The Chronicle of Higher Education is sponsoring an online discussion on homophobia in college athletics. The discussion is based in part on an article in the new issue of The Chronicle, which looks at the difficulties facing gay college athletes, especially in football, hockey, and men's basketball.

The Chronicle invites members of this discussion board to read the article and to join the discussion at:

http://chronicle.com/free/v49/i10/10a03601.htm

Scott Jaschik
Editor
The Chronicle of Higher Education

The article that Scott Jaschik refers to is titled The Loneliest Athletes. Terrific piece, very well researched and written.

From Scott Jaschik:
Please encourage people to post their reactions in our Colloquy (discussion board) as well, anonymously if they prefer. This is an opportunity for people to reach college presidents and Athletics Directors -- people who may not realize (how much) these issues matter.

A sample of current comments:

• Many institutions are not doing enough because those who are in power simply do not want gay athletes on their teams because of their own fears.
• What about students who possess strong moral stands concerning homosexual acts? Does that constitute homophobia? I would say that it does not.
• Homophobia, just like racism and sexism, absolutely negatively affects performance in sports and schools. I am a varsity athlete and I understand this all too well.

We encourage you join the discussion.

this was a good article...although the colloquy is filled with suprisingly ignorant comments...not outwardly hateful, but even worse, subtle ignorance....ie, "i don't care who you sleep with, keep sex out of it"

in an ideal world, yes, that would be the case...but the locker rooms are filled with sex talk, both straights talking about females, and anti-gay humor...

That was an eye-opening article but a subject to which many of us can relate. Reading the comments by Ken Hatfield make me even more appreciative of those few people, including the creators of Outsports, who are doing something to counter this. It's also encouraging that the N.C.A.A. is at least making a tentative effort to redress the situation. Having grown up in one college town in the South, & now living in another, I can attest to the pernicious influence of the F.C.A. in college athletics.

That's easily the most informed, best article I've ever read on this subject. It makes me feel optimistic that more people are going to pay attention to the intense pain and suffering young gay athletes endure.

I went to Rice University undergrad. I plan to let Coach Hatfield (and a few others in prominent positions there) know how displeased one of their legacy alums feels about him making such personal statements that should not be characterized as representative of the university or its collegiate athletic program as a whole.

Coach Hatfield has every right to practice his religious beliefs however he chooses and to feel the way he does about homosexuality. However, he does not have the right to allow his beliefs to interfere with how he runs or coaches a collegiate football team. This is very troubling. Does he discourage players from converting to Islam or Judaism? Does he reprimand or remove straight players who he discovers had premarital sex on campus or may have fathered a child out of wedlock in the off-season?

How dare he even state that he would "think hard" about kicking some player off the team for being gay? Rice University is a secular collegiate instition... take that tired shit to Baylor or Brigham Young.

And I can asssure you, Coach, that there have been quite enough gay/bi football players and other athletes that came through Rice. It's a very competitive school known for its intelligent students and rigorous academic environment, yet this coach is lowering the value of my hard-earned degree by making us look like backwater idiots. Send him somewhere else.

Yelladawg, you are 100% right on this one. I was furious when I read what Hatfield wrote and thought the same things. I'd like to see his team if he "thought seriously" about kicking off all the players that are having sex out of wedlock. It's amazing that people will still say these things out loud.

Ken Hatfield would be in violation of Rice University's own anti-discrimination policy if he were to kick off the team a player who comes out. What a bible-thumping hick.

Just to let you guys know:

I just spoke with the Assistant Director of Student Affairs (also head of the Office of Multicultural Affairs) at Rice, who informed me that the President of Rice University has demanded that the piece of shit Coach Hatfield offer a formal written, public apology about his statements, that his statements do not reflect the policy of Rice University, and are in violation of Rice's anti-discrimination policy, which progressively does include "sexual orientation". I was also informed that Coach Shitfield made some half-assed "apology" (a la the Shockley "apology") that most people who have seen it are not finding acceptable. When I get a copy of the President's official statement and the Coach's apology in my email box, and read them for myself, I will post them here for you guys to see.

I was also encouraged to write a letter to the university President, the Rice University Alumni Board, and the student newspaper demanding the Coach's resignation. I will refrain from doing so until I read the President's remarks and the Coach's offical apology. If I find them unacceptable. I will write the letters. My name, hopefully, may carry a little bit of weight there, being a Legacy Alum (meaning other relatives graduated from there, too), an athlete, a former student activist, and a current contributor to the Alumni Fund.

