Campus Reform: Alderson Broaddus College

Editor's Note: The Publius Foundation is part of CampusReform.org's network of conservative student groups.

The University of Pittsburgh Board of Trustees recently approved the school’s 2011 budget including tuition increases for students at Pitt’s main campus and its satellites, The Pitt News reported. Tuition will increase by 5.5 percent for in-state students at Pitt’s main campus, 3 percent for out-of-state students at Pitt’s main campus and 2.5 percent for all students at Pitt’s satellite campuses.

Justifying the tuition increases, Arthur Ramicone, vice chancellor of the budget and controller, said, “the University cannot move forward by just cutting costs” and, while he is correct, the University should be examining its own expenditures before it asks students to pay more for their education.

Like any major corporation, there are obviously areas in the University’s budget that could be cut without negatively impacting its ability to fulfill its educational mission. One such expenditure that recently came to our attention is the Panther GOLD Retreat – a retreat for campus leaders scheduled to take place at Camp Kon-O-Kwee/Spencer during the last weekend of August.

This post is part of CampusReform.org's guide to the nation's top 100 colleges. Each day, CampusReform.org profiles a different college, examines its political climate, and offers items of interest to conservative students, parents, and alumni. Click here to see the full list of college profiles.

Founded in 1787 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, the University of Pittsburgh (Pitt) has grown from one classroom to five campuses and more than 18,000 undergraduate students. Pitt began as a private institution, but became "state-related" in 1966. It remains mostly independent in its decision-making, but is dependent on state funding for its existence. With its long history, Pitt is a school rich in traditions, from bonfires and pep rallies to an honors convocation.

Campus Life

Of the 22 political student groups, 13 are liberal and eight are conservative or libertarian.

The 13 liberal groups are the American Civil Liberties Union; Campus Women's Organization; College Democrats; International Socialist Organization; International Students for Social Equality; Lesbian and Gay Rights Organization; Pitt Law Democrats; Rainbow Alliance; Students for a Democratic Society; Tunnel of Oppression; Muslim Student Association; Students for Justice in Palestine; and the Humanitarian and Environmental Alliance.

The eight conservative/libertarian groups are The Publius Foundation; Federalist Society; Students for Life; College Libertarians; College Republicans; Law School Republicans; and Pittsburgh Israel Public Affairs Committee. The italicized groups are affiliated with CampusReform.org's Campus Leadership Program, which provides student groups with advice, assistance, and support.

You can get an M.A. in Liberty Studies online!  Check out the #1 program here:http://www.libertystudies.org/html/online.html

The University of Pittsburgh Students for a Democratic Society (SDS) organized a three-day conference to take place in University buildings starting April 15th. Called the Pittsburgh Freedom School, the conference included a "Non-Violent Direct Action" workshop purporting to train participants how to "prepare and execute civil disobedience including affinity groups, blockades, lock-downs, street marches, dealing with police, and building occupation."

A day before the conference was scheduled to take place, PittBriefly.com - Pitt's online student news outlet - published a story that included information on this workshop and the fact that it would be training students to occupy University buildings and blockade city roads. The publication of this story brought the conference to the attention of Pitt administrators and Pitt SDS moved the conference off campus.

The conference prompted the Office of Student Life to examine the activities of Pitt SDS and, in spite of the fact that the group trained students to occupy University buildings and participated in a disruptive protest in a University dining facility, Director of Student Life Kenyon Bonner concluded that Pitt SDS violated no University guidelines.

Many conservative students across the country face professors, faculty members, and administrations that are openly hostile to their beliefs. At the University of Virginia, a large group of students are doing something about it.

Editor's Note: If you're interested in bringing a class on conservatism to your campus, click here to contact a CampusReform.org staff member for advice, assistance, and support.

Many conservative students across the country face professors, faculty members, and administrations that are openly hostile to their beliefs. At the University of Virginia, a large group of students are doing something about it.

After a year of pushing their administration, University of Virginia student activist leaders Wes Siler, Rick Eberstadt, and Keenan Davis have received permission to host a new UVA class specifically devoted to conservative ideas.  Several conservative professors at the university have volunteered to teach the class, which will be held weekly and count for two credits towards the UVA undergraduate degree.

Conservative students at the University of Virginia have been fighting student government and administration officials for a year after they originally proposed a plan to implement an American Conservatism class. University of Virginia student activists Wes Siler, Rick Eberstadt, and Keenan Davis have been working to start a new UVa class specifically devoted to conservative ideas.

The students are part of a conservative club at the University of Virginia which is called the Burke Society. The club, which boasts more than 40 members, is openly devoted to the study and distribution of conservative ideas. It was from their association in the Burke Society that Siler, Eberstadt, and Davis discovered that there was a large amount of interest in receiving a conservative education.

If your "March Madness" bracket is anything like mine, there are significantly more red highlights than yellow due to recent "upsets" (yes Vanderbilt and Georgetown, I'm referring to you).  It's clear you didn't select the golden bracket as you had hoped and you can kiss that $5 good-bye.

I propose starting a new bracket with a twist - a March Liberal Madness bracket!

It's quite simple.  Create a bracket that pits leftist figures against each other using as many pictures and absurd quotes as possible, like Howard Dean screaming, Michael Moore being obnoxious, or Joe Biden speaking in public, as conservative students at James Madison University did.

The following post is an article from, The Flat Hat, which is the student newspaper at The College of William and Mary. They investigated various salaries of university presidents in the state of Virginia. Read on to see what they found.

Does yet another government controlled system in the country frighten you?

It frightened the members of The Burke Society at The University of Virginia. As a result, the group circulated an online petition opposing the Health Care Draft. The petition has generated about 100 signatures from young people who want the government to take their hands off our health care and our constitutional right to chose what is best for us.

Hurry! It's not too late to start a petition of your very own! Ipetitions.com is free and easy to use! To look at an example, The Burke Society's petition may be found here.

But why take action?