Des Moines Register
05-30-07
ISU president wants input from council
BY ANDREW LOGUE AND LISA ROSSI
REGISTER STAFF WRITERS
Iowa State President Gregory Geoffroy is asking the ISU Athletics Council to
examine a proposal in which private funds would be used to make a chaplain
available to the Cyclone football team.
Geoffroy's decision was made public Tuesday through a release issued by the
university, and came less than a week after he received a petition signed by 112
faculty members.
"I would say it's a good step," said Hector Avalos, a professor of religious studies,
who helped distribute the petition. "The university as a government entity should
not be in the business of endorsing one religion over the other."
Football coach Gene Chizik's proposal is to provide players with access to a
chaplain. However, professors such as Avalos were concerned that such a move
would be improper at a public university, given the separation between church
and state.
The signatures represent 6.5 percent of Iowa State's total faculty of 1,709,
according to university spokesman John McCarroll.
Avalos said there were an additional nine non-faculty signatures for a total of
121.
The Athletics Council, an 18-member group that advises the president on matters
concerning intercollegiate athletics, will work in communication with athletic
director Jamie Pollard to develop a set of conditions in which the concept would
or would not work.
Geoffroy has asked the council to submit its recommendation by Aug. 1.
"At this point, we are going to just allow the Athletics Council to do what the
President has requested them to do," Pollard said when contacted Tuesday by
The Des Moines Register. "There is no need to have further comments about the
subject."
Chizik has said a chaplain could offer spiritual guidance to players and would
help ease concerns of parents whose sons are considering playing for Iowa
State.
He will be one of the special guests at a Christian-themed panel discussion
called "In The Zone" that will be held at Hilton Coliseum in Ames on June 23.
ESPN's Chris Mortensen and Oklahoma coach Bob Stoops will also speak.
McCarroll said Geoffroy had questions about Chizik's proposal.
"I think that's why he is turning to the athletic council, to provide him some
recommendations," McCarroll said. "I think he truly is looking for some input,
based on the issues raised in that petition."