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University of Iowa Committee on Human Rights policies, 1958-1986
Statement of Policy Adopted
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STATEMENT OF POLICY ADOPTED, 1958 A statement in the State University of Iowa catalog reads that "while the principal function of the University is to provide a suitable intellectual environment for the student through classrooms, laboratories, and stimulating teachers, it is recognized that the total development of the individual - personal, social and physical, as well as intellectual - is of equal importance." As one of the student personnel agencies of the University, the Office of Student Affairs has a special stake in the total development of students as individuals and particularly in their roles as citizens in a democratic society. This Office is quite aware of the University's obligation as an educational institution to train students for responsible citizenship, and believes that implicit in this obligation is a mandate to promote a social climate on campus which is free from bias and prejudice in this area of human relations. The Office is equally conscious of the University's obligation to protect the right and privilege of a social organization, organized for the purpose of deriving benefits from group living, to select such members as it chooses upon their merits as individuals or persons. Where such a right is denied, restrained, or abrogated by authority outside the University, by reason of policies or practices imposed by such authority, the University is committed to ameliorating or correcting such a situation in the interests of the institution's total educational objectives. With such a basic philosophy as background, the Office of Student Affairs shall be guided in future by the following general principles as it advises (1) any new organizations which apply for recognition to the Committee on Student Life; and (2) existing campus organizations. 1. Any new organization applying for recognition at the State University of Iowa must show to the satisfaction of this Office that it can, without question, exercise the right of freely selecting its members, using as criteria the merits of the individual person irrespective of race, color, or national origin. It is expected, in other words, that the right of a University-recognized organization to select such members as it wishes without regard to race, color, or national origin, may be exercised without interference or restraint by the policies, practices, or actions of any extra-institutional organization with which it may be affiliated; and that, specifically, no new national fraternity shall be permitted to operate on the campus if its local chapter is not completely free to elect to membership any individual on the basis of his merits as a person. 2. With respect to student organizations which are presently operating on campus, it shall be the objective of the Office of Student Affairs to work and advise with such of these organizations as may have definite restrictive policies to the end that in the selection of membership, the merits of the person shall be fundamental and guiding consideration. It shall encourage local groups affiliated with national organizations which have restrictive clauses in their constitutions to work toward the elimination of such clauses, as well as any unwritten policies, which might prevent the exercise of the free choice of members. The statement of policy is recommended to the Committee on student life for its endorsement. If approved, the policy set forth with the respect to new organizations should be codified in the Code of Student Life in order that proper notice may be given to any new organization seeking official recognition by the University.
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STATEMENT OF POLICY ADOPTED, 1958 A statement in the State University of Iowa catalog reads that "while the principal function of the University is to provide a suitable intellectual environment for the student through classrooms, laboratories, and stimulating teachers, it is recognized that the total development of the individual - personal, social and physical, as well as intellectual - is of equal importance." As one of the student personnel agencies of the University, the Office of Student Affairs has a special stake in the total development of students as individuals and particularly in their roles as citizens in a democratic society. This Office is quite aware of the University's obligation as an educational institution to train students for responsible citizenship, and believes that implicit in this obligation is a mandate to promote a social climate on campus which is free from bias and prejudice in this area of human relations. The Office is equally conscious of the University's obligation to protect the right and privilege of a social organization, organized for the purpose of deriving benefits from group living, to select such members as it chooses upon their merits as individuals or persons. Where such a right is denied, restrained, or abrogated by authority outside the University, by reason of policies or practices imposed by such authority, the University is committed to ameliorating or correcting such a situation in the interests of the institution's total educational objectives. With such a basic philosophy as background, the Office of Student Affairs shall be guided in future by the following general principles as it advises (1) any new organizations which apply for recognition to the Committee on Student Life; and (2) existing campus organizations. 1. Any new organization applying for recognition at the State University of Iowa must show to the satisfaction of this Office that it can, without question, exercise the right of freely selecting its members, using as criteria the merits of the individual person irrespective of race, color, or national origin. It is expected, in other words, that the right of a University-recognized organization to select such members as it wishes without regard to race, color, or national origin, may be exercised without interference or restraint by the policies, practices, or actions of any extra-institutional organization with which it may be affiliated; and that, specifically, no new national fraternity shall be permitted to operate on the campus if its local chapter is not completely free to elect to membership any individual on the basis of his merits as a person. 2. With respect to student organizations which are presently operating on campus, it shall be the objective of the Office of Student Affairs to work and advise with such of these organizations as may have definite restrictive policies to the end that in the selection of membership, the merits of the person shall be fundamental and guiding consideration. It shall encourage local groups affiliated with national organizations which have restrictive clauses in their constitutions to work toward the elimination of such clauses, as well as any unwritten policies, which might prevent the exercise of the free choice of members. The statement of policy is recommended to the Committee on student life for its endorsement. If approved, the policy set forth with the respect to new organizations should be codified in the Code of Student Life in order that proper notice may be given to any new organization seeking official recognition by the University.
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