Following the anti-christian trend of "higher education" in America, the overtly intolerant Rollins College has deemed InterVarsity to be discriminatory because the student Christian organization allows only believers in Christ to be leaders, rather than atheists, Muslims, homosexualists, pagans, etc.
For background, read Michigan Univ. Boots Christian Club for Being Christian and also read Colleges Ban Student Groups for Christian Beliefs as well as U.S. Supreme Court Forces Atheists into University Christian Clubs
-- From "Florida College Says Christian Group Can’t Have Christian Leaders" by Todd Starnes, Foxnews.com 2/28/13
The college’s board of trustees voted unanimously not to exempt the InterVarsity Christian Fellowship from the [discrimination] policy – meaning the Christian group will no longer receive funding and will not be recognized as an official campus organization.
Greg Jao, InterVarsity’s national field director, told Fox News that the college’s decision sends an ominous message to Christian students.
“Their actions suggest if you have strongly held religious beliefs – you are not welcome on the campus – particularly if you have any intention of living them out,” Jao said. “It suggests religion is an impermissible or a disfavored category that’s not worthy of the same protections as gender or sexual orientation.”
InterVarsity said it welcomes all students and faculty members to participate in their organization. However, leaders are required to sign a statement of faith.
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From "Christian student organization, Rollins College embroiled in dispute" by Tracy Jacim, WOGX-TV35 News Anchor (Orlando) 2/28/13
Intervarsity has been on the campus, in some form, for nearly four decades, according to group leaders. Last November, the college put the group on notice that it was in violation of the school policy, because of the group's requirement that its leaders be Christians.
"When you create a non-discrimination policy that effectively excludes students from campus -- marginalizes the Christian students -- the policy is failing to accomplish what Rollins itself wants to do," Intervarsity Christian Fellowship National Field Director Greg Jao told FOX 35. "We hope that will become clear to the administration and they'll reconsider."
InterVarsity national leaders say they will continue to try to work with the college's administration.
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From "InterVarsity to File Brief on Attempts to Restrict Religious Liberties at Universities" by Alex Murashko, Christian Post Reporter 3/1/13
Leaders at InterVarsity Christian Fellowship look forward to submitting statements to the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights about incidents where universities have attempted to restrict the religious liberties of student groups in the name of non-discrimination, the organization said Thursday.
"Fraternities and sororities are allowed to discriminate on the basis of gender, and athletic teams are allowed to discriminate on the basis of gender and able-bodied status, but InterVarsity and other religious organizations are treated differently," the campus ministry states.
"[However, some] schools recognize that religious organizations should not be forced into a position which would threaten their religious vitality," InterVarsity stated. At Ohio State University the student organization registration guidelines now state: "A student organization formed to foster or affirm the sincerely held religious beliefs of its members may adopt eligibility criteria for its Student Officers that are consistent with those beliefs."
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