Here's the goods:

1. Letter from the President

Letters to the Editor
Chronicle of Higher Education
1255 23rd Street, N.W., Suite 700
Washington, D.C. 20037


To the Editor:

The views attributed to football coach Ken Hatfield in an article in your Nov. 1 issue (The Loneliest Athletes) represent neither Rice University policy nor practice.

Our university is committed to carrying out to the fullest its policy of non-discrimination: "Rice University does not discriminate against any individual on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, national or ethnic origin, age, disability, or veteran status in its admissions, its educational programs, or employment of faculty or staff."

As I have told Coach Hatfield in unequivocal terms, he is entitled to practice his personally held religious views in his private life, but as Rice University football coach he must wholeheartedly execute university policy. He has agreed to do so.

No student at Rice will be denied equal participation on a team based on sexual orientation, period.

Malcolm Gillis
President
Rice University

2. Coach's "apologetic" response

Letters to the Editor
Chronicle of Higher Education
1255 23rd Street, N.W., Suite 700
Washington, D.C. 20037


To the Editor:

In a story in your Nov. 1 issue (The Loneliest Athletes), I was reported to have made remarks contrary to Rice policy about how I might deal with an athlete on my team identifying himself as
homosexual.

As I told the Chronicle reporter, in my role as football coach, a position of authority assigned by my university, I am aware that I must thoroughly carry out university policy, including its prohibition on discrimination based on sexual orientation. While I have personal views on the subject, I have assured the president that I can and will follow the university's non-discrimination policy sincerely and completely.

I apologize to the university and the entire community for any distress this story caused them.

Ken Hatfield
Head Football Coach
Rice University

YellaDawg note: I liked President Gillis' quick-handed response, but it doesn't go far enough. I'll be writing him as an alumnus requesting that he ask for the coach's resignation. I will also write the student paper, and perhaps even the Rice Alumni Board, demanding the same.

If Rice were to force Hatfield to resign for this, who wants to take bets on how quickly the Religious Right groups will be filing suit to get his job back and demand his right to speak freely and follow his "sincerely held" religious beliefs?
I am not saying they would be right, but it will happen, and they will use this as another example of how gay rights activists are "intolerant" of those with differing views - as if our existence is a political issue.

What the Religious Right will never understand is, despite any apology, there is no way any gay athlete would feel comfortable playing for Hatfield - every time that athlete was reprimanded, or kept out of a game, there would be that nagging question about whether it was because of his views. It's just sad.

Rice is a private institution with a HUGE endowment, close to $1 billion, that comes mainly from research in science, physics and engineering. They don't give a flying f**k about what the Religious right thinks. In all honesty, they barely care all that much about their athletic programs and I think they only keep them alive and competitive because it keeps them a nationally attractive school. If enough corporations that they deal with like Exxon and influential alums make a stink over this coach, they'd quietly let him go at the end of the season. I know the politics of that school like the back of my hand; if they thought this coach's public statements would harm their precious national ranking as one of the best colleges to go to, or hurt their contributions/endowment, then Hatfield would be out of here quicker than you can spell his last name. At the very least, this will result in some sensitivity training into the athletic department. And in all honesty, I'm not so sure if he is that winning of a coach to survive too much scrutiny.

The "Religious Right (or Wrong)" has no hold over that school. We're talking a place with a time-honored tradition of naked students running through the campus once a month covered in shaving cream, and an annual college sponsored Night of Decadence.

I didn't mean to imply the Religious Right has a hold over the school, just that they are so quick to step in when they perceive a "Christian's" rights have been violated. They have (through the anti-ACLU, the American Center for Law and Justice, and other right-wing legal groups) taken all sorts of companies and institutions to court to fight for the rights of religious people in the workplace.

For instance, either the ACLJ or the Liberty Foundation got a settlement from a state agency when two employees were reprimanded for reading their Bibles during required diversity training, because they didn't want to hear about gays and lesbians.

Because there is no force of law to Rice's anti-discrimination policy, and because the coach hasn't actually discriminated against anyone, they could find themselves in some hot water if they did fire him.

this story is getting some play here in houston. it was the LEAD story on the news last night. nothing earth-shattering in the news report, but still it's good to see that hatfield is catching a lot of flack for his comments.

