Secular Student Alliance: Atheists, Humanists, Agnostics & Others - Blog

This Week: Secular Semester at a Glance

23-August-2010

This Week: Secular Semester at a Glance

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A Secular Semester at a Glance

Secular Student Opportunities

Ways You Can Support SSA

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Support the SSA

Hi, everyone!

A bunch of our affiliates had recruitment events last week, and it sounds like they went really well - great work! If yours hasn't happened yet, don't forget that you can get tabling supplies from the SSA.

This week, we'll be taking a look at secular events happening throughout the semester that your group might be interested in participating in. We also point you toward a few special opportunities, and provide a few ways that you and your members can help support the SSA - often without spending any extra money yourselves!

A Secular Semester at a Glance
Every semester, there are a bunch of exciting events for secular groups to take part in. Here's a list of what you might expect this semester!

September 19: Talk Like a Pirate Day - great for Pastafarians
September 25 - Oct 2: Banned Books Week - protect freedom of the press
September 30: International Blasphemy Rights Day - protect freedom of speech
October 3: National Secular Service Day - show that we're good without god
November 24: Publication Date for Darwin's "Origin of Species" - celebrate evolution
December 23: HumanLight - celebrate humanity and the solstice

Secular Student Opportunities
CFI Campaign for Free Expression Video Contest: You could win $500, $1000 or even $2000 with your video. Get details at the CFI website and submit your video by the Sept 20th deadline.

Secular Coalition for America Action Alert: Help defend fact-based educational standards in the face of Texas' latest theocratic antics. Take action and share this action alert with your group's membership!

Clever Response: Open Letter to Vandals

21-August-2010

After seeing his group's banner torn down and display vandalized, SFU Skeptics Vice President Jakob Liljenwall wrote this tongue-in-cheek open letter to those responsible:

Dear Vandal(s),

We, the SFU Skeptics, could not help but notice that our banner was once again affected by your handiwork last week. While your first work directly recontextualized the banner itself (from the context of hanging up to the context of being crumpled up on the floor), this latest piece seems to consist of an abstract expressionist addendum to the glass display case in which the banner was kept, obscuring part of the message only as long as it remained mounted. Now that the banner has been removed, your painted addition is more curiosity than commentary.

Obviously, the SFU Skeptics recognize your work for the well-considered art that it is, though others might mistake it for a cowardly and infantile act of aggression against some rather mundane ideas. Ideas are of course the key here, and so we cordially offer you an opportunity to express your own. So far the medium of vandalism appears to have served you well; we are acutely aware that you disagree with the text on our banner. Unfortunately, your own ideas have not been clearly articulated by acts of simple contrarianism, and we believe that an experiment in another medium might rectify this.

Specifically, we would like to invite you to stage a piece of performance art with us. In particular, we had in mind the sort often referred to as a “discussion” and engaged in by those who identify as “adults”. You need bring only yourself and your ideas; the club will provide finger paints so long you express an understanding that they are not to be eaten. We are eagerly looking forward to this collaboration. You may RSVP either by email or prank phone call.

Sincerely,
The SFU Skeptics

Jakob Liljenwall is a founding member and current Vice President of the Simon Fraser University Skeptics in Vancouver BC. He is also a volunteer for CFI, Vancouver.

Secular Student Alliance eMpirical No. 46: On Discrimination, Past and Present

19-August-2010

August 2010

In this issue:

In Defense of Discrimination: A Criticism of the CLS v. Martinez Ruling

8-August-2010

For the other side of this discussion, read "No Discrimination Allowed: A Campus Organizer's Defense of the CLS v. Martinez Ruling" by Lyz Liddell

by Frank Bellamy

Justice Stevens concludes one of his last concurring opinions with the observation that “the ... argument [the Christian Legal Society chapter at Hastings College of Law] presses, however, is hardly limited to these facts. Other groups may exclude or mistreat Jews, blacks and women – or those who do not share their contempt for Jews, blacks, and women. A free society must tolerate such groups. It need not subsidize them, give them its official imprimatur, or grant them equal access to law school facilities.” I agree that society need not give its support to such groups. What strikes me about this case, however, is that there is no indication that the Christian Legal Society (CLS) has mistreated, shown contempt for, or in any significant sense excluded non-christians or homosexuals.

