Harvard University faculty rejected Tuesday a motion to rescind punishments for students who join single-gender Greek organizations.
The university’s college of arts and sciences faculty voted 130-90 to reject a motion from Harry Lewis, computer science professor and former arts and sciences dean to revoke punishments for students participating in “any lawful organization,” reported Campus Reform.
“Through all this time, the rationales for punishing every member of an expanding list of clubs kept shifting, from sexual assault to gender discrimination to exclusivity,” Lewis said during debate on the proposal, according to Harvard Magazine. “Students come to Harvard not for a social utopia, but for a liberal education in all its tensions and complexity, an education that teaches them how to use the freedom they enjoy, with advice but without coercion.”
“My motion ensures that students are, like [faculty], entitled to private decisions about what organizations they join,” Lewis said.
Harvard’s current policy, from May 2016, prevents members of single-gender groups from attaining some campus leadership roles. The school is exploring banning unrecognized organizations. (RELATED: Harvard Faculty Committee Recommends Banning Frats)
“If all of these organizations adopted gender-neutral membership in a timely fashion, there would remain a myriad of practices of these organizations that go against the educational mission and principles espoused by Harvard University,” said the faculty committee in July, explaining its desire for a ban.
Harvard President Drew Faust will evaluate the policy options. (RELATED: Shimshock Show Says Harvard Is Right, Must Ban Frats)
Harvard and Lewis did not return The Daily Caller News Foundation’s request for comment.
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