Press followup on Coach Hatfield's anti-gay statements:

Rice coach feels heat over quotes about gays - Houston Chronicle 10/31/02

Letter from Malcolm Gillis, President of Rice University - Chronicle of Higher Education 10/29/02

Letter from Ken Hatfield, Head Football Coach, Rice University - ibid.

A letter has been circulating around athletic departments over the last couple of days warning administrators. Here it is in its entirety:

"Former Clemson head coach Ken Hatfield is involved in a controversy over comments he made to "the Cronicle of Higher Education" about a hypothetical situation concerning discovery of homosexuals on his football team.
I send this to you because it would be a logical question from your local writers to your football coach, or other high profile coaches. I am sure many of the other coaches have the same feelings on the subject as coach Hatfield, but I am also sure all schools have some official policy on the subject that would be in conflict with the beliefs of your coach. I am also sure most football coaches are unaware of those policies.
I suggest you meet with your coaches before the end of practice today, because your coach could be blind sided by the issue in post-practice setting. It appears to have reached nightmare proportions at Rice."

This is a very hot topic right now and some schools have already scheduled diversity training sessions.

What does this mean? That Rice is having to deal with it institutionally?

Chip, is this being circulated around UVa or something. I thought it was curious that they referred to Hatfield as a former head coach and Clemson rather than head coach at Rice.

I had an opportunity to visit Rice University when I lived in Houston during the late 80s. OOOOOO so long ago...lol. I found the campus probably the most beautiful landscaped campus I've visited. I originally went to the university applying for a job and ended staying there, browsing, visiting one of their library for almost four hours. I guess you can say I was throughly impressed with the place.

It seems to me that most of these so called "Christians" see no problem in compromising their religious principles and bibilcal dogma when their self-interest is in jeopardy. I can't help noticing that this type of Christian is always rationalizing, justifying, and ignoring why they can not follow their "one way" . YET...

I do not think the coach at Rice be fired solely because he holds hateful religious beliefs. I do believe, just like any employee who performed in an unacceptable manner, his performance needs to be monitored, even be placed on some type of probation. The coach definitely misrepresented the univeristy's policy and he did willfully in his offical position as coach. For that reason alone, his employment status needs to be held in probation and monitor because he has proved that he may not adhere to univerisity policy. Since there is no proof, yet, that the coach has indeed violated university policy, I see no legal or moral justification to terminate him.

However, I would encourage the university to investigate/conduct a performance review. If the university found that the coach has indeed conducted his duties in violation of it's policy, then, termination proceedings should definitely commence. To avoid or successfully battle against any legal backlash, any termination must be based upon job performance. It's the criteria way we want our own job status be determined.

To bring everyone fully up to date, the following e-mail message was sent campuswide Wednesday afternnoon by the Rice president's office. It expands on some of the information offered by others, including reporting the faculty's unanimous repudiation of the coach's comments.

Terry Shepard
Vice President for Public Affairs
Rice University

--------------

The president has asked that we distribute by Pres/Fac and All Departments e-mail the following two items Rice News articles:

--A report that will appear in the Thursday, Oct. 31, edition.

--A report on the faculty meeting and resolution that came after that edition went to the printer and is scheduled for the Nov. 7 issue.

MSS

--------------

Rice News article, Oct. 31, 2002, edition

The appearance Monday, Oct. 27, of an on-line version of an article for The Chronicle of Higher Education brought immediate reaction from President Malcolm Gillis.

The story, scheduled for the Nov. 1 issue of the publication, dealt with hostility towards gay athletes in university sports programs. In it, writer Jennifer Jacobson reported on an interview with Rice football coach Ken Hatfield (below):

Gillis became aware of the story at 11:45 a.m. Monday, just prior to a scheduled lunch with a donor. He reached Coach Hatfield at 2:30 p.m., and engaged him on the issue and Rice policies and practice. At 4:09 p.m. letters to the editor from both the president and Hatfield (also below) were e-mailed to the Chronicle. Later the same day, both e-mails and the original story were sent to faculty and student leaders, as well as the Rice Thresher.

The section of the Chronicle of Higher Education story concerning Coach Hatfield is as follows. Hatfield states that the final sentence of the section does not accurately represent his words.

Among the members of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, which has a large following, is Rice University's football coach, Ken Hatfield, who says homosexuality clearly conflicts with his religious beliefs. "I believe in the Bible," he declares.

