Major Donor Urges Belmont to Rehire Coach

Mike Curb, a record company executive and former lieutenant governor of California, wants to change Belmont University's policy by affirming that gays and lesbians are welcome on campus.

The Tennessean reportsthat Curb, a major donor to the Nashville university and trustee emeritus, school to rehire its women's soccer coach, Lisa Howe, who he says was fired after coming out to the team.

Curb wrote in an e-mail to faculty senate president Andrew Miller, applauding the group's unanimous vote Monday in support of Belmont's gay faculty and students. Curb agreed with the senate, saying that Belmont's leaders are out of touch with the reality of life on campus.