An atheist group at the University of Wisconsin-Madison seems on track to receive nearly $70,000 in student fees for staffing and programming next year, in what appears to be a first for the university and student atheist groups nationally.continue at JS
The Atheists, Humanists, and Agnostics, or AHA as it's called, said it will provide support services for students struggling with doubts about their faiths and offer a safe place where they can discuss religious issues without fear of recrimination.
"Religious groups have been receiving this type of funding for years," said Chris Calvey, president of the organization, which helped stage a three-day Freethought Festival that drew hundreds of nonbelievers and skeptics from around the country to Madison this year.
"It's about time that secular students got the support we deserve," Calvey said.
The university's Student Services Finance Committee, which allocates student group budgets out of the $39 million in student fees annually, unanimously approved about $67,400 for AHA for the 2013-'14 academic year last week. The allocation must still be approved by the student council, chancellor and board of regents. David Gardner, spokesman for the Associated Students of Madison, said committee recommendations are rarely if ever overturned.
The allocation marks the first time that an atheist group has qualified for funding beyond the small, event-specific grants most student-run organizations receive. And it appears to be the largest ever awarded to any campus group of its kind in the country, according to the Columbus-based Secular Student Alliance.
If you continue, you will see that UW-Badger Catholic doesn't actually oppose the funding.
2 comments:
I'm not even bothered that this money is going to an atheist group, I am at a loss though at why any college club would need so much money. Why doesn't the student gov't just give the "fees" back to the students who are no doubt complaining about high tuition. Clubs should have a right to meet on university land but beyond that if they want money, they can fundraise.
UW-Badger Catholic should not oppose this. This is a public school in a pluralistic world. One can raise issues with the amount of money, depending on whether or not it is appropriate compared to other groups' funds as was also articulated in the article, as well perhaps on how exactly they plan to support those questioning Faith, but outside of these it is the reality that we live in. We shouldn't be afraid of the opportunity to share the Truth to the world by silencing everyone else who doesn't have it.
Post a Comment