The Student Organization Review Board (SORB) at Grand Valley State University has issued its findings in the case of a bake sale conducted on campus last month by the College Republican Club. The GOP group, which is a recognized student organization, held an "anti-affirmative action" bake sale at which customers were charged different amounts for the same products based on the customer's ethnicity.
SORB found that the Club did not adhere to a university rule that requires all financial transactions on campus be non-discriminatory. SORB further determined that the Club was not in violation of other charges against it, including accusations that the Club's activity was improper because it was offensive to some members of the campus community.
SORB held a misconduct review hearing on April 8, 2005 in response to complaints from several students accusing the Club of violating the university's Student Code and Student Organization Manual. After reviewing the complaints and hearing testimony from the Club's interim president, SORB rendered a written decision that was provided yesterday to the Club. The university has been advised this morning that the Club accepts and will not appeal SORB's findings.
SORB's decision puts the Club on probation until December 1, a standard practice for clubs that violate a university policy. SORB has asked the Club to issue a public apology to the campus community for its violations of the Code and Manual (the Club's spokesman issued such an apology to SORB at last Friday's hearing). SORB further asked the Club to implement a leadership development plan to ensure, among other things, that future Club leaders are fully aware of university policies and procedures. The GOP Club remains a recognized student organization and enjoys all the rights and privileges accorded to campus organizations, including the right to conduct its programs and to seek student organization funding in the coming year.
"I think the review panel reached a measured and fair decision," said university president Mark A. Murray, "and I accept the Club's apology."
Murray noted that some observers of this event have equated it with free speech, or attempts to squelch it. He rejected any such interpretation. "Grand Valley has a proud tradition of supporting free speech. Free speech is integral to our rights as citizens and it is essential to the proper functioning of a college campus and I will always be its protector," Murray continued. "That said, I hope that whenever possible, those engaged in political discourse choose an option that elevates our discourse on controversial issues rather than degrades it. All speech is protected, but elevated, reasoned, issue-based discourse serves us and the broader community most effectively," Murray concluded.
