Colleges Face Lawsuits Over Denial of Christian and Republican Student Clubs

Campus Bible Fellowship filed a suit against SUNY Broome, contending that the college’s refusal to recognize the group because its leaders must profess a personal relationship with Jesus Christ infringes on First Amendment guarantees of free exercise, speech and assembly. The complaint, filed by Alliance Defending Freedom, notes that the club pays a $215 activity fee and would qualify for up to $500 in annual funding if recognized.

Whitman College’s student Senate voted 25-0 to deny the Republican Club after an hour-long interrogation about political positions, violating the student handbook’s promise of freedom of speech, expression and association. The Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression issued a legal warning letter citing the college’s own policies, with a September 14 deadline for response. Both cases highlight tensions over “open-access” rules that allow schools to deny groups they deem to “unduly burden or marginalize” other students, a standard critics say lacks clear guidelines. Similar disputes have arisen at other institutions, underscoring a broader debate over viewpoint discrimination on campuses.