He has been a member of the fellowship since 1965. Its "sexual purity" policy states: "God desires His children to lead pure lives of holiness. The Bible is clear in teaching of sexual sin, including sex outside of marriage and homosexual acts. Neither heterosexual acts outside of marriage nor any homosexual act constitute an alternative lifestyle acceptable to God."

A collegiate coach for 36 years, Mr. Hatfield has never had a player come out to him.

If a player did go public about being homosexual, the coach would be concerned both about the effect on the team and about what the parents of other athletes would think, he says. He would ask the player, "What happened? What changed since we recruited you? When did this come about?"

After all, people make a choice about homosexuality, Mr. Hatfield says, just as they make choices about drinking, about going to church. "I've never seen any scientific study say there's a homosexual gene."

He says that while he would not necessarily kick a player off the team for being gay, he probably would think hard about it.

"The Loneliest Athlete," Chronicle of Higher Education, Nov.1, 2002

President Gillis's letter to the Chronicle of Higher Education:

To the Editor:

The views attributed to football coach Ken Hatfield in an article in your Nov. 1 issue (The Loneliest Athletes) represent neither Rice University policy nor practice.

Our university is committed to carrying out to the fullest its policy of nondiscrimination: "Rice University does not discriminate against any individual on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, national or ethnic origin, age, disability, or veteran status in its admissions, its educational programs, or employment of faculty or staff."

As I have told Coach Hatfield in unequivocal terms, he is entitled to practice his personally held religious views in his private life, but as Rice University football coach he must wholeheartedly execute university policy. He has agreed to do so.

No student at Rice will be denied equal participation on a team based on sexual orientation, period.

Malcolm Gillis
President
Rice University


Hatfield's letter:

To the Editor:

In a story in your Nov. 1 issue (The Loneliest Athletes), I was reported to have made remarks contrary to Rice policy about how I might deal with an athlete on my team identifying himself as homosexual.

As I told the Chronicle reporter, in my role as football coach, a position of authority assigned by my university, I am aware that I must thoroughly carry out university policy, including its prohibition on discrimination based on sexual orientation. While I have personal views on the subject, I have assured the president that I can and will follow the university's nondiscrimination policy sincerely and completely.

I apologize to the university and the entire community for any distress this story caused them.

Ken Hatfield
Head Football Coach
Rice University

--------------

Rice News article, scheduled for Nov. 7, 2002, edition

The Rice faculty on Tuesday, Oct. 29, unanimously repudiated "any statement by a Rice official that might seem to imply that the University discriminates" and reaffirmed the university's policy of nondiscrimination.

The vote came one day after a Chronicle of Higher Education article appeared online and included reporting on an interview with Ken Hatfield, head football coach, on the topic of gay athletes.

The issue was added to the agenda as the first item of a meeting of the general faculty. Rice President Malcolm Gillis opened with a resolute statement.

"We do not have a test for sexual orientation at this university," he said to the faculty. "We do not have a test for students. We do not have a test for faculty.

"We do not have a test for staff or any other part of the university, including athletics. And" he said, striking the podium for emphasis, "we are not going to have one, ever."

The faculty, as a demonstration of its exact intent, then chose to include in the resolution the precise definition of "repudiates." It then immediately voted unanimously - with the president for the first time exercising his right to vote as a faculty member - to approve the full resolution:

Whereas a story in the 1 November 2002 Chronicle of Higher Education might mislead the public into believing that Rice University condones discrimination,

Be it therefore resolved that the Rice University faculty repudiates any statement by a Rice official that might seem to imply that the University discriminates, and

Be it therefore further resolved that the Rice University faculty unanimous reaffirms the University's non-discrimination policy 815-96, which states:
Rice university does not discriminate against any individual on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, national or ethnic origin, age, disability, or veteran status in its admissions, its educational programs, or employment of faculty or staff.

["repudiates," from repudium divorce: 1. to divorce or separate formally from; 2. to refuse to have anything to do with: disown; 3a. to refuse to accept: esp. to rejects as unauthorized or as having no binding force; 3b. to reject as untrue or unjust; 4. to refuse to acknowledge or pay]

Exactly 24 hours earlier, on the afternoon the story appeared, President Gillis had sent by e-mail a letter to the Chronicle of Higher Education reaffirming Rice's policy on nondiscrimination, stating that he had obtained Coach Hatfield's promise to wholeheartedly carry out that policy and closing, "No student at Rice will be denied equal participation on a team based on sexual orientation, period."

