The University of Kansas has been threatened by the Kansas state Senate with a possible loss of $3.1 million in state funding after allegedly obscene materials were used in an undergraduate course.

The measure, a response to the class entitled, “Human Sexuality in Everyday Life,” bans the use of any material considered obscene under Kansas law, a violation of which could potentially result in a loss of state financial support.

According to the Chronicle of Higher Education, material is considered obscene if “an average person applying ‘community standards’ would find it obscene, if it shows certain sexual acts or if it lacks ‘serious literary artistic, educational, political or scientific value.'”

State Senate Republican Susan Wagle, who sponsored the bill, said the class did fit these characteristics, deeming it undeserving of Kansas taxpayer money.

“[The funding loss] came right out of the blue … It is clearly very popular among students,” university spokesman Todd Cohen said, noting the class is consistently filled to its maximum enrollment.

Dennis Dailey, the professor of the course, has taught between 10,000 and 15,000 students in the class, Cohen said. The professor is also known for provoking thought and being passionate about his work, Cohen said, and Dailey has provided students with a very educational, not obscene, forum.

“This isn’t just a peep show, obviously,” Cohen said.

Cohen said Dailey’s class is an elective and that students receive forewarning of the strong material that is studied. All viewing materials are optional, and students who do not feel comfortable with a particular subject can abstain from viewing without hurting their grade, he said.

Sociology professor John D. DeLamater, who teaches a similar and overwhelmingly popular human sexuality course at the University of Wisconsin, also recognizes the merits of such a class.

“Sexuality is a very significant part of people’s lives … Having information will enable the individual to have a more positive set of experiences with people,” he said, noting that sexuality has not only physical importance to it but also emotional and behavioral worth, too.

DeLamater also said instruction on sexual matters can have life-changing results for students. In his estimation, most students are poorly informed in such issues, and in the absence of proper information, students can partake in sexual activities that harm not only themselves but others as well.

In addition, DeLamater sees his class as an introduction to the world of social sciences, and as a result, students see the various scientific, behavioral and biological ways in which to apply the learned material to real life.

UW freshman Sarah Ciurczak said she took the class after friends had recommended it to her.

“I think it’s very applicable [to life] because a lot of the classes you take you don’t care about, but in this class, a lot of questions are answered you wouldn’t usually ask,” she said. “It’s one of the few classes that does apply to you.”