To represent students in opposition to the change, Mr. McNamara last week addressed the Committee on Church Relations and Religious Life, which has been researching the issue to present it to the board of trustees.
“If we jump every time someone disagrees with a tradition, then we cheapen our history, and we cheapen who we are. We have to remember one thing. This isn’t the student’s diploma. This piece of paper isn’t supposed to reflect who we are individually. This is the university’s diploma, which they bestow upon us, and it reflects who they are,” he told the committee.
He also argued that the removal of the phrase would be intolerant, saying cultural differences must be seen and tolerated rather than effaced.
“When we remove the mark of another culture, we aren’t making a diverse environment, we’re making a sterile environment, and that’s not what we want. Altering the diploma hurts our multicultural environment and erodes our traditions,” he said.
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