ASMSU's Academic Assembly members debated academic freedom at their meeting Tuesday night.

MSU's undergraduate student government shared its concerns for state Rep. Jack Hoogendyk's, R-Kalamazoo, proposed bill which could restrict funding to a public university if it offers courses that the Legislature deems inappropriate.

Ahmed Baset, director of undergraduate budgetary affairs, said he met with Hoogendyk to address his concerns with the bill and how it could affect MSU.

"It doesn't look like a very serious bill as far as movement goes," Baset said at the meeting. "Hoogendyk is just trying to create some publicity and he wants Legislature to have a little more control over curriculum. But it is still a threat in terms of what this could potentially do to the university."

Nine MSU classes are caught up in a debate which stems from Hoogendyk's disapproval of a University of Michigan English and Literature class titled "How To Be Gay: Male Homosexuality and Initiation."

Hoogendyk's list of MSU classes that require greater scrutiny range from Family and Child Ecology 145: The Individual, Marriage and the Family to Linguistics 800U: Language and Sexuality.

Baset said the bill could limit freedom within the campus.

"Anytime you give Legislature the ability to determine curriculum, you are getting on pretty dangerous ground," he said. "It could get to the point where they could just walk in and close any class that has subject material such as teaching about a different type of religion or something."

Baset said the MSU Board of Trustees is better suited than legislatures to judge which courses should be offered to students.

Cathy Neuman, assistant director of Student Life, spoke to ASMSU members about the importance of keeping the government separate from university affairs.

"I encourage everyone to look into the concept of academic freedom," she said. "Public universities are founded on academic freedom so that different types of knowledge can be explored."

But not everyone at the meeting was opposed to the bill.

James Madison representative Adam Raezler said he understands why not everyone would want to pay for the listed classes with their taxes.

"It makes sense that taxpayers would oppose it," he said. "It's the citizens of the state and Legislature who fund the universities and, of course, they would want some say in what the university teaches."

The Academic Assembly's next meeting is at 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday in 328 Student Services Building. All ASMSU meetings are open to the public.