We fully understand that a religious university has a right to deny association with anyone, including atheists. What I have charged against them is that their rules hypocritically conflict with their own alleged goal of increasing academic integrity and diversity, and being open to all views. The campus is in the midst of a program called ‘Project 2012′. It is a campus expansion program that is attempting to raise the academic integrity, research and intellectual quality of the work and study going on within the campus to a ‘Tier 1′ level. However, as we see with numerous other incidents, such as arresting gay rights protesters on campus, expelling gay seminary students, and denying all non-christians a presence on campus, there is a cognitive dissonance occurring. The goal that the administration has set to become diverse, intellectually respectable, and open runs into direct conflict with its original Baptist roots. As such, by their own propositions they are employing inconsistent approaches to dissent and difference, and until there is some unification of policy, hopefully for the better, the university is going to continue to be criticized for its hypocrisy.

All you’re asking for is the opportunity to meet and converse.

I would think that encouraging the honest exchange of ideas is supposed to be the mandate of any institution of higher learning.

I can’t imagine why they wouldn’t allow an ATHEIST group on campus…