Recent controversy over fliers posted around campus by the Penn State Young Americans for Freedom (YAF) has brought attention to the conservative group's weekly meetings.

YAF chairman Pete Roy said the group posted fliers around campus earlier in the summer to attract new potential members to the group's first summer meeting, held on July 15.

The fliers, some of which asked "Sick of always being preached to about diversity and multiculturalism?" and "Tired of liberal bias in the classroom?" have raised concern among some members of Penn State's Black Caucus and students visiting Penn State from other universities.

Roy said YAF used the fliers last summer and last fall semester but has never encountered opposition before.

"People don't like each other's fliers, and to me that's not a big deal," Roy said. "Groups can't just stop what they're doing and grind to a halt because someone is upset about their fliers."

YAF will have a meeting at 7 tonight in 268 Willard.

Roy said YAF's meetings are to discuss the "nuts and bolts" of the organization, and are not typically designed to debate the merits of the club's activities.

According to YAF's Web site, the group is dedicated to promoting the principles of liberty and free enterprise among college students in a time when increasingly liberal university officials seek to indoctrinate all students with their liberal beliefs.

Roy said the 45-minute question-and-answer session that took place at the two most recent meetings, which entertained questions from about two dozen visiting "liberals," was an exception to the group's standard format.

"If you want to debate, respect our right to have our meeting, and we'll have our separate debate," Roy said.

Penn State University Police duty supervisor Thomas Sowerby said an unknown staff member asked police to monitor last Thursday's meeting, but that no disruptions occurred.

"We were asked to go up and check on the meeting just to see it was being run," he said.

"It had just been a call ahead of time by a staff member just to go to the area and check it out," he added.

Black Caucus President Edward Smith said several students from around the country visiting Penn State were displeased when they saw the fliers two weeks ago, and attended the meeting to determine YAF's purpose and the meaning behind the fliers.

"It kind of puts the students who aren't from here in an uncomfortable position," Smith said.

"That was one of the reasons why a large group of black students were at the first meeting," Smith added.

Roy said at the second meeting, he read the YAF constitution and asked those who did not believe in the group's goals to not return to future meetings.

"Some people seem to be spinning this as I told black people not to come back," Roy said.

Roy said last night no debate had been scheduled, and that tonight's meeting will include planning for guest speakers at the university.