UW-Madison can give money to religious student organizations, but is also allowed to deny funding to the groups, according to a federal district judge's ruling Wednesday.
Judge Lynn Adelman ruled in favor of UW-Madison in a lawsuit filed by the Roman Catholic Foundation in September 2007, saying student religious groups could receive funding from the General Student Services Fund, but the university can deny them money.
The university denied RCF's request for university funding for its activities in the 2006-'07 and 2007-'08 school years. In response, the group argued the refusal was a violation of First Amendment rights - the freedom of religious expression.
Though previous decisions had been ruled in RCF's favor, Adelman said Wednesday the decision to deny funding for activities like prayer and worship was constitutionally permissible.
David Hacker of the Alliance Defense Fund, the Christian legal group that represented RCF, said the decision threatens religious organizations at UW-Madison.
Religious groups are in danger at this point, and have been for a while, of not receiving funding and equal treatment by the university,"" Hacker said.
Student organizations can receive money from the General Student Services Fund, which is made up of segregated fees - money paid by all students in addition to tuition - if they present a budget and the university approves it.
Hacker said the university withheld money for ""any form of prayer, worship, or proselytizing,"" but worship and prayer were only a part of RCF activities. He said RCF was denied funding because university officials feared it would violate the establishment clause of the First Amendment.
Amy Toburen, director of communications for UW-Madison, said in an e-mail the decision is not final, but the university will ""continue to contemplate the potential positives and negatives of the decision as it applies to the university and its segregate fee process.""
RCF Chair Brad Lipinski had no comment on the ruling, but a member of the foundation said they will examine how it will affect the organization.
