Spokane, Wash., Mar 6, 2005 / 22:00 pm
Gonzaga University President, Fr. Robert Spitzer S.J. has categorically denied charges brought by Dr. Mike Adams, a professor at the University of North Carolina, Wilmington and a columnist for Townhall.com, which said that the school discriminates against pro-life and Christian organizations.
Fr. Spitzer said that accusations brought in the February 22nd column in Townhall.com were false and that, “Gonzaga University is a strong pro-life proponent, consistent with Catholic doctrine.”
The column’s central accusation was that the University denied official recognition, and thus, school funding, to a group of law students seeking to form a pro-life group which required its leadership to sign a profession of Christian faith.
While Fr. Spitzer did not deny the charge, he explained, “The Law Student Handbook clearly states: ‘the [Student Bar Association] sponsors a variety of activities in which all law students are entitled and encouraged to participate.’ The [SBA] interpreted the foregoing statement to mean full participation by all students. The pro-life club did not meet that standard, and chose not to change its charter to make non-Christian students eligible to be officers. As a consequence, the club's funding request was denied by the Student Bar Association.”