In classes, fellow students told Bailey she embarrassed BYU and the church. Many believed she was criticizing the LDS Church's First Presidency, the three men who invited Cheney.

But Bailey and the club's literature is clear: Club members will welcome Cheney to campus, where Bailey is anxious to see more political speakers and political dialogue. But while protecting the church and supporting the BYU administration, College Democrats oppose Cheney's policies and don't think he is a role model for graduates.

"They have tried to mark out that distinction between protesting the administration and protesting the individual the administration has invited to come," said the club's adviser, BYU political science professor Richard Davis. "That's a fine line that I'm sure has gotten lost in the minds of many people."

Other students have reacted in a kinder, gentler way.

"The positive reactions are those who say, 'I never knew this could happen at BYU,"' Bailey said.

Administrators also reacted positively. "I'm proud of Diane," said Vern Heperi, the dean of students who approved the club's protests. "She has done superbly well. The student activity was managed within all the university guidelines. She's been respectful. She's been open to communication and coordination and, I think this is important, she's been good to her word."

Heperi also praised David Lassen, president of the College Republicans, who held a rally at the same time as Bailey's Democrats.

"Their voices were heard," Heperi said of the two clubs, "but they were compliant to the guidelines set by the university."

A year ago, Bailey served on a student committee that sought to reform the university's policies on public forums.

"The reason there wasn't (a sanctioned political campus protest) for more than 15 years is students assumed it was against school policy, which it's not," she said. "As soon as I heard Cheney was invited, within 10 minutes I was picking up the appropriate forms. The next day I submitted a two-page proposal so I could give it the time for planning and to go up the chain."

Still, she felt pressure not to embarrass an administration that surprised many by approving the protest, or the church to which she is faithful.

"I was so scared," Bailey said. "I threw up that morning. I wasn't sleeping the week before or eating well."

She warned the demonstrators — as many as 300 would join the rally over two hours — that she was the sit-in's organizer and wouldn't allow chanting or anything that might be perceived as an attack on the LDS Church. She forced four people to put away signs that included pictures of LDS leaders like Church President Gordon B. Hinckley, even though each of the signs expressed support for church leaders.