SACRAMENTO, Calif.--A state appeals court recently ruled that the University of California may require students to pay mandatory health fees, part of which could be used to finance abortions.

A group of students opposed to abortion sued the university in an attempt to be exempted from paying part of the lee on grounds that abortion violated their religious principles.

However, the appeals court ruled that the university's use of mandatory student fees to pay for abortions "does not infringe on the plaintiffs free exercise of religious rights." The Chronicle of Higher Education reported this week.