BYU-Idaho dissolves student political parties

In a bit of odd news coming out of Idaho today ...

"BYU-Idaho is enforcing political neutrality amongst students on campus."



The MountainGoat Report wonders "if the flak the LDS church received, including questions regarding violations of federal tax law, over their involvement in California's Proposition 8 ballot measure hasn't had some effect."

The Rexburg Standard Journal reports that "the administration has given ... encouragement to create ... groups off campus ... These new groups, which could include college students and members of the community, would not be allowed to hold meetings on the BYU-Idaho campus."

Deseret News runs an AP piece that notes:

Carri Jenkins, a spokeswoman for Brigham Young University in Provo, said the university's main campus is not disbanding its College Republicans or College Democrats student organizations.

"It's not something that's under discussion," Jenkins said.

Michael Johanson, a spokesman at BYU-Hawaii, also said that campus has no plans to dissolve the two groups, either.

Odd. Even wingnut Mormon bloggers are scratching their heads over this one. I'd be interested to hear Kim Clark defend this decision.

And now Liberty University has followed suit? Doubly odd.