by this kind of behavior by high-ranking university officials?
Even more suspicious is the manner in which UWRCF was denied funding. If the matter were truly as simple as a lack of students on the group's board, the decision would have been made immediately. The delay raises serious questions about the motivation behind the decision.
Ultimately, UWRCF is now on safe legal ground, as recognized in the recent ruling. Most of the objection to its reception of student money is based on misinformation, or even worse, anti-Catholic bias. It is impossible to ignore that non-Catholic groups have not dealt with similar harassment from the university. In this context, UWRCF's claims of discrimination, at the very least, deserve serious consideration.
Regardless of your political or religious beliefs, the university's treatment of UWRCF should give us all pause.
Kyle Szarzynski (kszarzynski@badgerherald.com) is a sophomore majoring in Spanish and history.
Anonymous (April 25, 2007 @ 2:54am):
If a student group needs seg fee's, they probably shouldn't be getting them. If a group is really that important to it's members, let them fork over their own money to run it.
I understand the need to fund health services, the bus pass/SAFE system and the Unions, but why should the student body be funding social clubs? Next time I feel like going out with my friends, eating some food drinking a few beers, maybe see a hockey game while talking a little politics and religion, should I send the bill to SSFC?
Anonymous (April 25, 2007 @ 7:36am):
Oooh, it gave me pause. I never had a pause like that before. These pauses are a little freaky, if you ask me.
Anonymous (April 25, 2007 @ 8:49am):
Or maybe it's not anti-Catholic bias but the fact that we don't want to give your organization money in order for it to turn around and discriminate against us. Did you ever think of that, smart guy?
Anonymous (April 25, 2007 @ 9:24am):
Catholics have been trouncing on human rights for the past 2000 years. It's time they got what they've been dishing out. I say kick 'em off the campus and let them feel the cold sting of ostracism for once.
Anonymous (April 25, 2007 @ 10:14am):
Would someone please show me a conservative in the LGBT group, which is open to any student just as the RCF, and receives over 58,000 in student fees along with support from other University Dept including the Chancellors office and ODOS.
- Germain E. Stemme
Anonymous (April 25, 2007 @ 10:15am):
Would someone please show me a conservative in the LGBT group, which is open to any student just as the RCF, and receives over 58,000 in student fees along with support from other University Dept including the Chancellors office and ODOS.
- Germain E. Stemme
Anonymous (April 25, 2007 @ 10:33am):
come on. being catholic is so easy. everything is forgiven. give the money to the people who will have to burn in hell instead.
Anonymous (April 25, 2007 @ 10:55am):
In response to 9:24 am's post that "Catholics have been trouncing on human rights for the past 2000 years.." a quick look at the works of service that all Christians generally undertake for the oppressed in society will change your belief. As for as Catholics go, study up on Catholic Social Justice and its teachings to help all of society's downtroden and voiceless. Sure, there have been terrible things done by people within the Church, but to only consider the smaller number of poor decisions and not the generous attitude and works of Catholics and Christians would not do justice to the incredible progress that has been made in the name of Christ.
Anonymous (April 25, 2007 @ 11:26am):
America is a bigoted country. The "liberals" in Madison are just as big of bigots as the people they like to attack, they just direct their bigotry at religion and wealth and status.
It's may be less harmful to society as a whole to be bigoted against the majority or against the ones in control, but it's no less immoral.
Anonymous (April 25, 2007 @ 11:54am):
I hope some people will take a look at the involvement that the Chancellor had in this. He doesn't understand the law in so many respects. How many errors can you find below?
This is from the UWRCF complaint filed in federal court detailing a letter that Wiley sent to student government leaders:
78. Defendant Wiley stated that because "segregated fees represent a component of state monies . . . numerous aspects of the funding approved for [UWRCF] potentially violate" the" Establishment Clause of the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution." Defendant Wiley noted several "items of concern" in UWRCF's budget, including: religious activities of the organization, personnel who may support the "on-going operations of a religious organization"
Anonymous (April 25, 2007 @ 11:56am):
Hey 10:55, what have Catholics done to combat anti-Semitism? Catholics were the first anti-Semites. And what about gay rights? I have yet to hear a single dedicated Catholic speak up for gays. Native-Americans, there's another demographic that's consistently gotten the cold shoulder from Catholics. And the pedophile priest scandal became headlines, we learned that one Catholic diocese after another engaged in the practice of covering it all up.
Yeah, you Catholics sound like a really compassionate bunch.
Anonymous (April 25, 2007 @ 11:57am):
Repent, Catholics, or burn in eternal hellfire!
Anonymous (April 25, 2007 @ 2:16pm):
11:55's comments reaffirm a generally bias stance when looking at Christians in that only the perceived negative aspects of it are considered, not some of the positive impacts Christians have on society. For instance, how much Christians care for the poor and actually try to do something about it as seen in the incrediblely large Christian charities and the service to homeless and hungry by churches. Built within Christianity is the duty to help the poor that is often forgot about by people quick to criticize it.
Anonymous (April 25, 2007 @ 2:18pm):
For the last post, it should be noted that I was referring to 11:56's post not 11:55...oops.
Anonymous (April 25, 2007 @ 2:28pm):
"UWRCF does not receive money from student tuition and is, therefore, not supplemented by Wisconsin taxpayers. Rather, it receives funding from segregated fees, a financial source independent of government revenue."
seg fees = tuition dollars
Where in that equation does it say that UWRCF is NOT funded by tuition?
Anonymous (April 25, 2007 @ 3:16pm):
Bookmark this and surf there every day.
http://www.ffrf.org/day/
"My own view on religion is that of Lucretius. I regard it as a disease born of fear and as a source of untold misery to the human race."
-- Bertrand Russell, "Has Religion Made Useful Contributions to Civilization?" (1930)
"Talking to god is crazy.
Hearing god is schizophrenia.
Acting on it is insanity."
"Faith may be defined briefly as an illogical belief in the occurrence of the improbable."
Anonymous (April 25, 2007 @ 5:40pm):
How ironic! Many of these comments miss the very point you are making and have turned this into a catholic bashing party, big surprise. I for one, have been paying very close to the seg fee process and the developments with UWRCF. I don't want to see UWRCF funded, but that is because I don't want to see any org funded by seg fees. It is as deserving as any other group on campus for seg fee money. It is nice to read a column where the author really understands the situation, good work!
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