On Friday, the University of Wisconsin- Madison informed the UW Roman Catholic Foundation that it would not be recognized as a student organization because it is not controlled and directed by students as required by University rules. Only 3 of the group's 12 board members are students. The Associated Press on Saturday reported that the group is the oldest and largest religious organization on campus. The University's e-mail was received just as the Foundation was filing a complaint with the U.S. Department of Justice alleging that the University has violated court decisions requiring funding of student groups without regard to their viewpoints.
Last May, the University's chancellor reluctantly recommended approval $145,000 for the Foundation even though he believed that use of the funds for an evangelical ministry, prayer groups and Lenten booklets would violate the Establishment Clause. Recently the University applied the rule requiring students to control recognized organizations to deny recognition to the Knights of Columbus as a student group. (See prior posting.)
