Virginia State University Sued Over Christian Student Group Policy

Virginia State University (VSU) is facing a federal lawsuit from two Christian student organizations that claim the school has stripped them of their official campus status and placed them under the direct authority of a university-appointed minister. The lawsuit, filed by attorneys from Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF), challenges VSU’s updated Campus Ministries Policy.

Plaintiffs argue the policy violates the First Amendment by mandating that all Christian student-led ministries operate under the governance and influence of VSU Campus Minister Thomas Wynn and a university-appointed advisory board. The policy also reportedly bans student ministries from affiliating with their national parent organizations. ADF senior counsel Tyson Langhofer stated that the policy unconstitutionally penalizes Christian students for their religious beliefs and treats one religious group worse than another.

According to the lawsuit, non-Christian and Muslim student organizations remain exempt from this mandate. The ADF alleges that the policy specifically targets Women of Victory and Bethel Campus Fellowship, both local chapters of national organizations that host Bible studies and leadership training. Although these groups remain listed on VSU’s official website, ADF representatives noted that their current operational status on campus is not reflected online. The student organizations are seeking a court order to restore their status as fully recognized registered student organizations (RSOs).

"The message that it would send is that the First Amendment means what it says: that you can't treat secular groups better than religious groups," Langhofer told Fox News Digital. "You can't treat one religious group worse than another religious group, regardless of your motives."

He further emphasized that decades of legal precedent prohibit public universities from targeting groups based on religious viewpoints. "The Supreme Court has held for a very long time that all student groups on campus must be treated equally, and you can't single some out simply because of what they believe," Langhofer said.

Virginia State University did not immediately respond to requests for comment.