SOUTH BEND, Ind. (WNDU) – Saint Mary’s College is reversing a recent admission policy change that would have taken transgender applicants into consideration at the historically all-female college.
The decision was announced in a letter sent out to the Saint Mary’s College community on Thursday.
Back in November, the college approved an update to its non-discrimination policy that allowed for the consideration of applicants “whose sex is female or who consistently live and identify as women” starting in fall 2024.
The decision was met with backlash from some, including Bishop Kevin C. Rhoades, who oversees all Catholic churches in the Diocese of Fort Wayne-South Bend.
According to Thursday’s letter (which you can read in its entirety at the bottom of this story), the Saint Mary’s College Board of Trustees met earlier this week to discuss the impact of the recent update to the college’s non-discrimination policy and ultimately decided to return to its previous admission policy.
WNDU spoke with leaders at DignityUSA, an organization that focuses on LGBT rights and the Catholic Church, who are expressing their disappointment in Saint Mary’s decision to reverse this policy.
“When we heard the news that Saint Mary’s was going to admit trans women, it was definitely seen as good news and a bright spot in the landscape of Catholic higher education. The trans women are often excluded from Catholic spaces or their inclusion is very conditional,” says Marianne Duddy-Burke, executive director of DignityUSA. “And unfortunately now, we’ve seen a reversal of that policy, and I think it’s just crushing for many, many people.”
While Saint Mary’s says in its letter that members of its community felt allowing transgender applicants was “a dilution” of the college’s mission and “a threat” to its “Catholic identity,” Duddy-Burke suggests that allowing trans women to enroll is actually very much in line with Catholic values.
“I think part of the strength of Saint Mary’s earlier statement was linking it to its mission of justice, equality and inclusion — which are very Catholic values,” Duddy-Burke says. “And reversing that policy puts people on the margins even farther out.
“I would really challenge the Saint Mary’s board to reflect on the fact that they are called to lead,” Duddy-Burke added. “And this is an area in which they could have really taken an important stand for justice and inclusion. And in reversing the earlier policy, they’ve really failed to do that.”
Prior to the reversal, Saint Mary’s was the 23rd all-female campus in the U.S. to open itself to transgender students, according to a list from the national nonprofit Campus Pride.
“I had seen so much excitement and pride from the Notre Dame/Saint Mary’s alumni groups online and in social media that Saint Mary’s was really taking a bold and important step when the inclusive admissions policy was announced,” Duddy-Burke says. “Beyond the students, beyond parents, beyond the trans community, beyond Catholics who believe in justice and inclusion — I think that’s also an important audience that’s going to feel very disappointed in their institution.”
WNDU reached out to Saint Mary’s for further comment, but officials there declined.
You can read the letter to the Saint Mary’s College community in its entirety below:
Dear Saint Mary’s College Community,
Earlier this week, the Saint Mary’s College Board of Trustees met to discuss the impact of our recent decision to update our non-discrimination policy. The Board reflected on the sense of division we have experienced in our campus community and among our extended alumnae family since this decision was communicated. This has weighed heavily on our minds and in our hearts. There have been many voices responding to us from many places and perspectives. We have listened closely, and we have heard each of you.
When the Board approved this update, we viewed it as a reflection of our College’s commitment to live our Catholic values as a loving and just community. We believed it affirmed our identity as an inclusive, Catholic, women’s college. It is increasingly clear, however, that the position we took is not shared by all members of our community. Some worried that this was much more than a policy decision: they felt it was a dilution of our mission or even a threat to our Catholic identity. Moreover, we clearly underestimated our community’s genuine desire to be engaged in the process of shaping a policy of such significance. As this last month unfolded, we lost people’s trust and unintentionally created division where we had hoped for unity. For this, we are deeply sorry.
Taking all these factors into consideration, the Board has decided that we will return to our previous admission policy.
Although this has been a challenging time for our community, we believe that the College should continually grapple with the complexity of living our Catholic values in a changing world. But we also believe the College needs to do so as a community. When we disagree, we must strive to preserve the fabric of our relationships. This, at its core, is what it means to be a part of a vibrant Catholic campus in this moment. Whatever our differences, each of us has chosen Saint Mary’s. Our only future is a shared future where we accompany one another—and where we engage across differences with less certitude and more humility. This is the future we are working toward.
And this future is profoundly informed by our journey toward equity, inclusion, and justice. The Board and Administration are firmly committed to ensuring a welcoming and safe environment for all. To this end, beginning in January, we will introduce a series of listening sessions—both on campus and online for our extended family—to explore what it means to embrace our values as a Catholic, women’s college. We will continue to work toward understanding how a college like ours can become a true home, a place of open doors and open arms, where everyone, with all their differences intact, belongs.
We recognize that the experience of the last several weeks has been not only trying but also personally painful—for many reasons—for students, faculty, staff, and alumnae. Our deepest hope is for everyone to return in January committed to rebuilding trust and to building a campus that accepts healthy disagreement as part of the value of an academic community. For all colleges and universities, this is a defining challenge of our time.
In closing, in this season of the solstice—of darkness and of longing for the Light of the World—we might remember the persistence of the Magi. They set out, uncertain about their destination or the meaning of their journey. They followed a star to Bethlehem and discovered their purpose. And when they went home, they were changed. They understood that they could not simply return by an old road. They had to find a new way forward, a way that would transform the meaning of their return.
As we anticipate our own return, let us also continue to move forward—together—on our journey to be a community that is Gospel inspired, common good oriented, and dignity affirmative.
Sincerely,
Maureen Karantz Smith ‘85 – Chair, Board of Trustees
Katie Conboy, Ph.D. – President
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