SGA delays Intellectual Diversity bill debate
By Jordan Funderburk, staff writer
Posted on January 25, 2007

Controversy was postponed in this week’s SGA session. While two routine bills unanimously passed before the senate, the recently introduced “Intellectual Diversity” bill shocked the senate and was quickly moved to next week’s session.

The Intellectual Diversity bill aims to combat a Virginia General Assembly bill that, if passed, will force universities to ensure professors keep their political opinions out of the classroom.

Student Body President Brandon Eickel (Jr.) authored the bill, sees this as harmful to JMU’s academic freedoms.

“We want a free market of ideas at JMU,” Eickel said. “This is the exact opposite. [The bill] imposes restrictions.”

Currently the General Assembly’s bill has been passed onto the Committee on Education and has good chance of being ratified. Republican Del. Steven Landes, R-25 District, is the bill’s patron. The bill requires each public Virginia college to annually report on the steps the college is taking to promote intellectual diversity.

Sophomore Tara Rife and freshman Lexi Hutchins are the two sponsors for SGA’s counter-bill. Although the bill only has the power to express how JMU’s student body feels on the issue, it contains strong words. It says, “Their proposal, the so-called ‘Intellectual Diversity’ bill, seeks to remove from universities the thing that makes them so successful, the free exchange of ideas.”

Following the postponement of debate on the Intellectual Diversity bill, SGA quickly approved funds for two up-and-coming groups. The newly formed Phi Beta Sigma received $2,000 to help bring Step Afrika to JMU.

“Step Afrika is a culturally diverse dance group,” said senior Trent Bosley, Phi Beta Sigma president. “They dance, sing and everything else.”

Also receiving $2,000 was La Unidad Latina, a JMU club focused on bolstering JMU’s Latino population, which is currently 2.06 percent through community outreach. The money will be used to bring motivational speaker Jimmy Cabrera to JMU on April 11.

La Unidad Latina tries to motivate Harrisonburg’s Latinos to graduate high school and go on to college.

“[Cabrera] wakes you up and knocks you down,” said club president, senior Renzo Olguin. “He will motivate them to go to college. Hopefully that 2.06 percent will go up a little higher.”