“The policy change means a great deal to the GSA,” said Michael Maloney, president of GSA. “One of the basic things it stands for is that the university acknowledges us and respects the members of Marquette despite sexual orientation.”

According to Maloney, the change, which has been in effect since May, could not have been possible without the help of students, faculty and administration.

“They were with us in changing the non-discrimination policy, and that was the greatest part of getting it passed,” Maloney said.

GSA started petitioning for support of the sexual orientation clause from student organizations during last year’s Spring semester, said Allen Burbey, a member of the GSA. MUSG then passed legislation last spring to recommend changing the clause.

“An MUSG senator who was also a member of the GSA worked to get the clause passed within the Senate,” MUSG President Kate Agnew said. “The university took action on it in the late spring and early summer.”

Beside bringing the issue to MUSG, GSA asked other student organizations to support the clause.

“We wanted to show that the GSA wasn’t the only group supporting it,” Maloney said.

This initiative by GSA and MUSG led students and administrators to question why sexual orientation was now being added to the Non-Discrimination Clause. According to some university officials, it had a lot to do with consistency.

“We wanted to have consistency in the message the university was sending out to the public,” said Ben Tracy, director of university communication. “Sexual orientation was already a part of the Human Dignity and Diversity Act, which has existed for about five years.”

While the university’s Human Dignity and Diversity Act included sexual orientation, the Non-Discrimination Clause did not, though some colleges included the sexual orientation clause, said Mark McCarthy, dean of student development.

“A lot has happened in education, the church and sexual orientation,” McCarthy said. “I think that we’re finally at a point where we’re open to the idea and ready to accept it.”

According to GSA adviser and director of the core curriculum Nancy Snow, the current administration is another reason for the change.

“The present administration made a big difference in the policy change,” Snow said. “It was just different people with different views.”

McCarthy said the recognition of GSA as a student organization in 1999 was a major prompt to adopt the sexual orientation clause.

“Their desire to be an educational resource for the gay community really helped their cause,” McCarthy said. “Their ability to get not only students but faculty involved with the policy change also helped.”

Maloney said both students and administration seem to carry a positive outlook toward the sexual orientation clause and the policy change it brings.

“It proves that there is a definite relationship between the gay community and the university,” Maloney said. “We’ve had nothing but support from student organizations and faculty.”,”Rikida N. Starace”

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