Liberty University’s decision to deny recognition to the College Democrats prompted many to wonder—is Liberty alone or do politically active students at other deeply religious institutions face problems organizing.  Inside Higher Ed recently looked into that question and found that although Liberty is an outlier, students do face an uphill battle at many campuses. 
 
Liberty sparked national debate last month when the administration withdrew the school’s official recognition of the College Democrats because they endorsed candidates favoring abortion rights and supported the Democratic National Committee’s platform.  After a firestorm of media, student and activist outcry, Liberty chancellor Jerry Falwell, Jr. offered the College Dems a compromise, promising to grant the group official university recognition if they become a chapter of the Virginia Democrats for Life, a political group opposing abortion.
 
While students have not faced this level of restriction at similar campuses, they do still face restrictions on their student groups.  Students at Regent University, an interdenominational Christian university founded by the Southern Baptist televangelist Pat Robertson, also formed a chapter of the College Democrats. In order to gain the university’s official recognition, the group had to create a constitution that could potentially limit its actions if they conflict with the values of the school.
 
At Patrick Henry College, a Protestant institution in Purcellville, Va., the College Dems were officially recognized by the school but then quickly dissolved.  According to a spokesman for the school, the group only had a few members and several transferred to other colleges.
 
At Brigham Young University-Idaho, the school administration disbanded both the College Republicans and College Democrats, arguing removing political organizations is necessary to enforce the school’s new political neutrality policy.  Though the move was widely reported, the only neutrality policy our staff has been able to find is the neutrality policy for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, which the school is affiliated with.
 
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Patrick Henry College’s student handbook
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints Political Neutrality Policy