Student Assembly

R.5 Supporting Extending the Campus Conversation on Religion in the Public Space

Whereas, last Spring the Student Assembly was left to deliberate about whether a student organization that prohibited “out” LGBT students from taking leadership was in violation of University guidelines in relation to student organizations

Whereas, it was ultimately decided that the student organization in question was not in violation, concluding that this organization did not discriminate on the basis of participation

Whereas, the Student Assembly also concluded that currently all student organization are granted the freedom to define the criteria for leadership of their individual organization based on the guiding principles of each organization

Whereas, the ensuing public conversations on campus and in the Cornell Daily Sun sparked a great deal of interest in other students who began to express a desire for Cornell administration to explore whether the campus code and/or guidelines for student organizations needed to be revisited/revised in relation to this discussion

Whereas, Cornell United Religious Works (CURW), as the University sponsored umbrella group of 29 diverse religious communities is very vested in sponsoring conversations where students, faculty, and administrators can thoughtfully discuss what it means to come together as a community that is respectfully inclusive, pluralistic

Whereas, CURW is hoping to extend the conversations that began last spring by inviting Charles C. Haynes (Attorney, syndicated columnist and senior scholar at The First Amendment Center) to be in dialogue with Professor Steve Shiffrin (Cornell Law School) and the broader CU community about pluralistic religious communities on campus

Be it therefore resolved, that the Student Assembly supports the ongoing efforts of CURW, and, in understanding the complexity of this and similar situations, will not endorse one perspective but will support continued dialogue on how Cornell students can live in a community where individuals respect one another.

Respectfully Submitted,

Rammy Salem ‘10
At-Large Representative
Student Assembly, President