Iacoviello Wins $1,000 American Atheists Scholarship

24-July-2010

by Leslie A. Zukor

David Iacoviello poses with his scholarship certificate

Congratulations to David Iacoviello, the 2010 American Atheists scholarship runner-up. Each year, American Atheists gives three prizes to nontheists who have distinguished themselves via their activism. In the past, the organization has given out a $2,000 Founders’ Scholarship first prize, a $1,000 runner-up award, and a $1,000 Chinn Scholarship to an outstanding gay/lesbian atheist activist. However, there were no LGBT entrants this year, so American Atheists gave out two second prizes instead. The Secular Student Alliance has a history of producing scholarship winners, including current SSA board members, Hemant Mehta and Andrew Cederdahl, and former board member, Becky Robinson. The 2010 Founders’ Scholarship went to Leslie A. Zukor. David Iacoviello and Andrew Choufrine were the runners-up. Zukor and Choufrine will be profiled in upcoming editions of the eMpirical.

SSA Announces 2010 Best Awards Winners

21-June-2010

by Leslie A. Zukor

Congratulations to the winners of the 2009-10 Secular Student Alliance Best Awards!

Each year, the SSA gives out five awards to groups that have excelled in particular facets of activism and campus involvement. This year, we had a record number of applicants; we got nearly 30 excellent entries. The awards include a $300 cash prize for each group, and Affiliate of the Year merits $500. The money is to be spent on winning clubs' future events, and the award recipients get a sweet plaque.

Winners of the 2009 Best Awards at the SSA's 2009 Annual Conference

This year, we awarded Affiliate of the Year to the University of Northern Iowa Freethinkers and Inquirers (UNIFI), Best Community to the University of Oregon Alliance of Happy Atheists (AHA!), and Best Activism to the Macquarie University Atheist League. The University of Utah's Secular Humanism, Inquiry, and Freethought (SHIFT) and the Society of Non-Theists at Purdue won Best Educator and Best Service Project, respectively.

Affiliate of the Year: University of Northern Iowa Freethinkers and Inquirers
UNIFI had several secular successes, including the group's annual Darwin Week. During Darwin Week 2010, the group put on fourteen events to raise awareness about science and reason, filling over 750 seats in the process. UNIFI's speakers included such personalities as Dr. Hector Avalos and famed blogger PZ Myers. In addition to Darwin Week, the University of Northern Iowa club hosted a Know Your Arguments series, as well as a monthly Faith Forum. The events have done a great job of educating community members about the importance of evolution, as well as common arguments presented against this scientifically-based viewpoint.

In addition to hosting speakers, UNIFI has been involved in secularist activism in a number of other ways. For example, the group got national media attention for its Blasphemy Day events, including coverage on Ray Comfort's own blog. Furthermore, the Freethinkers and Inquirers maintained a large presence at a Martin Luther King Jr. Day volunteer effort, sending fifteen members to perform community service. The group also raised over $500 in the local Relay For Life. UNIFI has also carved out a welcoming space for secular events, including Sunday Brunches and weekly dinners. For these reasons, the SSA is proud to award its Affiliate of the Year for 2010 to the University of Northern Iowa Freethinkers and Inquirers.

Best Community: University of Oregon's Alliance of Happy Atheists
The winner of this year's Best Community Award was the Alliance of Happy Atheists (AHA!). This University of Oregon club has been particularly impressive at building an open, welcoming, and cohesive atmosphere at its meetings. The end result is that the atheist club has been a place where non-theistic individuals can find a supporting and caring network of friends, something often seen only at religious meetings. Among AHA!'s community building activities are a group prom, a campus-wide scavenger hunt, and an AHA! Relay For Life team, among other activities.

