Earlier this month I wrote about the Young Americans for Freedom group at Stony Brook University on Long Island that was denied equal access to student organization funding because it was deemed to be “too similar” to the College Republicans.  While some student groups at Stony Brook (including many with seemingly similar purposes on the left side of the ideological and political spectrum) are funded with tens of thousands of dollars in student fees, the non-partisan but conservative YAF was denied.

Now just three weeks after receiving our letter, Stony Brook has changed course.  The University Student Government has now advised YAF that on further review YAF is eligible for funding.  YAF is resubmitting its budget and should receive its funding shortly.  YAF members – who like all other students at Stony Brook pay the student fees that are used to fund student groups – will now be able to have their own group receive its share of their funds.  And as a result Stony Brook students of all views will now benefit from new policies protecting their First Amendment rights.

In addition to reversing its own decision to deny funding to YAF, Stony Brook’s Student Government also quickly enacted a new bill labeled, “An Act to restore sanity to the eligibility and funding of new student clubs.”  The new policy eliminates the “similarity” requirement under which YAF was originally denied funding.  The bill also eliminates a grossly unconstitutional policy requiring every new student group to provide a petition signed by 5% of the student body – roughly 800 students – supporting their funding.  The signers were also required to provide their phone numbers and ID numbers so that their identity and support for the group could be verified, an obvious burden on controversial and less popular views on campus.

Some issues still remain.  Stony Brook’s Department of Student Activities still reserves the authority to examine whether a group is “unique” (although it determined that YAF was) and some ambiguities remain concerning the actual criteria used to evaluate the budget proposals of student groups.

But as we continue to work with Stony Brook on these concerns, it is gratifying to see a University and student government work so quickly and diligently to right a wrong and bring their policies into compliance with the constitution without a court ever having to be involved.  I will wait patiently for the update to Stony Brook’s Wikipedia page listing this achievement alongside its inventions of the MRI and the virtual colonoscopy and the discovery of the Beelzebufo, a 10 pound ancient Madagascan frog.

This is a win not just for a very deserving group of passionate and dedicated YAF members at Stony Brook University, but for all Stony Brook students that value the First Amendment.