BY JULIE IRWIN
The Cincinnati Enquirer
Eleven Miami University students and four Christian organizations sued the school in federal court Tuesday, objecting to the way it funds student groups on campus.
The Christian groups are asking for equal funding from the university's General Fund, which supports more than 120 student groups on campus but excludes religious and political clubs. The 11 individuals object that their mandatory $34 student fees go to support groups whose ideology they oppose.
The lawsuit names university President James Garland, Dean of Students Richard Nault and Vice President of Student Affairs Myrtis Powell as defendants. It was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Ohio.
2-pronged issue
University officials "are saying we'll fund everybody except those with religious beliefs, which is obviously unequal on the basis of viewpoint discrimination," said Randy Blankenship, an attorney for the students and organizations.
"It's a two-pronged issue. One, if you're going to provide funding, you have to do it equally, but . . . the students who disagree with certain groups should be able to elect not to fund those groups."
Mr. Blankenship declined to identify the groups the students object to. The clubs range alphabetically from an advertising group to a zoology club and ideologically from a gay and lesbian group to an anti-abortion organization.
Miami spokeswoman Holly Wissing said religious and political groups are excluded from the General Fund but can apply for money from the smaller Marketplace of Ideas Fund.
"Both religious and political groups are eligible for office space. Both have access to university facilities. Neither (is) eligible for General Fund, and the reason is they're primarily engaged in ideological pursuits," she said.
"Just as we don't ask students who are Republican to pay for advertising for the student Democrats group, we don't think it's fair to take money from a Catholic student to support other religions."
