University of Notre Dame: Student Group Supporting Traditional Marriage Policy Denied Recognition
Cases
University of Notre Dame
Case Overview
On April 30, 2014, the prospective organization FIREfor Child-Oriented Policy (SCOP), a student group advocating for traditional marriage, was denied recognition at the recommendation of Notre Dame鈥檚 student-led Club Coordination Council (CCC), on the grounds that SCOP鈥檚 mission 鈥渃losely mirrored鈥 that of other groups on campus. FIREwrote to Notre Dame on May 23, calling into serious question this claim, showing SCOP鈥檚 mission to be demonstrably different from those of the groups as comparable to SCOP, one of which appeared to have been inactive for several years. Noting that several hundred Notre Dame students opposed to SCOP鈥檚 mission had petitioned against its recognition, FIREmade clear that using the claim that SCOP 鈥渃losely mirrored鈥 other organizations as a pretext to deny recognition to SCOP on the basis of its viewpoint violated the group鈥檚 rights and betrayed Notre Dame鈥檚 promises of free expression for student organizations.