Spring Break
Academic Policies Committee convenes
University leaders discuss future of service learning requirements
Erik Borg
Issue date: 10/21/04 Section: Campus News
"I think this is about religion," he said. "It is about the Constitution. It is about the First Amendment and the Establishment Clause."
Mowry concurred, arguing the susceptibility of the university to civil prosecution.
"I think it only takes one plaintiff that brings forth a case that puts the university at risk of a lawsuit," he said.
"We would be in a very sad situation if we jeopardized our federal funds here, not only in some of the programs related to service learning, but our federal funds in a variety of programs because of this particular issue," board member Meg Dwyer said.
UW-Eau Claire implemented service learning requirements in 1995 as a result of faculty concerns that students were not gaining experiences with people different from themselves.
"We are a predominantly white school from Minnesota and Wisconsin," Mowry said.
Being one of only five public schools in the nation with service learning requirements, however, the university has few precedents to look to regarding the challenges that have followed.
A ruling on the ban will come from the Academic Policies Committee in weeks, another meeting is scheduled for 2 p.mTuesday.
Mowry concurred, arguing the susceptibility of the university to civil prosecution.
"I think it only takes one plaintiff that brings forth a case that puts the university at risk of a lawsuit," he said.
"We would be in a very sad situation if we jeopardized our federal funds here, not only in some of the programs related to service learning, but our federal funds in a variety of programs because of this particular issue," board member Meg Dwyer said.
UW-Eau Claire implemented service learning requirements in 1995 as a result of faculty concerns that students were not gaining experiences with people different from themselves.
"We are a predominantly white school from Minnesota and Wisconsin," Mowry said.
Being one of only five public schools in the nation with service learning requirements, however, the university has few precedents to look to regarding the challenges that have followed.
A ruling on the ban will come from the Academic Policies Committee in weeks, another meeting is scheduled for 2 p.mTuesday.