Marquette Rescinds Suspension for Discriminatory Group

Though Marquette University initially suspended a campus group that dismissed one of its officers after he announced that he is gay, the university has rescinded its decision and given the organization a lesser punishment, pacing it on probation, but some antigay commentators are upset that that the group is being disciplined at all.

According to pro-life news source Life Site News, Marquette University suspended the InterVarsity Christian Fellowship chapter, which describes itself as a "student-led, inter-denominational Christian organization that focuses on community, Bible study, and reaching out on campus to share the love of Jesus Christ our Lord." Marquette is a Jesuit university in Milwaukee.

University spokeswoman Kate Venne told Life Site News that after InterVarsity appealed the suspension to Dean of Students Stephanie Quade, the chapter was placed on a one-year probation because it violated its own policies and procedures when dealing with the officer who came out.

"This failure and lack of clear communication regarding why action was taken caused significant personal hurt and resulted in allegations of discrimination," Venne said, adding, "Marquette expects all student organizations to adhere to the university's Statement on Human Dignity which 'recognizes and cherishes the dignity of each individual regardless of age, culture, faith, ethnicity, race, gender, sexual orientation, language, disability or social class.'"

Both Life Site News and Marquette political science professor John McAdams, who originally blogged about the matter, claimed that whether InterVarsity is under suspension or probation, the university is not standing up for Catholic teaching about homosexuality.