Friday, March 05, 2010
Cuccinelli: End university policies that ban discrimination based on sexual orientation
A policy banning discrimination based on sexual orientation remains in effect at Virginia Tech, at least for now, despite a directive from the state attorney general that public colleges and universities remove such protections.
Tech received the letter from Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli by e-mail either Thursday evening or Friday morning, university spokesman Mark Owczarski said.
Cuccinelli's letter argues that colleges and universities have no authority to protect the rights of gays, lesbians and other sexual minorities without an act of the General Assembly.
Gov. Bob McDonnell recently reversed an executive order barring discrimination against LGBTQ state workers that had been in effect for eight years. A bill that would have extended such protection to LGBTQ state workers passed gained Senate approval but died in a House committee earlier this week.
Tech President Charles Steger "will certainly confer with board [of visitors] members and members of the community about it. Obviously, when something comes from Richmond, we have to pay attention," Owczarski said.
But any change to Tech's policy must be approved by the board of visitors. The board is scheduled to meet March 21 and 22. An agenda for that meeting has not been set, Owczarski said.
"As of today, our nondiscrimination policy stands as it is," he said.
Radford University also includes sexual orientation as a protected class in its official nondiscrimination policy.
Tech received the letter from Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli by e-mail either Thursday evening or Friday morning, university spokesman Mark Owczarski said.
Cuccinelli's letter argues that colleges and universities have no authority to protect the rights of gays, lesbians and other sexual minorities without an act of the General Assembly.
Gov. Bob McDonnell recently reversed an executive order barring discrimination against LGBTQ state workers that had been in effect for eight years. A bill that would have extended such protection to LGBTQ state workers passed gained Senate approval but died in a House committee earlier this week.
Tech President Charles Steger "will certainly confer with board [of visitors] members and members of the community about it. Obviously, when something comes from Richmond, we have to pay attention," Owczarski said.
But any change to Tech's policy must be approved by the board of visitors. The board is scheduled to meet March 21 and 22. An agenda for that meeting has not been set, Owczarski said.
"As of today, our nondiscrimination policy stands as it is," he said.
Radford University also includes sexual orientation as a protected class in its official nondiscrimination policy.
