FULLERTON : University Reviewing Stadium-Use Policy

The president of Cal State Fullerton may change a policy that bans religious groups from using the school’s 10,000-seat football stadium, according to university spokesman Jerry Keating.

President Milton A. Gordon decided to review the policy after city officials and church groups pressed him for a change, Keating said. Gordon was not available for comment.

Sal Rinella, university vice president for administration, said there is a traditional statewide practice of not allowing state-owned facilities to be used for religious or political purposes.

The current policy, written by Gordon, also prohibits public events that seek to raise money for projects not related to the university, and offers political campaigns and religious crusades as examples.

The Evangelical Free Church of Fullerton has applied to rent the stadium on April 3 for an Easter service that could fill the sports facility, said Jac LaTour, a church director.

The Eastside Christian Church applied last spring to use the 10,000-seat stadium, but was denied, Keating said. “We have not approved the stadium for religious services,” he said. “As a state agency, we don’t advocate one religion or the other.”

LaTour said his church does let people make donations during the service, but is not celebrating Easter to raise money.

“Giving is part of worship,” LaTour said. “What we’re doing is acknowledging to God that he has provided everything we have in the first place.”

City Council member Chris Norby said the rejection of church services at the stadium amounts to discrimination.

“I think the stadium should be open to all community groups that want to rent it for a lawful purpose,” Norby said.

Keating said the university’s open spaces, like the main quadrangle, are open to political and religious groups. But the stadium and other facilities are to be used primarily for education or sports, he said.

The stadium, which received more than $10 million in city aid, was first used for the university’s 1992 graduation ceremonies, Keating said. It is now used by the Los Angeles Salsa soccer team for games, the Los Angeles Rams for practice, and by other teams, he said.

Keating said no religious services have been held in the stadium.

Former council member Richard C. Ackerman, who pushed for city funding for the stadium, said he is confident that Gordon will allow religious groups to use the stadium.

Ackerman, who served on the council from 1980 to 1992, is now a member of Gordon’s personal advisory board. He said Gordon has already drafted a more permissive policy, and is reviewing it with other Cal State officials.

“I think President Gordon would like to see the policy changed,” Ackerman said.

Ackerman said he gave Gordon a copy of a 1993 U.S. Supreme Court ruling that public schools may not exclude a group from their grounds just because they intend to offer a religious message.

Rinella said the court ruling is being considered in the review of the policy. “The president has been going through a very thoughtful review process,” he said.

Keating said he is not sure when Gordon will release the new policy.