Dormitory Resident Advisors Have No First Amendment Rights
CNSNews.com reports that the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire implemented a policy prohibiting Resident Advisors from leading or teaching Bible studies in their dormitory rooms. Resident Advisors are students living in campus dormitories provided with free housing in exchange for services as advisors to other student residents. The University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire adopted the policy, CNSNew.com reports, based on the concern that student residents would feel unwelcome or pressured if Resident Advisors led Bible studies or hosted them in their rooms. Needless to say, one of the Resident Advisors has filed a federal law suit.
Typically, federal courts have enforced private rights of religious expression even on government-owned premises, as long as the religious expression was neither issued by government actors nor sponsored by government actors. Will the court view a college dormitory Resident Advisor as a government actor while acting in his own quarters? Common sense would prohibit such a view.
Our First Amendment rights are sacred. The citizens of Wisconsin should react accordingly.
The University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire apparently does not fear the voters or the legislature. Hopefully, the voters and legislature will be inspired to place additional budgetary limits on the university. For example, eliminating the position known as the “associate director of housing and resident life” (the university official who prohibited private residential Bible studies led or hosted by Resident Advisors) would be a first good move.
