BYU-I On Dissolving Campus Political Groups

The Standard Journal has an interesting read on the dissolution of campus political organizations at Brigham Young University-Idaho in Rexburg.

A snip:

[L]ast semester (Winter 2009), the BYU-Idaho administration announced that both the College Republicans and the College Democrats, (both student-run political organizations), would be dissolved in an effort to comply with changes to the BYU-Idaho political neutrality policy.

"We are trying to ensure that BYU-Idaho is a politically neutral campus," said Andy Cargal, a BYU-Idaho public relations representative. "As a private institution and being affiliated with the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, we feel that it is in the best interest of our university to be politically neutral.

"While we actively encourage our students to be politically active and join political parties of their choice, we feel that BYU-Idaho itself can't be a sponsor of partisan political groups or activities."

The university explains that no event prompted this change in policy but one has to wonder if the flak the LDS church received, including questions regarding violations of federal tax law, over their involvement in California's Proposition 8 ballot measure hasn't had some effect.

Regardless, seems there's more to being politically neutral than stating so in policy and eliminating campus-sanctioned partisan groups.

Comments

[thepoliticalgame]

Ha! Politically neutral... BYU-I? That's hilarious!

[MountainGoat]

Yeah, seems to epitomize oxymoron.

[Bubblehead]

You do realize, don't you, that there's exactly zero chance that the Church will be found in violation of any campaign or tax laws by the IRS for the Prop. 8 campaign?

When I took my daughter to enroll her at BYU-I back in 2005, they didn't even have a Democrats Club. The Republicans were trying to find people to start one so they could have debates. I was happy to see when they actually started one, and was sad to see it go inactive. I'll be interested to see if they do the same thing in Provo.

[MountainGoat]

Geez, Bubbles, a little defensive there aren't you. I merely included the legal questions being raised as a possible factor behind changing something that's been in place and served the college/university well for over half a century. Glad you've added your certitude to the debate, though. ;-)

It's definitely an interesting change in the application of the neutrality policy.

[Bubblehead]

Yes, I am certain. Let me know if you'd like to put any money on it. The LDS Church has as much chance of losing their IRS tax exempt status because of Prop 8 as any of Ron Paul's bills have of being passed. People still talk about Ron Paul, though, even though he's irrelevant, so I guess it's OK to talk about the "possibility" of the LDS Church losing their tax exempt status.

[Binkyboy]

As I said on 43rd:

They disbanded the political groups because they were taking away time from BYU-I's main purpose: LDS mating service.

[thepoliticalgame]

Sign seen on corner while approaching BYU-I campus: "Will procreate within wedlock for tax deduction. Intellectuals, Democrats, liberals, Socialists, and minorities need not apply."

[MountainGoat]

You've missed the point again Bubbles. I didn't say that the church was going to lose its tax-exempt status. Often even just raising questions can cause an organization to change a policy and that's what prompted the supposition.

[Bubblehead]

MG - I really do understand your point, I just disagree with it. I'm guessing the Church is even less concerned with this thing that's not going to happen than I am, so I doubt they'd change policies -- at one school only -- because of unrealistic "threats" from people who don't understand how the American political system works.

Tara -- Could you post a picture of that sign? Since it's clearly untrue (unless as a Democrat I and most of my wife's family, all good Pocatello-bred LDS Dems, are being kicked out of the Church without our knowledge) I'm wondering if some "intellectual" who makes untrue generalizations put it up. (How does one qualify as an "Intellectual"? Does being a National Merit Scholar count?) And as far as socialism goes: check out the Church welfare system, and do some research into the doctrine of consecration in Church history if you want to see what American socialism is all about. ( http://www.lds.org/ldsorg/v/index.jsp?vgnextoid=32c41b08f338c010VgnVCM1000004d82620aRCRD&locale=0&sourceId=8a909207f7c20110VgnVCM100000176f620a____&hideNav=1&contentLocale=0 )

[MountainGoat]

Good lord Bubblehead, from Tara's description sounds like it was just a marriage proposal sign spoofing off the "will work for food" type. It didn't even mention the LDS church or membership at all! Lighten up just a bit...

[MountainGoat]

If you understand my point, Bubblehead, then you understand that there is a difference between wondering if two things are related and stating that they are. And those questions, or "unrealistic 'threats'" as you call them, aren't just wild accusations, but in the case of the one linked to in the post, come from a scholarly essay written for Northwestern University Law Review who I doubt fall into the category of people who don't understand how the American political system works.

[Bubblehead]

There are scholarly articles about how Bush and Cheney should get hauled off to The Hague as well. Just because something gets written with footnotes doesn't mean it has a snowball's chance in Caracas of happening.

[MountainGoat]

Yes, and John Wayne's real name was Marion. So? I fail to understand why you're so obsessed with this when no one here is arguing that it will.

[Chino Blanco]

Interestingly enough, Liberty U. recently nixed their College Dems.

http://www.christianpost.com/Education/Higher_edu/2009/05/liberty-university-cuts-ties-with-college-democrats-group-22/

[Cameron]

The knee jerk comments about the sign and the mating service might explain why some Mormons could get a little defensive. They're easy jokes, and they're made constantly.

But it's interesting that simply allowing political student groups could be seen as showing politicization. There may be a lesson in there somewhere.