DePaul University: Discrimination against Student Organization
In Spring 2010, the student group Students for Cannabis Policy Reform (SCPR) submitted an application for formal recognition at DePaul. After holding up SCPR's application for several months, Director of Student Life Suzanne Kilgannon rejected the group's application on September 15, 2010, stating that recognizing the group "would send an institutional message that [Vice President for Student Affairs James R. Doyle] believes we are not prepared to manage." This denial clearly violated DePaul's promises of freedom of speech and association. After FIRE wrote to DePaul President Dennis Holtschneider on September 30, Doyle defended DePaul's discrimination against SCPR by stating that recognized student groups must "be congruent with our institutional goals regarding the health and well-being of our students" and that "[c]onsiderable research indicates that the use of cannabis does not contribute to healthy decision-making, particularly in college-age populations." DePaul has failed to respond to FIRE's second letter pointing out the deficiencies in DePaul's reasoning.
- "FIRE Second Letter to DePaul University, November 17, 2010," November 17, 2010
- "Discriminatory Treatment of Student Organizations at DePaul University," October 18, 2010: DePaul University is engaging in unjust and deceptive viewpoint discrimination against student organizations despite its promise to support "robust debate and exposure to differing points of view." After DePaul manipulated its student organization policy to deny equal treatment to Students for Cannabis Policy Reform—a point of view the university evidently disfavors—the group came to FIRE for help.
- "Depaul University Student Organizations Guide," October 18, 2010
- "DePaul University Response to FIRE, October 7, 2010," October 7, 2010
- "FIRE letter to DePaul University President Dennis Holtschneider, September 30, 2010," September 30, 2010
- "E-mail from DePaul Director of Student Life Suzanne Kilgannon to Jeff Kramer, September 15, 2010," September 15, 2010
- "Students for Cannabis Policy Reform," April 8, 2010
Case Materials
- "DePaul Alumnus Speaks out Against University's 'Managing' of Ideas," by Peter Bonilla, April 5, 2011
- "The Shifting Sands of DePaul University's Censorship of Student Group," by Peter Bonilla, March 4, 2011
- "How Did DePaul University Get on FIRE's 'Worst 12' List?," by Peter Bonilla, January 28, 2011
- "Catholic Bishops Stood With FIRE in 'CLS v. Martinez'; Where Will they Stand on Freedom of Association at DePaul?," by Peter Bonilla, November 19, 2010
- "Discriminatory Treatment of Student Organizations at DePaul University," by Adam Kissel, October 18, 2010
