Thor L. Halvorssen, chief executive officer of FIRE, wrote in a letter last week to UNC-Chapel Hill Chancellor James C. Moeser that the university’s demand on InterVarsity “denies its members the foundational rights of freedom of association, freedom of expression, and the free exercise of religion.”

“UNC-Chapel Hill obviously may not forbid a religious student organization from making discriminations based on issues of faith,” the letter continued. “We shall make a national issue of the First Amendment at UNC-Chapel Hill...”

Following this protest, Moeser protected InterVarsity’s status at UNC-Chapel Hill and said that funding and recognition would not be revoked.

“I believe that in this matter, preserving freedom of expression is the more crucial consideration,” Moeser said in a written statement. “Thus I have asked our staff to allow [InterVarsity] to continue to operate as an official recognized student organization.”

“I believe we can strike a balance here—one that is fair and legal,” he added.

Last month, Rutgers denied its chapter of InterVarsity university funding and access to campus buildings after it found the organization to be discriminatory.

FIRE filed a lawsuit in Federal District Court on behalf of InterVarsity against Rutgers, claiming that the university’s actions violated both the First and Fourteenth amendments of the Constitution. The suit is still pending.

Back At Harvard

Illingworth wrote in an e-mail yesterday that the situation at UNC-Chapel Hill is different from that at Harvard because InterVarsity is a national organization, while all College student groups cannot be affiliated with such national organizations.

Illingworth also wrote that he does not want any involved party to resort to legal action.

“My hope is that, here at Harvard, the situation would not need to be a legal matter, but rather a negotiation which ensures that all students are able to be a part of any College group,” he wrote. “This is all still a work in progress and I believe that we will be able to work out a solution amicably and collegially.”

The executive board of HRCF wrote in an e-mail to the organization’s members last night that “it is important that our constitution continues to state the necessity that the leaders of HRCF uphold and support the purpose of HRCF.”

The e-mail said that the College’s non-discrimination policy covers only membership, not leadership. It also asked group members for feedback, thoughts and prayers.

Dean of the College Harry R. Lewis ’68 wrote in an e-mail yesterday that the question at hand is whether members of the organization could and should be able to elect a non-Christian to a leadership position.

Lewis also wrote that he is confident that “every one” of the College’s religious student organizations “has consistently chosen leaders of their own faith without any constitutional clause requiring it.”