Business Leaders in Christ remains on Iowa campus

A business-oriented Christian student group will be allowed at the University of Iowa (IU) after a federal judge ruled the university failed to demonstrate it applied its policies equally when it kicked the group off campus.

Business Leaders in Christ (BLinC) sued the school last December after it was ejected for allegedly denying a member a leadership position because he was openly gay. In its lawsuit, the organization called that claim false, saying the student “expressly stated” that he rejected BLinC’s beliefs and would not follow them.

A problem arose with the university’s expulsion. The (Cedar Rapids) Gazette reported that an IU review of administration of its human rights policy found that just 157 of 513 organizations were in compliance with the guidelines.

In a ruling that will permit BLinC to remain on campus until at least next March—when a trial is scheduled—U.S. District Judge Stephanie Rose said the university failed to apply its policy evenly.

“The university does not reconcile that fact with how the proceedings against BLinC were carried out,” Rose said. “Presently, too much remains unknown about what role BLinC’s viewpoint played, if any, in the decision to deregister the group.”