Bondage Radio

An Iowa State University fetish club says it won’t let school officials tie its hands during student-led meetings.

The group, called Cuffs, is appealing sanctions imposed by the university.

President Duane Long Jr. said ISU is putting unreasonable restrictions on the First Amendment rights of students who belong to the campus organization, which works to safely educate about sadism and masochism.

ISU’s Office of Judicial Affairs began investigating the group after a Nov. 10, 2003, meeting where Long flogged a clothed club member. That volunteer said she suffered no pain during the demonstration.

Director of Judicial Affairs Bethany Schuttinga found Cuffs responsible for assault violations and imposed the sanctions.

Cuffs members appealed the decision to the Dean of Students who upheld the decision. Members further appealed to ISU President Gregory Geoffroy. He declined to review the case.

The next step was to take the appeal to the Iowa Board of Regents, which said it had no comment.

Long may have pushed ISU’s limits at a meeting Thursday. That’s when he put a student volunteer in bondage using 18- to 25-foot white nylon ropes and other items.

He said the demonstration did not violate ISU regulations or local, state or federal laws.

“We have to choose to limit activities with an eye toward the university’s viewpoint, but we are not going to restrict ourselves to a ridiculous extent,” Long said.

Dean of Students Pete Englin said he doesn’t expect issues to arise from the recent demonstration.