From the Chicago Tribune:
Officials at tiny Judson College, an evangelical Christian school in Elgin, hope a $7.5 million federal grant for a new “environmentally friendly” library and academic center will bring the institution recognition for energy-efficient architecture.
The money, secured by U.S. House Speaker Dennis Hastert (R-Ill.), in whose district the college is located, will go toward construction of a $16 million library and division of art, design and architecture.
Judson President Jerry Cain believes the 80,000-square-foot building will set the standard for environmentally friendly buildings. “This will raise our profile and will position us as a leader in environmental architecture,” he said.
Federal funding for religion?
Unless that “evangelical Christian” institution is thoroughly secular in its admission and education policies, this smells an awful lot like a direct Federal subsidy for religious activities. Which, I suppose, is different than the plain old pork that it is otherwise.
Re:Federal funding for religion?
I think anon has a point there…I certainly wouldn’t put it (i.e. pork) past Mr. Hastert.
Too bad anon is nameless, I disagree that his/her point is off-topic; it probably hits the nail on the head.
Point of Fact
Just a point of fact that the religious affiliation of a colleges/universitiy does not preclude eligibility for federal funds from the DOE. (my past employer was a Jesuit institution)
The Tribune piece doesn’t mention specifically under what program these funds were received however Title III funds (of which many schools get) essentially only require that the institution be accredited by “a nationally recognized accreditating agency or organization”.
for more info: http://www.ed.gov/programs/iduestitle3a/eligibilit y.html
I couldn’t resist…
(No flamebait here. Just a something that seems clearly hypocritical. At least to this person.)
I find it ironic that some call federal funding for a library “pork”. Particulary from this board
I thought all federal funds for libraries were a good thing? Do some now differentiate on who earmarked the funds and who got them?? In other words, why would some call Hastert’s funds for Judson “pork” when nearly every other academic and public library receives federal or state funds? (including my own “secular” library that I received from a Democratic Secretary of State)
BTW, a quick peek at the LSTA web site mentions nothing about religious or private libraries being excluded for eligibility for grant funds.