Partisan lines all but disappeared Tuesday in a debate about university funding for religious groups on campus.
In the debate, held in the Hinckley Caucus Room, the College Democrats and College Republicans both agreed that religious groups should have equal access to funding.
Both groups felt that university funding for religious clubs was not a violation of the separation of church and state as long as all religious clubs have an equal opportunity to receive funding.
The two groups also agreed that funding for religious groups should come solely from student fees, not federal funding.
"Funding for religious groups should come from student fees because they can be distributed equally. Federal funding cannot be distributed equally," said Brad Onderson from the Republican panel.
However, the groups did disagree on funding for what the Democrats called "hate-based groups."
The issue arose when an audience member asked the debaters whether groups like Nazi and anti-gay and lesbian groups should be able to receive funding.
Onderson argued that to not allow one group to receive funding, regardless of its views, was discrimination.
College Democrat Kevin Khong said the university shouldn't fund clubs founded on the basis of hating another group or groups of people.
They also disagreed on how funding for the groups should be distributed.
Breanne Miller of the Democrats said funding should be assigned based on how active and how many members the clubs have.
She added that this is how funding for clubs is currently decided.
Onderson argued that funding should be distributed evenly, regardless of the number of members in a club.
dgardiner@chronicle.utah.edu
