John Carroll University President, the Rev. Robert Niehoff, S.J., announced on Friday, March 12 that he would revise the University’s non-discrimination policy, more than a month after a group of students staged a sit-in at a men’s basketball game to spur the change.
This announcement came after a group of students presented information to the Student Affairs and Academic Affairs Committees of the Board of Directors on March 9, hoping to sway the Board to support changing the non-discrimination policy to include sexual orientation. The student group included seniors Theresa Prabucki, Jorden Colallela, Elisa Gould-Lucht, Natalie Terry and junior Kevin Henderson.
The students spoke about student experiences with harassment, the current campus climate, Church social teaching, and the potential impact on donors and prospective students and faculty.
After the presentation the students and Board members engaged in dialogue, allowing the Board to ask the students questions.
Prabucki said that the presenters were well received by the Board members.
“I was really pleased with the feedback from the Board. They were very receptive to us. I was impressed with how well received we were,” said Prabucki.
Students then held a rally the night following the students’ presentation.
“It was sort of a celebration for all we had done and that we were able to meet with the Board of Directors,” said Prabucki.
Senior Andy Trares, who participated in the sit-in and rolling fast, was involved in organizing the rally, which included musical entertainment and free food.
“It was a fun way to show support for changing the non-discrimination policy,” said Trares.
After the rally students had the opportunity to participate in a 24-hour fast leading up to the Board of Directors meeting on March 10, in which the Board met as a whole to discuss the non-discrimination policy.
Mark McCarthy, vice president of student affairs, noted that while a majority of the Board was present, the March meeting tends to have lower attendance.
“The Board believed it was possible if the President wanted to, to add sexuality to the non-discrimination policy,” said McCarthy.
Although the Board does not officially have a vote on administrative issues such as the non-discrimination policy, McCarthy said that it is important to have their support because they represent the views of alumni, community leaders and donors.
Following the Board’s recommendation, Niehoff sent a campus-wide e-mail to the University saying he would revise the non-discrimination policy and present it to the Board at the May meeting.
Niehoff said, “The Board wholeheartedly supports our efforts to create a safe environment for all which includes members of the LGBT community.”
According to McCarthy, this revision will include more than simply inserting sexual orientation into the policy.
“We have to revise the statement as a whole. It has to be clear that it reflects our mission and that the reason we are [revising the policy] is because of who we are,” said McCarthy.
During the revision, the administration will look into the University’s system for reporting and investigating harassment on campus; ensuring that hiring, tenure and promotion practices are fair; and doing a legal review on the policy.
Paul Shick, mathematics professor and faculty council chair, said that the faculty as a whole are pleased with the administration’s decision.
Before the administration decided to revise the non-discrimination policy they had drafted a Community Standards Statement, which the faculty voted to reject.
“The reason [we rejected the Community Standards Statement] was to communicate to the administration it was an inadequate response to LGBT concerns,” said Shick.
However, according to Shick, the faculty is pleased that the administration has decided to revise the policy.
“The faculty is strongly behind changing the non-discrimination policy and following up on other recommendations,” said Shick.
Shick said that the faculty will look into reinterpreting the faculty handbook, as well as investigate other possible changes that have been recommended.
According to McCarthy, there will be many discussions before May, as Niehoff works to revise the policy.
Niehoff said, “I look forward to working with faculty, staff, students, alumni and others to build on this momentum.”
Now that the student protestors have achieved their initial goal of a policy change, the students’ presence in the atrium and their rolling fast has ended.
Senior protester Elizabeth Zunica said, “I think we have had some success along the way, gaining so much faculty, administrator and student body support and now also the support of the Board, but we need to put in so much more work that goes beyond generalized support.”
According to Zunica, there are ongoing discussions about creating an LGBT center that would include a safe place for students to come and resources on the issue and would work toward changing the campus climate. However, the LGBT center is not a definite plan.
Zunica said, “We have a long way to go in order to promote awareness of other forms of inequality and injustices on our campus and to create an inclusive environment that supports all people of this community.”
