Campus Atheists, Skeptics and Humanists

CASH are Campus Atheists, Skeptics and Humanists at the University of Minnesota. CASH advisor is Prof. PZ Myers whose blog is Pharyngula.

What We Do

CASH has a three-part mission statement:

Community - End the isolation experienced by nontheists by fostering a socially and intellectually engaging community.
Education - Advance the knowledge of the University community by contributing to the marketplace of ideas;
Advocacy- Promote tolerance and understanding; address negative stereotyping, misconceptions about, and discrimination against nontheists.

Why We Do It

The University of Minnesota's sociology department found, in their "American Mosaic Project" survey, that atheists are America's most distrusted minority. The study notes that the general trend of increasing tolerance of religious diversity does not extend to those with no religion. CASH provides a "safe harbor" for this often-overlooked minority. Many CASH members come to the U from small towns where the church is the center of community life and any critical discussion of faith is taboo; these people particularly value the community we create.

How We Do It

CASH co-sponsors panels, speakers, and workshops with a diverse array of faith groups on campus, including the Muslim Student Association (MSA), the Hindu Student Society (HSS), Mars Hill Students, Christian Believers On Campus (CBOC), Campus Crusade for Christ (CCC), the University Pagan Society, Hillel, the Interfaith Student Partnership, the Diamond Way Buddhist Meditation Group, Baha'i Association (BA), Intervarsity Christian Fellowship, University Unitarian Universalists, the Queer Student Cultural Center (QSCC), SHADE, and al-Madinah Cultural Center. Our co-sponsored events are aimed at promoting understanding and tolerance, encouraging dialogue about faith and reason, and educating the campus community about various worldviews. CASH also sponsors numerous lectures and other educational and social events of interest to the entire campus community. Topics include religion, culture, history, philosophy, science, and politics.