The group also serves the University of Oregon community by providing a safe haven for secularists. As a result of the AHA!'s presence, non-theistic study breaks are available, as well as post-meeting pizza excursions, and picnics and barbecues. And the Alliance of Happy Atheists gets more than just a few attendees at its social events; the AHA! regularly has a community of 50+ people in attendance. In addition to drawing so many people from the University of Oregon, AHA! has been successful in recruiting students from a local community college, as well as from surrounding areas. We are pleased to award our Best Community Award to the Alliance of Happy Atheists!

RSA Founder Reflects on Humanist Conference

16-June-2010

This story originally appeared in the Reed Secular Alliance blog on June 17, 2010, and is used with permission.

Article by Leslie A. Zukor for the Reed Secular Alliance.

Bill Nye receives Humanist of the Year Award; Photo By: Leslie A. Zukor

A Second Invitation to the White House

16-June-2010

by August E. Brunsman

It’s not every year that I get invited to two White House meetings because of my atheism, but 2010 is already that kind of a year. Last February, the Secular Coalition for America (and its ten member organizations, one of which is the Secular Student Alliance) got a historic invitation to the White House for a policy briefing. Well, on June 7th I was invited back to participate in a 125-person meeting organized through the White House Office of Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships (WHOFBNP). The title of the meeting was “Advancing Interfaith and Community Service on College and University Campuses.”

Why We Must Draw Muhammad

15-June-2010

by Chris Calvey

I was among the secular student leaders who organized Muhammad chalking campaigns on three college campuses (story 1, story 2, story 3). While it is true that having a legal right to exercise free speech, even if it offends some people, this legal right is not a sufficient moral justification to exercise so-called “offensive” speech. So, I will explain our motivations, highlight the importance of our actions and clear up some misconceptions about the campaign.

2 Groups, 1 Campus

12-June-2010

We're encountering a new situation here at the Secular Student Alliance: the situation of more than one SSA affiliate group on one campus. Over the past few years, we've seen a slowly growing contingent of campuses that sport two SSA-affiliated groups. And while there are certainly challenges inherent in having one campus with more than one group, there are also benefits to be had, and some special considerations to keep in mind.

How Does This Happen?
There are several ways in which a campus could spawn two separate SSA-affiliated groups. Most of these are more-or-less legitimate reasons to have two groups, and most are tenable situations.

Picture This: When We Draw Muhammad, We Draw a Line

8-June-2010

by Chris Stedman

Picture this: you’re headed to the final exam of your least favorite class. If you’re anything like me, you’re stressed out and running late. You miraculously get there with a minute to spare and stop to catch your breath. You close your eyes and collect yourself. When you open your eyes you notice something scrawled in chalk at your feet. This isn’t just another campus group trying to recruit members; this chalking is a direct affront on your identity and values. Suddenly a final exam doesn’t seem like the worst thing in the world.

AAI Teaching Opportunity in Kasese, Uganda

8-June-2010

This is a unique opportunity to help children in Africa through secular education

Application Deadline: July 15, 2010

The Atheist Alliance International (AAI) is partnering with its affiliate, the Kasese United Humanist Association (KUHA), to provide the opportunity for between 4 and 6 volunteers to spend two to three months this fall, beginning September 1, 2010, in Uganda teaching children ages 6 to 12 years at the Kilembe Valley Humanist Nursery & Primary School. Candidates are not required to have a teaching certificate or degree in education to be considered for this opportunity. Applicants ARE required to submit a $250 participation fee with their application, be at least 21 years old, have a current passport, have at least an Associate’s Degree from an accredited institute of higher education, and sign a waiver of liability. The $250 participation fee will be used for the first month's expenses in Kasese or returned to applicants not accepted to participate in the program.

Student Atheist Leaders Invited to White House Meeting on Interfaith Service Projects

3-June-2010

For the first time, leaders of the secular student movement were included in an invitation to the White House to participate in a meeting on interfaith service projects on college campuses. The event, held on Monday June 7th, was sponsored by the Office of Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships. Participating on behalf of nontheistic students were August Brunsman, Executive Director of the Secular Student Alliance, and Greg Epstein, Humanist Chaplain at Harvard and Chair of the SSA Advisory Board.