The president's letter to the publication was accompanied by one from Coach Hatfield committing himself to carrying out the policy sincerely and completely, and apologizing to the university and the community.

I hope you do, I hope you do! That would let him know that his bigotry is "making the rounds" and is a matter of public consequence!

It does seem that this issue has taken hold and that action has been swift from Rice University. And beyond that, we see that it is being felt throughout the U.S. university system, as evidenced by Chip's report from Virginia.

Thanks to the research and work by the people at the Chronicle for Higher Education for bringing this to attention. Also, thanks to people like YellaDog who are being vocal and active. Thanks Mr. Sheppard for updating us. Keep up the good work all!

The Chronicle of Higher Education's discussion board is cooking today with passionate comments and personal experiences having to do with gays in varsity athletics.
This one has to be a ringer, 'cause no one could seriously say that... Could they?
Hellspawn? LOL

Feel free to post there if you're so inspired.

As follow-up to the above post by Terry Shepard, Rice University's VP Public Affairs, here's the online edition of today's Rice University News. Follow the front page link to the story.

Hi:
Since we are in Sydney this story is totally off our radar. We appreciate everyone posting this stuff. Also would appreciate you plugging Outsports on other sites/boards if appropriate.

Jim

Hi folks. I just got wind of this story and to be honest I'm not sure what to make of it in terms of what needs to be said/written about. I'll study it during the next 12 hours or so and see what I come up with.

I thought you might be interested in knowing that I have a plan in the works to put together a consortium of people who are or have been professionally involved in sports who are gay. The goal would be to work in tandem with the NCAA to create sensitivity training on the subject that might actually make a difference. Having a Dave Kopay or a Dave Pallone or an Esera Tuaolo talk to an NCAA football team might be just the kind of thing that would make a difference. I'll keep you all updated. This has just come to me in the last week or so.

Bill Konigsberg

It's being circulated around the ACC at least. Hatfield was a coach at Clemson so it hits home in this area somewhat. I think that the "nightmare proportions" refer to the amount of PR work that is going to be needed to "save" Rice.

Personally, I think it's pretty easy. Hatfield made an error. Just admit to being not-so-thoughtful for speaking out as a coach and not as an individual and that I made an error in judgment. I'm not assailing him for his opinion (he is entitled to it), I am saying that he should have spoken out as Ken Hatfield, not Ken Hatfield, Head Football Coach at Rice who will consider removing someone from my team that is an arm of Rice University for having views different than mine that are unrelated to football.

In fairness, this would be a nightmare for the PR people at Rice to deal with.

For more information about the Student Association Meeting held on Wednesday, check out KPFT News in Houston, Texas on KPFT 90.1FM or on the web at www.kpftx.org on Friday, November 1, 2002 at 6:30 PM Central.

Interviews on representatives from the Student Senate, Rice PRIDE (GLBT group at Rice) and a member of the Rice Football team

In today's Houston Chronicle, Coach Hatfield touts the amount of "support and letters" he has received, and claims "I've always gone by the Rice policy, and I'll always do what's best for our football team. The other situation" (i.e. the possibility of a football player coming out) "is purely hypothetical anyway." Roger, coach.

One action Hatfield did take was to refuse an invitation to attend a Student Association meeting Monday to discuss the matter, according to the Chronicle. "Their job is to go to school, and our job is to have the best team we can to represent Rice. I've got other things now that are important." Sounds like Hatfield's "best team" comes with a very tight closet for any gay or bisexual player who might want to play varsity football.

Meanwhile, today's issue of the Rice News carries a report that the general meeting of the faculty voted to "unanimously repudiate" Hatfield's remarks, as noted in Terry Shepard's message to Outsports readers, above.

For those who do not have a subscription to the Chronicle of Higher Education, they posted online Thursday a follow-up story, which follows.

Terry Shepard
Vice President for Public Affairs
Rice University

--------------

Thursday, October 31, 2002


http://chronicle.com/daily/2002/10/2002103103n.htm



Rice U. Football Coach Apologizes for Remarks on Gay Athletes
By JENNIFER JACOBSON


Rice University's football coach has publicly apologized for comments he made about gay players in an article last week in The Chronicle. The apology came at the behest of the institution's president, Malcolm Gillis, who reprimanded Ken Hatfield for sharing personal views on homosexuality that run counter to Rice's nondiscrimination policy.

