UNIVERSITY OF CENTRAL OKLAHOMA
THURSDAY
APRIL 20, 2000
The Student Voice Since 1903
Fees can support student groups court rules By Robyn Lydick
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he U.S. Supreme Court ruled on March 22 that public colleges and universities may use money collected from student fees to fund campus organizations that engage in political speech which some students may find objectionable. This ruling overturns two previous rulings by lower courts. Dr. Kathryn Gage, vice president for student services, said that UCO funding policies for student organizations would remain the same. "This new court ruling says it is totally constitutional for a university to use student fees to fund organizations if the organizations are viewpoint neutral," Gage said. "Look at the organizations here at UCO. They cover the political spectrum from all angles." UCO has 160 recognized student organizations ranging from religious groups to yo-yo aficionados. Gage pointed out that no group recognized. by UCO advocates discrimination or hate. "Our organizations exist to promote their views," Gage said. "They are part of the rich cultural fabric of the institution." Several law students at the University of Wisconsin sued the university over the use of their money to finance a gay, lesbian and transgendered student group as well as a socialist political group. Scott Southworth, Amy Schoepke and Keith Bannach filed the original suit. Two more students, undergraduate student Rebecka Vander Werf and law student Rebecka Bretz joined the suit as plaintiffs after filing. In 1996, a U.S. District Judge John Shabaz found that using student fees to fund organizations was basically compelled speech and as such was unconstitutional. The university appealed the ruling. In 1998, the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals upheld the district court ruling. The court found that the university's policy violated the First Amendment right to freedom of belief. The three appeals judges ruled funding private groups that are involved in political and ideological activities is not germane to a university's educational mission. University of Wisconsin students pay about $330 in annual fees. University officials said less than 10 percent is used to support student groups and services. UCO students pay $4 per semester hour in student activity fees and a general fee of $46 per semester. Based on an in-state student carrying 15 hours for two semesters, the fees would be $212 per academic year. A
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—Staff photo by Chieko Hara
Jesus weeps... This statue of Jesus stands as part of the Oklahoma City Bombing National Memorial. The memorial marks the fifth anniversary of the Alfred P Murrah Federal Building bombing at 9:02 a.m., April 19, 1995. One hundred sixty-eight people died in the blast. Gold memorial headstones commemorated each fatality from the incident.