Des Moines Register
06-29-07
Iowa State approves 'life-skills' volunteer
The adviser will offer faith-based services for the entire athletic department.
By TOM WITOSKY
REGISTER STAFF WRITER
Iowa State's athletic department will be permitted to have a religious adviser, university president Gregory Geoffroy said Thursday.
Geoffroy approved a "volunteer life skills" position for the department to provide faith-based counseling and referrals to athletes but warned that the adviser would be watched closely.
"In carrying out the volunteer work associated with this position, there must be no indication that the university, as a public body, is perceived to be promoting or giving preference to one religious faith or viewpoint over any others or promoting religion over non-religion," Geoffroy said in a memo to Jamie Pollard, Iowa
State athletic director.
Geoffroy also incorporated guidelines requiring that no state, university, foundation or athletic department money be spent on the position.
The guidelines also require the adviser to be subject to annual confidential evaluation by athletes "to determine whether the student-athletes experienced or perceived any religious activities and actions that they believe were inappropriate."
"Many interested parties will be watching and carefully examining the activities of the person filling the position," Geoffroy warned. "It is thus incumbent upon you and your staff to ensure that the conditions of this approval are fully met without compromise."
Last month, Iowa State football coach Gene Chizik proposed to establish a volunteer chaplain's position on his staff that would allow his players to obtain faith-based counseling.
Chizik, who is in his first year in Ames, and Pollard have argued that some players would not seek spiritual counseling if they were required to find it outside of the football program.
William David, an Iowa State music professor , said that faculty members who opposed the position would be "extremely disappointed."

David was a leader of a group of more than 130 faculty who signed a petition recently asking that the position not be approved because it violated the separation of church and state.
"Essentially, what has been approved today didn't change anything from the original proposal made by Jamie Pollard," David said. "I don't think it is a compromise at all."
Pollard praised Geoffroy's decision but acknowledged that some faculty members would remain skeptical.
"We appreciate receiving the approval of the president and the athletics council,"
Pollard said in a statement. "We would also like to thank those Iowa State
University faculty and staff members who expressed concern on this issue. Their concerns were the basis of the guidelines that were established."
Pollard said the athletic department would accept responsibility to make sure the position follows the guidelines.
"We have a very solid framework to guide this volunteer's activities and the mechanisms to review their activities annually," he said.