The article was about homophobia in college sports. In it, Mr. Hatfield says that homosexuality clearly conflicts with his religious beliefs and that while he would not necessarily kick a player off the team for being gay, he probably would think hard about doing so. According to an article in the October 31 issue of Rice News, the university's faculty-staff newspaper, Mr. Hatfield contended that the latter part of that sentence "does not accurately represent his words."

President Gillis became aware of The Chronicle article late Monday morning, and then called Mr. Hatfield that afternoon, according to the Rice News article. The president said that he and Mr. Hatfield discussed the need for the coach to affirm his commitment to the university's nondiscrimination policy and to apologize for "the damage done by the comments."

Later that afternoon, both the president and coach sent letters to the editor of The Chronicle as well as to faculty and student leaders and to the university's student newspaper.

"The views attributed to football coach Ken Hatfield ... represent neither Rice University policy nor practice," Mr. Gillis wrote in his e-mail message to The Chronicle. "Our university is committed to carrying out to the fullest its policy of nondiscrimination: 'Rice University does not discriminate against any individual on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, national or ethnic origin, age, disability, or veteran status in its admissions, its educational programs, or employment of faculty or staff.'"

Mr. Gillis further wrote that he has told Mr. Hatfield in "unequivocal terms" that "he is entitled to practice his personally held religious views in his private life, but as Rice University football coach he must wholeheartedly execute university policy. He has agreed to do so. No student at Rice will be denied equal participation on a team based on sexual orientation, period."

Rice "is very, very proud of being a very, very inclusive university," Mr. Gillis said in an interview Wednesday. "There would be people who might conclude as a result of those comments that we're not. But we are, and we work very hard at it."

In his own letter, Mr. Hatfield committed himself to carrying out university policy. "In my role as football coach, a position of authority assigned by my university, I am aware that I must thoroughly carry out university policy, including its prohibition on discrimination based on sexual orientation. While I have personal views on the subject, I have assured the president that I can and will follow the university's nondiscrimination policy sincerely and completely. I apologize to the university and the entire community for any distress this story caused them."

On Tuesday, at a general meeting of Rice's faculty, those in attendance unanimously approved a resolution repudiating "any statement by a Rice official that might seem to imply that the university discriminates" and reaffirmed the university's nondiscrimination policy.

"We do not have a test for sexual orientation at this university," Mr. Gillis told the faculty, according to an article that will appear in the November 7 issue of Rice News. "We do not have a test for students. We do not have a test for faculty. We do not have a test for staff or any other part of the university, including athletics. And we are not going to have one, ever," he said, striking the lectern to emphasize his point, according to Rice News.

This was the first time Mr. Gillis exercised his right to vote as a faculty member, and he did so, he said, because of his background. "I grew up in the Jim Crow South, in Jackson County, North Florida, so discrimination is not an abstract concept to me. It's something that I feel very strongly about. I wanted to show my personal agreement with the faculty."

------------------------------------------------------------------------
Front page | Career Network | Search | Site map | Help

------------------------------------------------------------------------
Copyright © 2002 by The Chronicle of Higher Education

Since the shower issue keeps raising its silly head on the CHE Colloquy...

Australian Government Urges: Shower With a Friend!

"People in parts of Australia are being urged to shower together to save water. The past six months in Sydney have been the driest since they started keeping records 144 years ago.

"Sherryl Garbutt, the environment minister in Victoria State, tells the 'Herald Sun' newspaper that people should shower together to conserve water. She says even those not in a relationship could find a 'sympathetic friend' to shower with."

- Thanks to Joe in Philly!

If I may, one more document:
A Nov. 1 letter from Rice Athletic Director Bobby May to the Rice student newspaper.

Terry Shepard
Vice President for Public Affairs
Rice University

--------------


November 1, 2002

To the "Thresher" Editor:

As the Director of Athletics at Rice, I think it is important that everyone in the Rice community understand my position on the November 1, 2002 Chronicle of Higher Education article (The Loneliest Athletes) dealing with homosexual student-athletes.

Throughout my 35 years of service to Rice University as a coach and administrator, I have worked with many different student-athletes and staff members. Most were straight, a number were not. Some were openly gay.

We have sought to make the athletic environment they have found here totally non–discriminatory. That was certainly what I witnessed as a student-athlete at Rice, and what I tried to maintain as a head coach and now as the Director of Athletics.

