Ok Kossacks. I've been a lurker on this site for a while but now me and my friends need help. I'm a student at Seton Hall University in South Orange, New Jersey and currently many of my friends are banned from being resident advisors (RA's) for their political beliefs.
First a little background. Seton Hall is a Catholic school with a very significant homosexual population and a rather liberal populace (our precinct went 72% to Kerry). This year several students tried to form a gay-straight alliance called TRUTH (Trust, Respect and Unity at The Hall). The University refuses to recognize this club, insisting upon several draconian measures (having to change the names, no social events, approval for any event and an agreement that the group would never seek official recognition). To get around this our Student Government unanimously voted to provide funding and support for the group.
Anyway, several of my friends are members of TRUTH and wish to become RA's next year or already are. Yesterday the University announced that any member of TRUTH could not be an RA, now or in the future. This is a clear violation of the New Jersey anti-discrimination laws AND the policy of the University. Their contention is that it is an unsponsored group and that RA's shouldn't be participating but this is blatant homophobia. The school has already wasted valuable education dollars fighting the group in court. The university's track record disproves any attempts by them to sugar-coat this action. This is simply another front in their war to push homosexuals back into the closet.
So I am appealing to you, the netizens of DailyKos to help me and my friends in any way you can. The only thing we can think of currently is to spread this as much as possible so any advice would be greatly appreciated.
Jayson Harpster,
Freshman representative, Seton Hall College Democrats