A controversial forum about same-sex marriages planned for Thursday, April 14 was cancelled Tuesday after the administration learned invitations had been sent to state legislators.
The decision by the administration to cancel the event, “Marriage Equality for Same-Sex Couples,” came from a concern that the forum supposedly evolved from an educational discussion into a situation in which external organizations were taking advantage of the event to advocate for specific legislative agenda.
“I feel that this was an abuse of administrative power, and has completely ignored the needs and the viewpoints of the students and faculty,” said Kathryn Turcsany ’05, vice-president of the Fairfield University Alliance.
The administration cancelled the forum after learning that one of the co-sponsers, external to the university, invited members of the Connecticut General Assembly to attend the event with supposed intent to influence the pending legislation.
“This is unfortunate because of the timing,” said Schimpf. “The state senate just passed some form of legislation on same sex unions and in the midst of these invites it will now be going to the house.”
On April 7, the State Senate approved a bill voting 27-9 to make Connecticut the first state to recognize civil unions between same-sex couples without added demands by the state courts.
The Connecticut House considered the bill to endorse same-sex partners in civil unions yesterday on April 14, a day before the Fairfield University Alliance’s event was originally planned.
“It went from an internal student event to a lobbying event for off-campus residents,” said William Schimpf, the vice president for student services.
The forum was primarily sponsored by “Love Makes a Family” of Connecticut and an additional eight sponsoring organizations, in connection with the Alliance.
The primary speaker planned to speak at the forum was Evan Wolfson, the author of “Why Marriage Matters: America, Equality, and Gay People’s Right to Marry,” and was named in April 2004 by Time magazine as one of the “100 Most Influential People in the World.”
“This forum is and always was educational in nature,” said Turcsany.
She said the event had been planned since November and the administration knew of the event since the beginning of the year.
In connection with the Alliance, the outside sponsors had already purchased airline tickets for speakers and set up a number of pre-organized events.
“We, the students, have the right to know why the administration would cancel an event formed by a student organization,” said Katie Molteni ’05.
In Feb. 2004, President Bush endorsed an amendment that would restrict marriage to members of the opposite sex, but not denying the option for states to allow civil unions. But in July 2004, efforts to pass this constitutional amendment failed in the senate.
“As an institution we are hesitant to advocate any position,” said Schimpf. “This made it appear as if we were taking a position one way or another.”
In announcing the cancellation, Schimpf added that the administration was in contact with the sponsoring organizations and was offering them another opportunity “which would consist of speakers who can represent varying points of views on this subject.”
Despite the offer, Alliance does not think it will be possible to reschedule the event.
“There is no way we can plan this again for this semester,” Turcsany said.
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