In a perfect world, institutions would not need a non-discrimination policy to make certain people are treated fairly. Discrimination based on sexual preference is wrong on its face and that should be abundantly clear to everyone. Unfortunately, the world is not perfect, so Rice has explicitly banned discrimination.

One of Rice University’s strengths has been its diversity. Indeed the very existence of our intercollegiate athletic program is based, in part, on the desire to have a diverse student population. My undergraduate experience at Rice was greatly enhanced by interaction with other students different from me. The college system certainly encourages this growth opportunity, and all students benefit from it.

Assembling a group of students, faculty, and administrators representing the best of all worlds has made Rice into a world class institution. We all play a small, but significant part. Diversity is the heart and soul of Rice, and athletics should be a shining example of what can be accomplished when everyone works together.

Individual beliefs not withstanding, Rice Athletics will be inclusive and welcome qualified individuals who are "difference makers" and never be concerned if they are different.

J. R. "Bobby" May
Director of Athletics

I'm very glad to see the faculty's quick response and the President's unequivocal support for the non-discrimination policy. I disagree with those who would want Coach Hatfield to resign, however. He obviously made a mistake and was reminded of the University's policies, in no uncertain terms. If we expect tolerance we must practice it. The coach knows what is expected of him, and it is up to him to follow the rules, now that he knows what the repercussions are for ignoring them.

Right, musicalnuke, especially since the administration diffused the situation so swiftly and firmly. But they're not off the hook. Lots of conciliatory letters have been published, but if they are to mean anything, the words have to lead to action.

It was a shame that Rice's gay athletes had to hear the threats implicit in Ken Hatfield's statements -- each of them must have felt so alone. Rice has handled things well so far; there's no reason not to expect they'll continue to do so, including on the personal level. Let's hope. <melancholy smile>

Author and Outsports contributor Dan Woog posted the following comments on the Chronicle's discussion board. I thought his point of view was interesting, so asked his prmission to re-post it here, for your comments. Thanks, Dan.


Re: homosexual athletes
Author: Dan Woog, Staples HS, Westport, CT
Date: 11-01-02 21:03

I read with interest the very informative story, "The Loneliest Athletes," in the November 1 Chronicle. Much of what Jennifer Jacobson describes is true. The locker room is indeed the last closet. But I believe the door to that locker room -- that final closet door -- is opening wider and more rapidly than she indicated.

My latest book, "Jocks 2: Coming Out to Play" was published by Alyson Books this fall. It is the sequel to my 1998 work, "Jocks: True Stories of America's Gay Male Athletes." Much has changed since the publication of my first book. In fact, the new climate on high school and college campuses was part of the reason I researched and wrote a follow-up.

There are a couple of horror stories in "Jocks 2," to be sure. The worst involves the manager of the soccer team at an NCAA championship university, who was driven away from the team by the anti-gay attitudes of people he admired and respected (the head coach as well as players). Far more important, however, are the wonderfully positive stories. A number of athletes have found tolerance, acceptance, even celebration through college athletics. By coming out, they are educating their teammates, friends, coaches -- everyone, really, associated with their school, conference and sport.

Two stories that stand out involve two different sports. Mike Crosby came out with trepidation to his Harvard University water polo coach, because he sensed the coach was a bit homophobic. The man's response was quite positive; so were the reactions of teammates. "You CAN be a gay man and also play college sports," Mike said. "The two things don't have to conflict." Mike capped his college career at the Eastern championships by sharing a passionate post-game kiss on the pool deck with his boyfriend -- a water polo player from rival Brown University.

The other story involves Chris Martel, who also came out slowly, but steadily and surely, to his Marist College crew team. One day, working out intensely on a rowing machine, a new rower said to another freshman, "You pull like a fag." Without missing a beat, an upperclassman pointed to Chris and said, "THAT is how you pull like a fag." A couple of years later, a few days before graduation, Chris took a male date to Marist's senior formal dance. The couple was welcomed by all the men Chris rowed with for four years. Dancing a slow dance with his head resting on another man's shoulders, Chris was thrilled when a teammate gave an approving nod. Toward the end of the night another rower approached Chris, looked him square in the eye, and said, "In four years, this is the day I'm most proud to say I go to Marist."

Bob Dylan is neither gay nor a jock. But his words are most apt. For gay athletes in 2002, the times they are a-changin'.

