Although it technically did the right thing, the Government of the Student Body has started a dangerous precedent of funding religious organizations with state funds.

Wednesday night, GSB approved a piece of emergency legislation which struck a portion of its bylaws that prohibited GSB from funding religious organizations.

As a result, Campus Crusade for Christ received $407.20 of student fees, which had previously been denied to them by a senate vote because it went against the bylaws.

Members of the finance committee did their homework and discovered the Supreme Court case of Rosenberger vs. Rector and Visitors of the University of Virginia. According to GSB President Rob Wiese, “The case stated public schools must recognize but need not fund groups with religious affiliation.” In other words, public universities could not discriminate against a group because of its religious affiliation.Although discrimination based on religious beliefs is not an acceptable practice anytime, it is difficult to justify funding a religious organization with state funds in a country that strives to maintain a separation of church and state.

Although the case does not make it mandatory to fund these groups, it does open the door and it will open the door to future headaches.

Campus Crusade for Christ is a pretty noncontroversial group, but what happens when a non-Christian or anti-Christian organization asks for state funds? Not everyone will agree with the religious groups who come forward for funding, and the GSB precedent will no longer provide an easy answer to the problem. GSB and the country should try to maintain a clear- cut separation of church and state.