Iowa State Coach Wants Football Team Chaplain; Faculty Object

Iowa State University's football coach, Gene Chizik, wants to hire an official chaplain for the team, to be paid for from private donations, according to reports from the AP and the Iowa State Daily. Chizik says student athletes are under a great deal of pressure and need access to spiritual guidance. Dave Turnball, area director for the Iowa Fellowship of Christian Athletes, reportedly has begun raising funds to support the idea. However, over 100 ISU faculty members have signed a petition opposing the plan. They say it is improper for a public university to hire a chaplain, and that the proposal under consideration favors Christianity over other religions.