Policy passed by the UW System Board of Regents Friday will allow student organizations to deny membership to students who do not sign an affirmation confirming they subscribe to the basic beliefs of the organization.
The decision comes in the wake of federal lawsuits filed by the UW-Superior chapter of the InterVarsity Christian Fellowship and the UW Roman Catholic Foundation against the UW System after being denied student organization status.
Scott Roe, campus director for UW-Madison's chapter of the campus Christian group Student Impact, said he expects the issue to be resolved so long as the policy is interpreted to give student organizations the right to deny leadership positions based upon an applicant's unwillingness to affirm belief statements.
It seems like this should clear things up,"" Roe said. ""We would have the ability to [choose] our leaders based on what we believe.""
University spokesperson John Lucas explained in an e-mail how he believes the policy will be interpreted.
""A Jewish student interested in joining a Christian student group could not be excluded on the basis of being Jewish,"" Lucas said. ""However, the student could be excluded if he declined to endorse the group's Christian belief statement.""
Roe said he does not consider this type of requirement to be discriminatory.
""I don't consider it discrimination for a Christian group to limit its leaders to Christians or a Muslim group to limit it to Muslims,"" Roe said.
UW Roman Catholic Foundation Director Tim Kruse said although the foundation does not require students to affirm their beliefs, this policy will aid other religious student organizations in their determining student leaders.
""Other groups feel like their rights of free association have been infringed upon by the university,"" Kruse said. ""And I agree with them""that if they choose to limit their leadership to people that support their mission""that they have the right to do that.""
However, Kruse says the foundation will not withdraw its lawsuit because it is based in part on the claim that it was wrongfully denied Registered Student Organization status because of allegations that it is not fully student-run.
""Part of the problem was they weren't believed to be directed and controlled by students,"" Lucas said, referring to the UW-Madison Student Organization Office's complaint that only three members of UWRCF's board were students. ""I don't think the Regents' action will resolve that part of the application.""
Kruse claims the SOO has not responded to repeated inquiries as to the exact number of students that must be on the board since June.
Kruse said the foundation may be willing to increase the number of students serving on the 12-member board, but is reluctant to alter the group's by-laws without confirmation from the SOO of the exact number of students necessary to be approved for RSO status.
Kruse sent an e-mail to SOO Director Yvonne Fangmeyer Sunday night requesting the SOO outline by the beginning of winter break the necessary actions for the foundation to become an RSO.
