BOISE STATE BIAS

Boise, ID~In the last five years, the university has played host to more than 21 prominent guest speakers, including such illustrious figures as Al Gore, Jesse Jackson, Mary Robinson, Gloria Steinem, Danny Glover, Angela Davis, Ralph Nader, and others.

The problem? Students claim that nearly all of the guest speakers invited to their university share the same ideological perspective. Specifically, they lament the lack of conservative speakers to provide balance and intellectual diversity. According to the research of students in the Conservative Student Coalition, the Freedom Alliance, and members of ASBSU Student Government, the university has shown gross negligence in balancing the ideas and perspectives offered to students through guest speakers.

We are convinced that 100% of the estimated $300,000 spent on guest speakers in the last five years was used to finance left-leaning lecturersThis is inexcusable. When the university only presents one side of every issue it’s called indoctrination—a practice in which no institution of higher education should be involved.

In a major “Campus Climate Survey” released by the University Provost on December 1, 2006, the number one reason for which students reported harassment or intimidation at Boise State was their political views (43.2%), followed closely by religious faith (41.8%). It’s unbelievable that in light of these facts, the university lines up more far-left speakers to tote the ideological line when conservative and religious students are crying out for help.

According to the students’ research, the ratio of speakers is more than 6:1. The only three conservatives to visit Boise State since 2002 were paid for with private funds, while 15 of the 18 prominent liberal speakers were paid for by the university.

Students plan to take their complaint to the Idaho State Legislature and the Idaho State Board of Education later this month.

Brandon Stoker is a student activist at Boise State. Jon Sawmiller is a Senator with the Associated Students of Boise State University.