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From: boyd@orstcs.UUCP (boyd)
Newsgroups: net.college
Subject: Are Mandatory PIRG Fees Legal?
Message-ID: <12000003@orstcs.UUCP>
Date: Sun, 19-Jan-86 21:39:00 EST
Article-I.D.: orstcs.12000003
Posted: Sun Jan 19 21:39:00 1986
Date-Received: Fri, 24-Jan-86 10:09:41 EST
Organization: Oregon State University - Corvallis, OR
Lines: 20
Nf-ID: #N:orstcs:12000003:000:1009
Nf-From: orstcs!boyd    Jan 19 18:39:00 1986


      A fight is now brewing on the Oregon State University Campus as to
how a PIRG (Public Interest Research Group) should be funded. Currently,
this actively political group is funded through mandatory student fees. A
group of students calling themselves OSFA (OSU Students For Accountability)
is seeking make the fee a voluntary one. 

       I understand that a group Rutgers students successfully sued their
university for collecting a similar fee for NJPIRG, because it was a
violation of First Amendment rights. Anyone have any more information?

      It does appear that forcing students to pay for organizations of this
type would be a violation of their individual rights since PIRG's actively
take partisan positions on many issues and attempt to sway public opinion
off campus. So are mandatory PIRG fees legal? 

    Any stories, anecdotes or information pro or con would be helpful.

                                                     Thanks.