RICHMOND, Va. – Alliance Defending Freedom attorneys filed a federal lawsuit Thursday on behalf of two Christian clubs challenging Virginia State University’s unlawful policy that punishes students for expressing their religious beliefs.
Women of Victory and Bethel Campus Fellowship are national organizations that each have a chapter at VSU. The clubs provide religious support to students on college campuses through Bible studies, leadership trainings and events, and numerous other opportunities for spiritual growth, both on and off campus.
In August, VSU’s Campus Ministries office adopted a new policy, informing student leaders that “student-led ministries” could no longer hold registered student organization status or affiliate with their national organizations. Instead, faith-based groups like Women of Victory and Bethel Campus Fellowship would be absorbed into VSU’s Campus Ministries, subject to the sole authority of the University’s Campus Minister, Thomas Wynn, and a board of advisors comprised of faculty members and university employees.
“VSU is brazenly singling out Christian clubs and treating them worse than student groups of other faiths. The Constitution prohibits such blatant discrimination,” said ADF Senior Counsel Tyson Langhofer. “The First Amendment clearly establishes the right of all student organizations to associate around shared beliefs. The students of Women of Victory and Bethel Campus Fellowship are right to stand up to university officials and hold them accountable for violating their fundamental rights.”
Under the university’s new policy, Wynn is granted control of all student-led ministries, with complete discretion to approve or reject requests for religious meetings, events, guest speakers, and all other religious activities on campus. The Muslim Students Association and the VSU Community Faith Alliance—the only non-Christian religious organizations at VSU—are explicitly exempted from the policy.
When student leaders asked Wynn why the policy restricts only Christian groups, he replied, “Because you are all faith-based … because you purport Jesus Christ and faith.” Wynn also announced that the policy eliminates Sunday shuttles that used to transport students to and from a local church on Sunday mornings because “the school wants to crack down on transportation to outside churches.”
“Women of Victory has had a powerful and loving presence at VSU since I started the ministry as a sophomore nearly nine years ago. Since then, we have encouraged and equipped college women to fulfill their God-given call through the transforming power of Jesus Christ,” said Jneva Norfleet, Founder and Executive Director of Women of Victory Ministries. “It is disheartening that VSU administrators have chosen to strip our chapter of its registered student organization status, rights, and benefits because of the students’ religious beliefs. Women of Victory Ministries advocates for every student’s right to freely express their faith on campus. We wholeheartedly support our students and are proud of them for taking this stand.”
Further, the lawsuit notes how, although the policy begins with a commitment to help students “grow in their respective faith traditions,” the policy only applies to Christian groups. The policy punishes students for expressing their religious beliefs, and university officials have used it to prohibit Christian students from gathering—even for non-religious purposes, such as an informal pajama party in a residence hall.
The lawsuit explains how the policy is not only a blatant violation of numerous First Amendment principles, but officials have also made no attempt to hide the religious motivation for the restrictions.
ADF attorneys filed Women of Victory at Virginia State University v. Branch in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia, Richmond Division.
- Pronunciation guide: Langhofer (LANG’-hoff-ur)
Alliance Defending Freedom is an alliance-building, non-profit legal organization committed to protecting religious freedom, free speech, parental rights, and the sanctity of life.
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