A student called the Nation of Islam Student Association, a new Registered Student Organization, a racist hate group and criticized Undergraduate Student Government at Wednesday’s meeting for granting RSO status to the group.

Nathan Newcomb, a senior in history from Centralia, said the Nation of Islam is considered a hate group. Because RSOs are funded by the Student Allocation Fee, Newcomb said granting RSO status to a student group associated with a hate group is improper.

What does this say about USG? he asked. By recognizing a racist group as legitimate, this sets a precedent for other hate groups, like the Knights of the Ku Klux Klan or neo-Nazi skinhead groups to apply for RSO status.

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I think this is a very slippery slope.

USG granted RSO status to the Nation of Islam Student Association last week.

To qualify for RSO status, an organization must have a faculty sponsor and an executive board.

The Senate moved to put discussion of the bill that granted RSO status to Nation of Islam Student Association at the end of new business agenda items.

Discussion then was tabled until the next USG meeting Nov. 5.

Connie Howard, USG Internal Affairs Committee chairwoman, said now that the organization is an RSO, its fate likely will be an Internal Affairs Committee matter.

Howard said that if the student group is not involved in misconduct, then its status cannot be revoked.

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If we don’t have a written complaint and evidence of wrongdoing, then we have nothing to pursue, she said.

No representatives of Nation of Islam Student Association could be reached for comment.