Peer discrimination policies vary

Following the University’s decision that the Christian a cappella group Psalm 100 did not violate UNC policy in ousting a gay member, administrators said they might look into altering UNC’s non-discrimination policy.

UNC’s current policy permits religious and political groups to limit their membership to students who share a certain set of beliefs, as long as no one is excluded based on a set of personal characteristics, including sexual orientation.

A survey of some of the University’s peer institutions show that their policies vary.

University of Wisconsin

The University of Wisconsin’s policy regarding student organizations is very similar to UNC’s.

Student groups can limit participation and officer positions to students who “affirm that they support the organization’s goals and agree with its beliefs,” according to the school’s policy.

But groups cannot exclude students from membership based on a set of personal characteristics, which includes sexual orientation.

University of Texas

At the University of Texas, only religious groups are permitted to restrict membership based on adherence to a set of beliefs, as long as they do not deny membership based certain characteristics, including sexual orientation.

The school’s policy on student organizations states that groups “created primarily for religious purposes” can limit the right to vote or hold office to individuals who abide by the organization’s statement of faith.

University of Michigan

Student organizations at the University of Michigan are required to abide by the school’s non-discrimination policy. But nowhere in the school’s standards of conduct for recognized student organizations is it explicitly stated that groups cannot limit membership based on a set of beliefs.

Jimmy Brown, assistant director of student activities and leadership at the school, said the school has not been forced to deal with any problems involving political and religious groups.

University of Maryland

Student organizations at the University of Maryland are required to allow all interested students the right to join, according to the school’s guidelines for student organizations. Groups cannot limit membership based on a set of beliefs, according to the policy.

“As far as I know, we have not yet had a case where someone has said, ‘I want to be part of this organization’ and they weren’t allowed,” said Assistant Director of Student Activities Joe Calizo, who said he has worked at the school for the past four years.

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