Singled out

Universities go after popular evangelical groups | Edward E. Plowman

Ignoring judicial precedents, the University of Wisconsin at Superior "de-recognized" the InterVarsity Christian Fellowship (IVCF) chapter earlier this year for requiring student leaders to be Christians—an alleged violation of the school's anti-discriminatory policies for campus organizations.

After university officials refused to budge from their position, IVCF this month took them to court. They want the chapter, which has been on campus 40 years and currently numbers about 50 students, to be reinstated and its First Amendment rights observed.

Alliance Defense Fund attorneys, who represent IVCF in the case, reminded school officials that they were going against precedents, including one in their own jurisdiction of the U.S. Court of Appeals. In July, a 7th Circuit appeals panel in similar circumstances ordered reinstatement of the Christian Legal Society chapter at Southern Illinois University pending trial in federal court. The panel said there were strong reasons to believe the group will prevail in court.