Wright State University: Christian Group Banned from Campus

Wright State University has agreed to grant recognition to the Campus Bible Fellowship (CBF) for the 2009-2010 academic year, reversing its previous decision to rescind the CBF's official club recognition because of its requirement that voting members "accept Jesus Christ as their personal savior," among other faith-based requirements written into the club's constitution. Despite the CBF's thirty-year presence on Wright State's campus, the university removed the club's official recognition for its failure to include required "non-discrimination" language in its constitution. After FIRE wrote Wright State President David R. Hopkins, reminding him that this policy violated the CBF's constitutional rights to both free exercise of religion and freedom of association, Wright State initially indicated that while the CBF would be granted recognition for the remainder of the 2008-2009 academic year, it would have to amend its constitution for recognition in 2009-2010. However, after the Alliance Defense Fund wrote an additional letter to Wright State, Director of Student Activities Rick Danals agreed to grant an exemption to the CBF. The CBF received official recognition soon after.     

Case Materials

• "Victory for Religious Liberty at Wright State University," June 22, 2009: After banning a Christian student organization from meeting on campus, Wright State University has reversed course and granted recognition to the Campus Bible Fellowship (CBF) for the 2009–2010 academic year. Despite the group's 30-year history as a registered student organization, Wright State withdrew recognition from the Campus Bible Fellowship in January after the group refused to eliminate faith-based standards for its voting members. Under pressure from FIRE, religious liberty has been restored on Wright State's campus.
• "E-mail from Student Services Coordinator Viki Harness to Campus Bible Fellowship," June 18, 2009
• "Wright State University Letter to Christian Bible Fellowship," June 12, 2009
• "Alliance Defense Fund Letter to Wright State University," June 10, 2009
• "Wright State University Bans Christian Group from Campus," March 2, 2009: Wright State University has banned a Christian group from meeting on campus because of its requirement that voting members be Christian and its refusal to accept "nondiscrimination" language that would eliminate faith-based standards for its voting members. In response, the Campus Bible Fellowship has turned to FIRE for help. 
• "Wright State University 2008-2009 Student Handbook," March 2, 2009
• "E-mail from Wright State University General Counsel Gwen Mattison to FIRE's Adam Kissel, February 26, 2009," March 2, 2009
• "E-mail from FIRE's Adam Kissel to Wright State University General Counsel Gwen Mattison, February 26, 2009," March 2, 2009
• "Letter from FIRE to Wright State University President David R. Hopkins, February 12, 2009," March 2, 2009
• "Constitution of Campus Bible Fellowship at Wright State University," March 2, 2009
• "Letter from Campus Bible Fellowship to Wright State University, February 4, 2009," March 2, 2009

Blog Entries

• "‘Dayton Daily News’ on FIRE’s Victory at Wright State," by Peter Bonilla, June 23, 2009
• "Victory for Religious Liberty at Wright State University: Christian Group Regains Recognition," by Adam Kissel, June 22, 2009
• "Greg at Wright State University to Speak on Religious Liberty and Student Group Rights," by Peter Bonilla, May 14, 2009
• "Rights in the News: FIRE’s Wright State Case Hits Front Pages," by Peter Bonilla, March 7, 2009
• "Wright State Case is FoxNews.com Featured Story," by Robert Shibley, March 3, 2009
• "Wright State Sets Smokescreen in Campus Bible Fellowship Case," by Robert Shibley, March 3, 2009
• "Wright State University Bans Christian Group from Campus," by Robert Shibley, March 2, 2009

Media Coverage

• "University reverses; recognizes Christian student group,"
  by Pete Chagnon, OneNewsNow.com, June 25, 2009
• "Wright State resolves student religious group issue,"
  by Dave Larson, Dayton Daily News, June 23, 2009
• "Unequal freedoms on large campuses,"
  by Bart Adams, The Daily Record, March 10, 2009
• "Christian group’s status renewed following stir ,"
  Greene County Dailies, March 7, 2009
• "Banned Christian fellowship allowed to meet on Ohio campus, for now,"
  by Katherine T. Phan, The Christian Post, March 4, 2009
• "Christian group allowed to return to Ohio campus,"
  by Joshua Rhett Miller, FOXNews.com, March 3, 2009
• "Fellowship banned for requiring voting members be Christians,"
  by Katherine T. Phan, The Christian Post, March 3, 2009
• "Bible club bullied for faith statement,"
  by Drew Zahn, WorldNetDaily, March 3, 2009