A Christian student organization that was banned from official recognition on California state college campuses has been returned to full status.

InterVarsity Christian Fellowship had been banned from the CSU school system because of a decision by CSU that all student groups could not discriminate based on a list of items which included religion.  This meant the Christian organization could not require their leadership to be Christians.  When the group refused to sign an agreement to support the new regulations, they were removed from campus for the 2014-2015 school year.

InterVarsity announced that the school has now reversed course and will officially recognize InterVarsity as a student group.

“Following substantive and cordial ongoing conversations, CSU clarified the intent and reach of Executive Order 1068,” InterVarsity president Jim Lundgren said in the release. “We are confident we can choose leaders who are qualified to lead InterVarsity’s witnessing communities throughout the Cal State system.”

“InterVarsity’s Christian faith compels us to welcome all people,” Lundgren said. “We support CSU in its commitment to serve the diversity of students on its campuses. In fact, InterVarsity communities are some of the most diverse groups on Cal State’s campuses. At the same time, we maintain our commitment to provide campus communities that are clearly Christian, where all students can experience and learn more about Christian community, theology, and practice. We’re grateful for this development and are looking forward to continued ministry on CSU campuses.”

During their time of exile, the group could not recruit students at activity fairs and were banned from free use of school meeting rooms.

The group noted that the fight for Christians to have equal access to school facilities continues at places such as Grinnell College, Tufts University, SUNY Buffalo and Bowdoin College.  In addition, Vanderbilt University drove Christians groups off its campus with a similar policy as that of the CSU system.