A U.S. District Court ruled in favor of the UW Roman Catholic Foundation April 4, stating UWRCF does not have to enforce UW-Madison's nondiscrimination policy or the UW System Board of Regents' recent student organization policy.
UW-Madison's nondiscrimination policy, as stated in the Student Organization Office's handbook, prevents Registered Student Organizations from discriminating ""on the basis of race, color, creed, religion, national origin, disability, ancestry, age, sexual orientation, pregnancy, marital status or parental status.""
District Judge John Shabaz ruled in his March decision that the policy prevents free association for student groups.
However, the Regents' December 2006 decision to allow student organizations to require their members to sign belief statements was also rejected by Shabaz in the April 4 decision.
Shabaz said UWRCF is enjoined from enforcing both of these policies, because the UW System decision allegedly forces the inclusion of non-Catholic members if those members sign belief statements, and the Foundation ""is without question a Catholic organization.""
