U.S. Rep. Mark Green, R-Wis., sent a letter to University of Wisconsin System President Kevin Reilly Wednesday requesting the system rescind a controversial policy he views as "unconstitutional."
Green, a 2006 gubernatorial candidate, criticized the system for backing UW-Eau Claire's recently publicized policy that prohibits resident assistants from leading Bible studies in campus dormitories, and requested Reilly report back to him which UW campuses have similar policies.
UW System spokesperson Doug Bradley said Reilly's office is in the process of accumulating that information from the chancellors, but did acknowledge UW-Madison has a policy very similar to the one to which Green referred.
"I think Eau Claire [actually] based theirs off Madison," Bradley said.
Paul Evans, director of housing at UW-Madison, confirmed that a house fellow on his campus would not be permitted to lead a Bible study in his or her dorm room or in common areas.
"They would not be able to," Evans said. "We ask them not to participate in what we would call promoting a point of view or proselytizing or something like that."
In an interview, Green again stressed he thinks the policy in both Eau Claire and Madison is unconstitutional and predicted the system will eventually face a lawsuit.
"The Supreme Court has held that students don't have to surrender their right of religious expression merely for benefits like a stipend for being an RA," he said. "It's wrong. It's out of touch with Wisconsin values and certainly as I've gone around the state … people think this is a crazy policy."
Noting the limited scope of what the policy disallows, Bradley defended the prohibition on RAs leading Bible studies or any other ideological activities in a university residence hall.
"Because of their status and their situation, they are told not to conduct those kind of politically partisan sales and/or religious events in their rooms because of the impact it's going to have on the other kids," he said. "If they want to go to their best friends' room, they can do whatever they want."
Green is not the only Wisconsin legislator expressing concern over these policies, however. State Rep. Scott Suder, R-Abbotsford, often one of UW's most outspoken critics, again demanded the Board of Regents take action to rectify a controversial policy.
"If the regents do not change this policy, the Legislature will get involved and will force the UW to allow this type of Bible study," Suder said. "I hope it doesn't come to that, but the UW is treading on thin constitutional lines here."
Suder called certain administrators in key positions within the university "anti-Christian" and accused the system of not being forthright about the extent of its policy when the news out of Eau Claire first broke.
"It's another example of the UW not being forthright with the Legislature and the public [and] it makes one wonder what other types of bizarre policies are in existence at UW," he said. "I think we need to have a complete audit of the entire system. This seems to be a recurring nightmare when it comes to university policies that seem to be hidden."
Bradley said the system is appreciative of any reasonable questions from reasonable people, and added they would be willing to sit down and reconsider their policies.
"Let's have a civil conversation and an exchange, and if we're agreeing to disagree like civil people do — so be it," Bradley said. "I don't think anybody is served by these kinds of exchanges and the headlines and this sort of bating."
