Connecticut —
FFRF took action to ensure that secular students at Three Rivers Community College in Norwich were allowed to form a Secular Student Alliance (SSA) chapter on campus after initially being denied.
FFRF learned that a student attempted to form a local chapter of the SSA on the Three Rivers campus. Despite fulfilling each of the Student Government Association’s (SGA) requirements for student organization recognition, SGA denied the group’s application, despite the fact that Three Rivers does recognize a Christian student organization, the Alpha Omega Christian Club.
No explicit reason was given for the denial of the SSA’s student organization application. Given that the SSA club met all of the requirements for recognition and the SGA recognizes other clubs such as the Alpha Omega Christian club, the denial appeared to be based on the viewpoint of the SSA club.
“Preventing our complainant’s group from forming not only violates the law, it is also bad policy,” FFRF Legal Director Patrick Elliott wrote. “Students seeking to make their college a better place for themselves and their classmates by building a community and forming a student club shouldn’t be subject to the whims of their classmates for club approval.”
After FFRF’s letter, Dr. Chaisson-Cardenas, vice president of diversity, equity and inclusion, informed FFRF of policy changes, which included, “vacating the previous decision by the SGA. [The complainant] will be allowed to resubmit the club application for review and approval. This new review will be based on the content of the organizational application, and not the style or approach of the applicant.” Additionally, the SGA leadership would be receiving additional training in order to clarify Connecticut state policy and procedure.
