Updated 5/18/07 @ 1:34 PM CST

View petition submitted by faculty of Iowa State University here.

A petition has been started by four Iowa State professors opposing the introduction of chaplains to athletic programs by Gene Chizik, head football coach.

The petition was started by Hector Avalos, associate professor religious studies; Warren Blumenfeld, assistant professor in curriculum and instruction; William David, university professor in music; and Ellen Fairchild, lecturer in curriculum and instruction.

The petition states “We, the undersigned faculty members at Iowa State University, strongly oppose any effort to introduce chaplains or any other form of religious counseling, whether publicly or privately funded, into any part of our athletic programs. Such an effort by our football coach Gene Chizik has been reported in the local press.”

The petition goes on to say that such a position would violate the establishment clause in the First Amendment in the U.S. Constitution.

In an e-mail response to the four professors, Jamie Pollard, Iowa State athletic director, wrote that “no one, including Coach Gene Chizik, intends, has or will force any student-athlete to take part in any spiritual activity.” In the e-mail, Pollard likens the chaplain position to other services provided to student-athletes.

“Much like we have offered our student-athletes access to drug and alcohol counselors, sports psychologists, nutritionists, hypnotists, physical therapists, learning specialists, chiropractors, physicians, etc., we are now going to also provide access to a spiritual advisor,” he wrote.

Pollard wrote in the e-mail that the chaplain would be funded by private, not public money.

“We recognize that not everyone will support, nor fully understand or appreciate, this decision, since it is a topic that often is viewed as politically incorrect,” he wrote.

David, in an e-mail response to Pollard’s e-mail, wrote, “I find myself more concerned about this matter than before I received it, primarily because of his view that this is only an issue of political correctness, as opposed to an issue of law.”

Check for more updates at www.iowastatedaily.net as this story develops.