On the Desk of President Balog

Adam Hii and I wrote this yesterday, and today Adam got it into Balog's hands. It's on the agenda for his Cabinet meeting tomorrow.

I will keep my expectations low. It's something to do, to console myself I'm not just sitting on my hands. I will not let my voice be silenced, even if I must speak the red tape language of bureaucratic institutions.

But when I'm 90 and this finally goes through, I'm throwing a party.

Proposal to enhance the Aquinas College non-discrimination policy:

Aquinas College, a community rooted in the Catholic commitment to human dignity, embodies a diverse population of students and staff. Currently, the Aquinas College non-discrimination policy appearing in the student handbook and the Course Catalog does not protect against all forms of discrimination. In order to demonstrate value for all those who attend, live, and work at Aquinas, we encourage the expansion of the current non-discrimination policy to address gender, gender identity and sexual orientation. The changes we propose aim to promote a more inclusive and safe environment for all members of this community. Many other Catholic universities acknowledge the importance of protecting gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender students and staff. The three colleges collaborating with Aquinas through the Dominican exchange program—Barry University, St. Thomas Aquinas College, and Dominican University—include gender, gender identity and sexual orientation in their non-discrimination policies. Adopting these changes, in keeping with the example set by our partner schools, will solidify Aquinas' commitment to diversity and inclusion.