University of Virginia Library

Board Denies GSU Funds,
Overrules SAC Decision

By SANDY DIVINE
nd LYNN STERN

A request for funds from
the Student Activities Fund by
the Gay Student Union
(G.S.U.) was denied by the
Board of Visitors yesterday
afternoon.

This action is in accordance
with University President
Edgar F. Shannon Jr.'s
recommendation that the
G.S.U.'s request be denied.

The Board's decision is
based on a hearing held Jan. 15
before the Student Affairs and
Athletics Committee of the
Board of Visitors and Pres:
Shannon to appeal the
decision.

The Student Allocations
Committee Dec. 19, 1972,
upheld Student Council's $45
allocation to the G.S.U. from
the Student Activities Fund
and denied the appeal of
William H. Hurd et al against
the allocation.

The S.A.C. determined that
the funds allocated were not
being given for "religious or
political activities or for
honorarium or social
entertainment." The funds
could not be distributed,
however, until the Board of
Visitors made their decision.

Sexual Life-style

In denying the allocation
the Board stated "The G.S.U.
cultivates and advocates a style
of sexual life. This is a private
and personal matter which has
no relationship to the
educational purposes of the
University."

Defending his
organization's position in
December, GSU President
Larry W. Cress had contended
that "No other student
organization has ever been
examined on this basis. No
matter how deplorable a few
members of the community
may think the private lives of
gays, this is no grounds for
denying funding to a
recognized and legitimate
student organization."

The GSU is primarily
devoted to educating the
public," he said, "and is a
completely a political
organization, and takes no
stand on the current
anti-homosexual laws."

According to the Board's
report, it "has no power to
authorize a disbursement of
funds for a purpose unrelated
to the purposes of the
University and for a private
and personal purpose."

The Board contended that
the GSU's "activities are
substantially social which
precluded any allocation of
funds.

They also explained that
the funds are held by the
Board subject to an express
trust that arises from the
mandatory nature of the fee.

"This trust," they said
"requires that the funds be
used for a purpose beneficial to
the University and to support
organizations to which all
students have de facto access.
Heterosexuals have no de facto
access to the G.S.U. and its
social events."

The Board requires that no
funds should be granted to an
organization with a
constitution and statement of
purpose that would
include "engaging in
propaganda and political
activity to change legislation,"
such as stated in the
Constitution of the G.S.U.

Unconstitutional Interference

The Board also said that
"designating special uses of
funds allocated to
organizations involve an
unconstitutional interference
with the freedom of speech or
of assembly of members of the
organization and should
cease."

In their statement the
Board directed the S.A.C. to
"reexamine allocation of funds
during the 1972-73 session and
hereafter in accordance with
the decision of the Board in
this case and to halt allocations
to all organizations not
meeting the requirements of
the 1970 guidelines" as
interpreted by their decision.

Vice President for Student
Affairs D. Alan Williams states
"The S.A.C. will now have to
examine a number of
organizations to see if they
comply with the interpretation