Virginia State University Sued Over Policy Allegedly Targeting Christian Student Groups

Virginia State University (VSU) is facing a federal lawsuit from two Christian student organizations that allege the school stripped them of their official campus status and placed them under the authority of a university-appointed minister. The lawsuit, filed by Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF) on behalf of campus chapters for Women of Victory and Bethel Campus Fellowship, challenges VSU’s updated Campus Ministries Policy.

Plaintiffs argue that the policy violates the First Amendment by subjecting Christian student groups to university control while granting exemptions to non-Christian religious groups. According to the lawsuit, the updated policy requires all Christian student-led ministries to operate under the governance and influence of VSU Campus Minister Thomas Wynn and an advisory board of faculty and university personnel. It also reportedly prohibits 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 sends a message that the First Amendment does not guarantee equal treatment for all groups. "You can’t treat one religious group worse than another religious group, regardless of your motives," Langhofer said. "It doesn’t matter whether your motives are unity or things like that. You can’t have one single campus pastor on campus that is able to control all Christian groups and then exclude the Muslim group and allow them to receive all of the benefits."

Non-Christian and Muslim student organizations are reportedly exempt from this mandate. The lawsuit asserts that the policy specifically targets Women of Victory and Bethel Campus Fellowship, which are local chapters of national organizations that host Bible studies, leadership training, and spiritual development events for students.

While both groups remain listed on VSU’s official website, ADF representatives indicated that the online directory does not reflect their current operational status on campus. The student organizations are seeking a court order to restore their status as fully recognized registered student organizations (RSOs).

Langhofer suggested that theological differences between the campus pastor and the student organizations may be a factor, but emphasized that the university's actions represent an attempt to control the groups' activities rather than allowing them to operate as they have previously. He cited decades of legal precedent establishing that public universities cannot target groups based on religious viewpoints and must treat all student groups equally.

Virginia State University had not immediately responded to requests for comment regarding the lawsuit.