“Our inclusion in today’s meeting is a welcome acknowledgement that secular students have been working to make a positive difference in the world,” said Brunsman. “As more and more students openly identify as nontheistic, we are taking a greater role in the charitable interfaith community.”

The meeting centered on connecting the higher education sector to broader national service priorities and creating spaces on campus to foster interfaith and community service. One stated goal was to have interfaith service programs at 500 campuses.

“The secular student community is eager to help reach that goal,” said Brunsman. “We are committed to increased cooperation with religious organizations for the betterment of society. But our actions will speak louder than our words.”

Almost half of the 200 Secular Student Alliance affiliates engaged in service activities the past year, and the rate of cooperation with religious groups is rising. The national SSA has encouraged such collaboration, and presented their 2008 and 2009 Best Service Project Awards to groups from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and the Ohio State University for partnering with Christian organizations over Spring break to rebuild houses damaged by Hurricane Katrina.

Monday’s meeting marks the second time representatives from the Secular Student Alliance were invited to the Eisenhower Executive Office Building. Last February, they took part of the Secular Coalition for America’s official policy briefing with the administration.

Announcing the Secular Student Alliance 2010 Annual Conference!

25-May-2010

It's time for us to announce our most exciting event of the year:

Secular Student Alliance's 2010 Annual Conference

This is the largest and most exciting event held by the SSA, when secular students and group leaders from all over the U.S. join together for a weekend of networking, learning, problem-solving, and FUN. The conference is open to all SSA affiliate members and leaders, secular students unaffiliated with a campus group, students interested in starting a group at their campus, and off-campus supporters of the secular student movement.

This year's conference will be held from July 23-25th, again in our home city of Columbus, OH, hosted by the Students for Freethought at the Ohio State University. Registration for students who are national SSA members is only $25! Get all the conference details, register online, apply for travel grants and more at www.secularstudents.org/annualconference.

Register now!

Students get down with their cephalopod selves at the SSA's 2009 conference! Join us this summer!

This year's speaker lineup includes outstanding leaders of the freethought movement and students who have made a real impact. We'll be joined by student leaders Jennifer McCreight, John Figdor and Lucy Gubbins, as well as popular bloggers Hemant Mehta and Julia Galef. You'll get to meet and work with SSA staff members August Brunsman, Lyz Liddell, Jesse Galef and Nate Mauger. And to top it all off, we'll hear a fantastic keynote presentation by the cutting-edge blogger Greta Christina!

Our conference this year includes an optional trip to the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium, where we'll have a guided tour showing us living examples of evolution in action. The Columbus Zoo has been ranked the #1 zoo in the U.S., and we're excited to share our hidden treasure with our students.

Other exciting events include the presentation of the SSA Best Awards ( apply now!) and the Freethought Backbone award, a reception for all conference attendees, and a rousing afterparty at the infamous Woody Hayes Tavern!

Registration for the annual conference is only $25 for student members of the national Secular Student Alliance. (Yes, it's ok to join just to get the conference discount!) And on-campus housing available for only $23/night!

Thanks to a generous contribution from the Roxbury Foundation, we have plenty of travel grants available to help students get to the conference. You can apply for a travel grant online, and we'll let you know if you're approved as soon as possible so you can start planning.

APSU Students Hold Peaceful Demonstration Against Westboro Baptist Church

21-May-2010

by Luis A. Morán Morales

On the cold evening of Wednesday, February 3, 2010, students and faculty of Austin Peay State University (APSU) lined up on in front of the campus, located in Clarksville, TN, to hold a demonstration against Westboro Baptist Church (WBC), the fanatical hate group known for its "God hates fags" and "Thank God for IEDs" campaigns. Local residents and students from other universities also joined—some driving from as far as Nashville (about an hour south of Clarksville). There was no official count, but I estimate that over 200 people participated.