Religious Student Groups Policy

Owner: Associate Vice President for Mission Integration
Author: Director of Campus Ministry
Contact information: jellingson@css.edu
Effective Date: 07/09/2024

Purpose

Rooted in our rich Catholic Benedictine tradition of hospitality and respect, Campus Ministry at the College of St Scholastica seeks to accompany students, regardless of their faith or spirituality, in their personal and spiritual growth and provide opportunities for students to put their faith in action through service & justice. Students, faculty, and staff represent a variety of religious expressions at the College of St Scholastica. We seek to foster a climate where respectful religious dialogue can occur and support the many who seek to deepen their faith experience while at CSS. Religious/faith-based clubs broaden the educational experience at St Scholastica and serve the needs of current CSS students. We recognize it is important to foster collaboration and communication between religious/faith-based groups, deter competition, and ensure that these groups understand the context for religious ministry at CSS. In addition, religious groups need to be compatible with the Catholic Benedictine mission of the College of St Scholastica. It is for these reasons that all religious/faith-based groups regularly engage with Campus Ministry in a meaningful way.

Definitions

Religious/faith-based student organizations are groups guided or motivated by religious beliefs and identity. They function to encourage the practice of or education about a religion, or to support the religious identity and faith development of students.

Advisor is a faculty or staff member whose duties include: maintaining regular contact and involvement with the leaders of their student organizations; being knowledgeable about the missions, goals, and purpose of the student organization; helping the group uphold College’s policies and guidelines; being familiar and involved with activities and events of the group; providing resources and support for events and usage of spaces; assisting with the administration of the financial affairs of the group.

Liaison is a representative of an off-campus religious organization with which the religious/faith-based student group is affiliated.

Policy

1. All groups pursuing a religious/faith-based purpose must be respectful of the Catholic Benedictine tradition and values and mission of the College of St Scholastica.
2. All religious/faith-based groups seeking to assemble and function on campus must be approved by Campus Ministry in cooperation with the Student Government Association and to function in compliance with CSS's student organizational policies and procedures.
3. All religious/faith based student groups are advised by a Campus Ministry staff member or designee. In the event that a student club has an affiliation with a non-CSS religious organization, one Liaison who represents this religious organization may be designated.
4. The College of St Scholastica, as a Catholic college in the Benedictine tradition, is committed to supporting the personal faith life of its community. The College welcomes in its community students of varying religious and non-religious backgrounds, respects the individual religious commitments of students, and in no case attempts to proselytize them through its programs or sponsored activities. Any form of religious harassment and manipulation is opposed, while the roles of personal freedom, doubt, and open critical reflection in healthy spiritual growth are affirmed. Religious harassment is constituted by coercive behavior that affects one’s personal freedom to choose one’s own religious practices.
5. All religious/faith-based groups must comply with all College Policies, including the College's Equal Opportunity and Nondiscrimination Policies and Procedures.

Criteria for Approval for Religious Groups

Campus Ministry seeks to ensure that a religious/faith-based group’s purpose, methods, and activities adhere to the mission and values of CSS. The College reserves the right to limit or restrict the on-campus activity of any organization or individual whose purposes are directly contrary to the College’s mission and values.

To be eligible for recognition as a religious group, the applicant must demonstrate:

1. An ability to enrich the ministry to the college community in ways that do not duplicate the work of other religious groups, campus organizations, or initiatives;
2. The existence of an identifiable group of students who would be appropriately served by the proposed group.

Principles and Guidelines for Religious Groups

Student leaders, Liaisons, and faculty/staff advisors set the tone and mission of organizational activities and should uphold these standards within the group. Groups that fail to adhere to these principles will not be permitted to function on campus. While a member of Campus Ministry or designee will serve as the primary Advisor for religious groups, groups may also designate a secondary faculty/staff advisor, if desired. Diverse religious groups are welcome and supported at The College of St Scholastica, and groups are free to express their faiths in word and action, including sharing information with others about their beliefs, sharing their own faith experiences, and inviting others to join religious groups/events. However, using coercion, pressure, manipulation, deceptive or other aggressive methods to enlist, convert, or influence people, especially those who might be vulnerable in their faith or personal lives, is prohibited. Representatives of various religious affiliations may, with the approval of the director of Campus Ministry, provide appropriate religious services for their own members and others who wish to participate in them.

Advisors, group members, and Liaisons are responsible for upholding the following principles and guidelines as they oversee group leadership and activities.

1. Affirm the mission and identity of the College of St Scholastica as a Catholic Benedictine College.
2. Fully honor the inherent dignity of each human person.
3. Maintain respect for the Catholic tradition as well as the various religious traditions represented at CSS. Recruit or present programs in such a way that the integrity and legitimacy of the person who holds a given faith (or no faith) is not disparaged. This includes avoiding recruitment and promotional strategies and activities that denigrate, misrepresent, ridicule, or portray disrespectful attitudes towards other faith traditions or the people who practice them.
4. Understand that proselytizing (using coercion, pressure, manipulation, deceptive or other aggressive methods to enlist, convert, or influence people, particularly those who might be vulnerable in their faith or personal lives) is prohibited.
5. Identify the sponsoring group clearly and accurately in all advertising, outreach, and programmatic endeavors.
6. Recognizing our campus community is multicultural, multi-faith, student groups should be willing to collaborate with and/or be in respectful dialogue with other religious groups on campus.
7. Demonstrate that the group will provide perspective or activities that contribute uniquely to the campus religious environment. New student groups may not duplicate or compete unnecessarily with existing religious groups or organizations.
8. Maintain an ongoing relationship with Campus Ministry through regular communication about events and activities with their Campus Ministry advisor and annual meetings with the Director of Campus Ministry or designee.

Policy Violations

Violating the policies and procedures for Religious Groups may result in the loss of status and the ability to function as a student club on campus. The Director of Campus Ministry, in consultation with the Associate Vice President for Mission Integration, will make determinations regarding whether violations have occurred. This includes the potential for disciplinary actions and the conditions for reinstatement of the religious group, taking into account the gravity and specific circumstances of the violation.

Individuals and Entities Affected by This Policy

Student leaders, Liaisons, and faculty/staff advisors of campus religious groups.

Related Documents, Forms, and Procedures

Application and Violation Process and Procedures for Recognized Religious/Faith-Based Student Groups may be found here.

Application Process and Procedures for Liaisons for Religious Groups may be found here.

History and Updates