A UCSB Sociology professor cancelled his scheduled lecture at Brigham Young University in Utah after learning how the school treats Mormon students who lose their faith.

Dr. Mark Juergensmeyer, also a professor in the Global & International Studies and Religious Studies programs, was set to speak Tuesday at the International Law and Religion Symposium during a conference partially focused on religious freedom. He pulled out of the conference after learning Mormon students who change or lose their faith are either expelled or forced to hide the transition in order to stay at school.

"Universities are meant to encourage free inquiry," said Juergensmeyer. "To sully that with the kind of intimidation this provides," he said, referring to the private school's policy, "it's inappropriate for an institution of higher education."

BYU, owned by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, has a religion policy that gives preference and cheaper tuition to Mormon students. If a Mormon student changes their faith, they can lose scholarships, university housing, campus job, and their ecclesiastical endorsement, which is basically a reference of good standing at the college.

Juergensmeyer and other speakers were notified by of the policy by FreeBYU, an activist group pushing for religious freedom. "It's kind of a weird non sequitur," said group spokesman and BYU graduate Caleb Chamberlain, "to be a proponent of religious freedom but to deny it to your students."

In a blog post, Juergensmeyer shared his letter of withdrawal to BYU Professor Elizabeth Clark, Associate Director of the International Center for Law and Religious Studies.

Clark responded to the incident by speaking with the Salt Lake Tribune. "What can I say? We respect his point of view," she said. "We support the right of all individuals to honor their conscience." Regarding the university's policy Clark stated the freedom of religion extends to faith- based institutions, who have the right to determine membership requirements. "We respect that, whether it's LDS, or Catholic or Muslim," Clark said. "That's an important part of religious freedom.

Juergensmeyer called this decision an act of conscience in his article for Religion Dispatches. He said he believes it would be hypocritical to participate in a religious liberty gathering hosted by an institution that "fundamentally violates this principle."