Placement of Religion and Freedom

College is to help a student grow their mind, body, and spirit. Obviously, the institution itself developments one’s mind. Through athletics you can develop or maintain your body through sports, or various exercises at the recreational facilities. The culture of the campus is affiliated with one organized religion, and develops well of those who are of that religion. However, are those who are not of that religion affected when they attend Utah State University? Are they able to develop their spirit equally or are they being repressed of their own beliefs? Utah State University is biased on supporting more than one belief system and their placement of buildings support this claim.

Going to a Public University where your religion is looked upon must be a benefit. As according to online resources 90% of USU students belong to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. Many students take non-accredited religious courses at their religious building called the Institute of Religion. At USU, the Institute building is connected to the campus (However, claims to be of separate property.) right across the student center. Student’s get off the campus bus, and unload in the middle of the sidewalk area in between the student center and Institute building. Latter-day saints are highly encouraged by their previous and current prophets to attend institute during their college years. President Thomas S. Monson current Prophet of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints encouraged college students to attend institute by speaking in a video clip for Institute:

If you are a single college student, I ask you to make participation in institute a priority. Married students and other young adults are also welcome and encouraged to attend. Think of it. Friends will be made, the Spirit will be felt, and faith will be strengthened. I promise you that as you participate in institute and study the scriptures diligently, your power to avoid temptation and to receive direction of the Holy Ghost in all you do will be increased. Divine favor will attend those who humbly seek it. That is a promise which I leave with you. (President Thomas S. Monson April 21, 2009)

The benefits of going to institute if believed by that are promised are plentiful. Also a student gets to have a building where they can feel safe in their beliefs; a place where they can feel comfortable away from home; a place to study and feel peace and enlightenment with encouragement of positive reinforcements. Where is this place for students who do not believe? As I asked students who attend this building if they think the placement of the building was affecting other non-believers. I was told by many that USU is a part of Utah, and that students need to accept the culture.

Utah State University gives a lot of scholarships to diversity students. These students are not of the culture of Utah, and come to USU to get more than likely a degree in engineering. These

students spend quite some time away from home, and sometimes are from a different country all together. Depression can arise from these students being on their own. There is no source at the school that they can go to study their own beliefs or find common interests with others. They do not have a building like the Institute to study their own beliefs, and a place to feel safe in their practice. There is nowhere for them to develop their spirit that is needed to thrive through this part of their life. Would this consider a violation of the First Amendment? According to an article done on Law and Spirituality… “Do the beliefs occupy the same central space in the believer’s life as traditional religious beliefs occupy in the traditional believer’s life?” (Clark, R. Thomas. "The Law and Spirituality: How the Law Supports and Limits Expression of Spirituality on the College Campus." New Directions for Student Services 2001.95 (2001): 37-46. Web. 14 Mar. 2012.) USU could be violating the First Amendment by not having the same equal amount of space for those who do not attend the Institute of Religion. Why is there not a building that can celebrate all faiths? A place like the Institute that can provide the same comforts the Latter-Day Saints get? Do the non-believers get offended by being at a public school that only caters to one religion? To get the views of how the students not affiliated with the LDS, I went and questioned them online through clubs of USU who had different views than those who attended the Institute building. One student spoke out about his annoyance with the placement of the Institute building:

I'm personally annoyed that they designed the limits of state property specifically to allow the church to have its privileged position right there. There is absolutely no reason that USU campus design would just happen to have a hole in it in the most convenient place ever unless it had something in mind. (Dano H., Member of USU S.H.A.F.T. Club, February 29th 2012.)

Students do feel bothered by the placement of the building. They did not have choice or a vote of where the building would be placed, and feel that there is only one religion accepted here at USU. Many students feel unwelcomed by this building, and on any given day you walk in front of the institute building you are either approached by missionaries for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints or by students handing out pamphlets of different religions telling them to not attend the Institute building. There is no compromise, and everyone feels very strongly about the placement of the building one way or the other.

Banning the Institute building from campus is like banning all other religions which is already been done. There needs to be a place where the Institute could thrive and students of other faiths feel more comfortable while attending USU. The LDS Institute building is listed as the oldest functioning Institute that the LDS church has. Moving the building to another location where it is still connected to campus would benefit the LDS students by having a new building that could handle better technology and have more classrooms. Placing the building in an area where students can go outside and lay in the grass to enjoy the warmer seasons. There would also be parking connected to the building for those who only want to go to Institute only and not take up the other student’s spots that are attending classes at USU. Movement of the building would make it be respected and stand on its own like the Logan, Utah LDS Temple. It would be away from people who curse or litter on purpose in front of the building and serve a better purpose for spirituality and privacy. The idea of possibly turning the former building into a building for all religions would serve a purpose to attract more students to USU as an acceptance of diversity.

Also to offer classes so students can become culturally more aware of the world and its beliefs. Another quote from a student who believes this would involve more equality across the campus said “I honestly don't mind having a building devoted to religious studies; however, I think that it should be just that… A religious studies building (not strictly one belief). It would make more sense to have all religious studies courses represented there.” (David P., member of USU S.H.A.F.T. and USU Post-Mormons, February 29th 2012.)

The members of the LDS faith that thought this is a good idea and spoke upon that taking the old student singles ward A.K.A. “The Toaster” and turning that into the place for the new Institute building. It would be a way to compromise on this situation as the location is still connected to campus, and the school bus route does have a stop there.