Colorado students launch GOP site

Faculty at the University of Colorado in Boulder, Colo,. expressed left-wing views too often for the University's College Republicans. The group launched a Web site to file complaints against professors who pressed their political views.\nAngel Rivera, a senior and president of the IU CRs, said IU, and the rest of the country, face a similar problem.\n"I think it is no surprise. Most university professors are liberally leaning," Rivera said. "I congratulate students at the University of Colorado for their efforts. There is a bias in the American education system -- that is a fact. Some people will deny it, but that is a fact. Ask any political science student on campus. That being said, the University should do more to try and have a non-biased academic system."\nAccording to an Associated Press story, the CU CRs are affiliated with conservative activist David Horowitz, who is leading a Colorado push to stop harassment based on political beliefs. \nIU senior Laura Walda, a current member and past vice president of the College Democrats, said she doesn't think professors are actively promoting any sort of political agenda. Still, she said if professors did push ulterior motives, they need to learn to be better educators. \n"If a person is purporting their own political views, then there's a problem not with the person's political stance, but with their teaching ability," Walda said. "It's not left leaning or right leaning, but what they teach in classes. That's the issue people need to look at."\nWalda said she took a human sexuality course with a professor who openly admitted to being liberal in the first session. That, she said, helped prevent students from thinking they were being persuaded better than a tips Web site.\nRivera and Walda both agreed the University of Colorado Web site will bring attention to a matter that needs discussion.\n"Web sites like that coming from both points of view always bring up good discussion," Walda said. "I compare this to the Benton Mural discussion. The only thing that comes of them is discussion. With the Benton Mural controversy, now we have the diversity initiative. That's really great, and it came from controversy."\nRivera and Walda disagreed, however, on the extent of the problem at IU. Rivera said the IU CRs conducted a study that showed all but one of IU's political science professors voted in a recent Democratic primary. But Walda said many Republicans vote in Democratic primaries and vice versa. \nNo matter how pervasive, Rivera said any sort of politically motivated speech is fine, just not in the classroom. \n"You don't have a first amendment right in the work force," he said. "In your private time, you can say what you want. That is one of the most wonderful things about this country. But when the taxpayers of Indiana are paying you to do something, it's different."\nAs for the Web site, Rivera said there are no immediate plans to start one in Bloomington, although it is a possibility.\n"Sure, it's something that could be considered," he said. "Although right now it's not in the works."\n-- Contact campus editor Gavin Lesnick at glesnick@indiana.edu.