TEXT OF PRESIDENT McCORMICK'S JANUARY 23,
2006 RESPONSE TO THE SENATE ON THE SENATE RESOLUTION IN SUPPORT OF FAIR
V. RUMSFELD:
I am writing in response to the Senate’s Resolution in
Support of FAIR v. Rumsfeld, which
was approved at its October 21, 2005 meeting.
Equal opportunity
is one of the core principles of our
academic community.
Rutgers University is
strongly committed to a policy of non-discrimination with regard to
sexual
orientation, and it is my fervent hope that the military will follow
the
example of Rutgers and many other institutions around the country in
ensuring
that all individuals, including gay and lesbian men and women and all
members
of the LGBT community, among others, are treated equally.
With regard to the particular legal case at
hand, the University did not file a separate brief or make a formal
statement
in the Supreme Court litigation because we believe that it is more
effective
and appropriate in such circumstances to speak with a united voice
through the
national organizations that represent higher education (as did other
public
universities around the country). In
this instance, the Association of American Law Schools, of which the
two Rutgers law schools are members,
filed a brief in support
of FAIR and emphasizing the importance of academic freedom and respect
for
educational values and decision-making.
Whatever the outcome of the litigation, the University will
remain
strongly committed to its policy of non-discrimination and equal
opportunity
for all members of our community.
The
members of the Senate’s Equal Opportunity Committee have my thanks for
their
efforts in this matter.
Sincerely
yours,
Richard
L. McCormick