No Money for Discrimination

Two weeks ago, the Undergraduate Council postponed legislation that would have granted money to a student group that engages in discriminatory activities.

Although the council’s most visible roles are to organize college-wide activities and to serve as a student voice in dialogue with the administration, one of the council’s principal duties is much less sexy: providing cash grants and dining service food vouchers to student groups so that they may function and thrive.

These grants are given to a wide variety of groups with very different purposes and goals, from the Chinese Students Association and the Dance Team to the Republican Club and the Magic Society. Nearly any student group may receive funding from the council, with only one requirement (found in Section 62.35 of the Council Bylaws and Article I, Section 4 of the Council Constitution, respectively): “to receive Undergraduate Council grants, all student groups must not discriminate on the basis of ancestry, nationality, creed, philosophy, economic disadvantage, physical disability, mental illness or disorders, political affiliation, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation or gender identity.”

However, one of the grants in the legislation would have violated these clauses: that to Harvard-Radcliffe Christian Fellowship (HRCF). The discriminatory activity of the HRCF is paradigmatic of such exclusive student groups at Harvard.

Every student group is required by the College to have a charter, a brief document detailing the goals and organizational structure of that group. HRCF’s charter is very clear on the issue of discrimination: it is unequivocally endorsed. Article II, Section 1 of HRCF’s charter lists the group’s “Principles of Faith,” which are a series of statements that unambiguously require that those who accept them be religious Christians. Section 2 of the charter reads in full, “Officers of this organization must subscribe without reserve to the above principles of faith.”

That is, unless a student is Christian, he or she may not be an officer of HRCF. This rule is indisputably discriminatory and in violation of not only the council’s non-discrimination clauses, but also of the College’s non-discrimination policy.

It should be emphasized that the mere fact that a student group is religious in nature does not make it discriminatory. Such large and extremely successful religious groups and organizations as the Catholic Students Association, Hillel and the Harvard Islamic Society all have absolutely no bars on who may attend meetings, become members or run for leadership positions. As such, these groups, as well as nearly every other religious group on campus, are eligible for council grants.

I see, therefore, no evidence whatsoever that the HRCF has a compelling reason for requiring that its officers be Christian. Aside from, of course, discriminatory and unfairly biased reasons. And regardless of what the officers and members of HRCF may say, their policy is discriminatory and the council cannot support it.

More persuasive than any legal argument, however, is the argument from the council’s role and duty.

It is simply not the council’s place to financially support discriminatory groups. Indeed, the council should instead be fighting for the removal of groups that refuse to stop discriminating. It is absurd to think that a portion of the $35 activities fee that nearly every undergraduate pays on his or her termbill should be given to groups that not every undergraduate has the potential to lead and fully enjoy. It would be similarly ridiculous for the council to provide support to other groups with discriminatory membership policies, such as the all-male finals clubs and the all-female social clubs.

With financial resources running thin and rooms in which to hold meetings in exceedingly short supply, I find it odd that there has not been a larger push to bar discriminatory groups from using the resources to which everyone is entitled.

A great triumph was had two weeks ago for all students, regardless of religion, who believe that egregious discrimination is wrong. I urge my colleagues on the council to join me in fighting against discrimination by voting against granting funds to HRCF and other similar student groups.

Jason L. Lurie ’05 is a chemistry concentrator in Cabot House. He is a member of the Undergraduate Council.