URI Student Senate Considers Punishing Campus Republicans

[StlSluggers]

I thought this was interesting because the Student Senate appears to basically be ignoring the campus president in proceeding with this vote. Of course, they may end up voting to do nothing, but it will still be interesting to see how this unfolds.

Among other rights, the First Amendment protects satire and parody as a form of free speech.

But the Student Senate at the University of Rhode Island appears to have lost its sense of humor when it comes to the campus group College Republicans.

Earlier this week, a Student Senate committee recommended revoking the College Republican's recognition as a school-sanctioned group because of the group refuses to apologize for a satirical advertisement that offered a $100 scholarship to a white, heterosexual, American male.

The advertisement ran last November in the college student newspaper, the Good 5 Cent Cigar. Forty students applied for the scholarship, but it was not awarded to anyone because it was not meant to be serious, said Ryan Bilodeau, chairman of the College Republicans.

"We intended that the scholarship was a satirical protest on the [University of Rhode Island's] many scholarships based on race and gender," Bilodeau said, a junior majoring in political science and philosophy. "We never distributed the money. They are punishing our expression."

No applicants complained, understanding the ad was meant to be satirical, Bilodeau added.

Nonetheless, the Student Senate demanded that the College Republicans issue a written apology. The group declined, but offered to publish an explanation of the advertisement.

According to a report in the student paper, URI President Robert Carothers has ordered the student government to end its efforts to get an apology from the College Republicans.

In a memo sent to the governing body Carothers said, "You are hereby directed, therefore, that you may not impose any sanctions on the College Republicans, or any other student group, that requires them to make public statements which are not their own."

Still, the Student Senate is set to vote on the committee recommendation Wednesday. Senate President Neil Leston wouldn't offer his position on the issue, but said he hoped to reach a positive resolution.

A free speech group has also jumped into the debate, offering to help the CRs and calling on Carothers to reverse the Student Senate’s decision if it votes to sever ties with the group.
Greg Lukianoff, president of the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education, said Carothers understands he is responsible for defending the constitutional rights for students and that the Student Senate must uphold the Bill of Rights.

“As bad as it is to tell somebody what they can’t say, it’s even worse to tell them what they must say,” Lukianoff said. "URI's student government thinks it is above the law — that it can take fees extracted from students by a state university and yet ignore the constitutional obligations that come with them."

[CheeseBeger]

Haha I like their advertisement.

Sounds like their SGB isn't too bright...

[thedude]

Ha... Student governments have so little power it is funny.

[Coppermine]

Sometimes I think about how tough it is being a white, heterosexual, male

I'm rockin' the suburbs.

[knapplc]

Very interesting story! Thanks for sharing that.

[The Artful Dodger]

From what I've seen at my alma mater, student government felt a lot like high school, but they try to discuss "real" issues in order to look professional and legitimate. Of course, in the background, they're off painting posters and making Rice Krispie Treats to brownose their professors with.

As far as this article goes, it's quite as animated as discussions go at the old alma mater, but didn't think it had to deal with banning a sanctioned group. Interesting story nonetheless.

[GiantsFan14]

Sometimes I think about how tough it is being a white, heterosexual, male

I'm rockin' the suburbs.

haha i love that song

its pretty ridiculous that the student senate thinks that this is such a big deal...i agree completely with the CR on this, there are so incredibly many scholarships out there based on race and gender but i'm sure people would consider a scholarship solely for white, male, heterosexuals to be racist and sexist

[ironman]

Sometimes I think about how tough it is being a white, heterosexual, male

I'm rockin' the suburbs.

haha i love that song

its pretty ridiculous that the student senate thinks that this is such a big deal...i agree completely with the CR on this, there are so incredibly many scholarships out there based on race and gender but i'm sure people would consider a scholarship solely for white, male, heterosexuals to be racist and sexist

If I ever have millions of dollars, I'm going to set up a scholarship for white males with a GPA of 2.6.

[Madison]

i agree completely with the CR on this, there are so incredibly many scholarships out there based on race and gender but i'm sure people would consider a scholarship solely for white, male, heterosexuals to be racist and sexist

Yep, that's why this is a story. It's ok to have scholarships based on race and gender, so long as it's not a white male. Very interesting doublestandard we've got in this country.

[Coppermine]

Sometimes I think about how tough it is being a white, heterosexual, male

I'm rockin' the suburbs.

haha i love that song

its pretty ridiculous that the student senate thinks that this is such a big deal...i agree completely with the CR on this, there are so incredibly many scholarships out there based on race and gender but i'm sure people would consider a scholarship solely for white, male, heterosexuals to be racist and sexist

If I ever have millions of dollars, I'm going to set up a scholarship for white males with a GPA of 2.6.

I so would have gotten that scholarship.

It reminds me of the scholarship on Seinfeld when George had to give one out from Susan's estate. He picked some underachiever just because he wanted to be an architect.