The Christian Legal Society is expected to vote today on an issue that could either put the organization out of compliance with Ohio State’s nondiscrimination policy, or force the group to forfeit the name and benefits of the national organization.

The vote on whether to adopt the national society’s constitution has spurred some students and faculty to raise concerns with Moritz College of Law administration regarding an unwelcoming attitude toward homosexual and non-Christians students from society. The new amendments to the Christian Legal Society constitution states that chapter leaders or officers must abstain from homosexual conduct.

“Officers or leaders of CLS, however, will be held to more specific standards of conduct, in accordance with what the Bible teaches us about how leaders should be,” said Kimberly Blackwell, an OSU member. “Not unreasonably, the Christian Legal Society will require that its leaders be believing, practicing Christians.”

If members decide to vote for amending the constitution, the national Christian Legal Society will handle any litigation that might follow if the College of Law attempts to derecognize the chapter for not being in compliance with the nondiscrimination policy, Blackwell said.

“CLS student chapters that wish to affiliate themselves with the national organization should adopt the national bylaws,” said Michael Berry, president of the Ohio State chapter of Christian Legal Society. “If we voted not to adopt the bylaws, it would effectively mean that the chapter decided not to affiliate with the national organization.”

The society can remain in compliance with the university if members vote against the amendments, but this would mean the group will no longer be able to use the name Christian Legal Society and will lose benefits provided by the national organization.

The issue has drawn much attention from law students, professors and members of the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender group at OSU. The main concern has been the issue of exclusion from the group, which is something that contradicts university policy.

“I understand that this matter involves deeply held beliefs on both sides. Our group’s only complaint is as to exclusion,” said Chris Geidner, president of OutLaws, the OSU Moritz College of Law’s GLBT student group. “The purpose of the university’s nondiscrimination policy is simple: All students have the opportunity for full participation in all university-recognized student groups.”

Standards of the Christian Legal Society are not “targeted” at homosexuals and even if society said nothing about homosexuality, the group would still continue to elect only believing Christians as officers – which would place them in violation of the College of Law’s nondiscrimination clause with regards to religion, Blackwell said.

The vote today will likely cause a clash of viewpoints regardless of the outcome, and supporters of both sides are anxious to find out if the OSU chapter will amend its constitution to reflect that of the national organization. The decision is expected to be reached by 1 p.m., but there is a possibility of postponement.

“We look forward to a respectful resolution of these concerns and trust that the members and leadership of CLS feel the same,” Geidner said. “OutLaws has full faith that Dean Nancy Rogers (of OSU Moritz College of Law) has the best interest of all students in mind as she works on resolving this complaint.”