I attended Rice University as well and was quite upset by Coach Hatfield's comments. I had some friends on the football team and I will tell you that there are or were gay/bi/curious athletes on the football team. I am posting the following from the Rice Thresher. I think she makes a very good point:

A lesbian former varsity athlete described the varsity athletics program as don't-ask-don't-tell in its atmosphere toward homosexuals. She said alternative behavior is not well-accepted, especially for males who may want to come out.

She said she feels Hatfield is being treated less severely because he is the football coach, and also expressed concern that there is a double standard of non-discrimination enforcement concerning sexual orientation.

"If he can say that and still be employed at the university, what would happen if a professor makes a comment about black students being in their class," she said. "That would be the end of their career at Rice. I can guarantee you that if someone makes a comment about someone's nationality, they would definitely get suspended or punished more severely than a slap on the wrist."

Thanks for posting, DJ, and welcome to the Outsports discussion board.

Here's the link to Rice University's weekly student newspaper, the Thresher.

Published today, this weeks edition of the Thresher brings us up to date on reaction to the Ken Hatfield incident, Officials stay silent, Student Association Senate passes resolution .

If you haven't yet read Jennifer Jacobson's article that started this discussion, it's an important and disturbing piece, The Loneliest Athletes

THIS is homophobia on campus:
http://www.accessatlanta.com/ajc/living/croft/

This subject has already been posted on another thread
Morehouse Student Attacked.

The more I learn about it the deeper the sinking feeling I get, to think what a backward attitude exists in enclaves of our society.

Unfortunately homophobia of this type is rampant among many young black men. And it IS homophobia whether or not the man attacked was gay.

It is a reflection of a sense of powerlessness that is the source of all mindless violence. When will people realize that violent behavior in such situations only shows fear and weakness?

Back at Rice University, the student newspaper, the Thresher, reports that "More than 100 football fans sported 'I am not homophobic' T-shirts at (the) Homecoming game. Also, President Malcolm Gillis has formed the President's Council on Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgendered Campus Climate, and a committee has been established to look into practices in the Athletics Department that may discriminate against homosexuals.

"The only negative feedback was from some football players who wanted to support their coach. It wasn't that they weren't supportive of (the slogan), they just didn't want to appear to not support the coach.

"The Student Association president said he was glad to see so many students supporting both the team and the university's non-discrimination policy."

The strong support of Rice University's President and faculty may be unprecedented and is great to see -- most notably the immediate formation of the President's Council on GLBT Campus Climate along with a separate committee being formed to "look into practices in the Athletic Department that may discriminate against homosexuals"....as the most recent school newspaper link noted, the President's office also funded the production and sale of 100+ "I am not homophobic" t-shirts, all of which sold immediately on campus prior to their final home game.

Nevertheless, I think Ken Hatfield has gotten off FAR too lightly (at least thus far) for his recent transgressions....hopefully his 4-7 record will give the administration an "excuse" for his dismissal but as a previous poster mentioned on this thread, if a professor on campus had made similar comments about African-Americans or concerning a student's nationality or religious beliefs, they would have been terminated on the spot....and, for the record, this has nothing to do with the fact that I have despised Hatfield ever since his days at evil Clemson, which considering its location in the highly rural northwestern part of South Carolina may have "overlooked" or even "encouraged" Hatfield's inexcusable bigotry during his tenure there in the late 80s and early 90s.

What has disturbed me most (and I don't think anyone else has commented on it) is the content of Hatfield's "apology" and subsequent statements AFTER he expressed his TRUE beliefs to the original reporter....after Hatfield was "called on the carpet" by the Rice President Malcolm Gillis, he proceeded to say that he would "thoroughly carry out university policy, including its prohibition on discrimination based on sexual orientation"....geez, what a shock! -- in order to save his high-paying job as one of only 117 D-1 football coaches in the country, Hatfield mentions that he'll comply with his employer's guidelines! -- imagine if our criminal justice system worked this way (or, should I say, ALL the time) - a rapist and murderer would tell the police and the judge that they were "sorry" for not adhering to policy and they'll be sure to not let it happen again....or at least in Hatfield's case, what he was actually saying was he won't let the PUBLIC hear him express his TRUE beliefs again....Hatfield did everything BUT say he still supports the same homophobic, discriminatory practices that he expressed earlier when he mentioned during his apology "WHILE I STILL HAVE PERSONAL VIEWS ON THIS SUBJECT....I can and will follow the university's non-discriminatory policy sincerely and completely"....wow, how big of you Kenny!!....kiss your bosses ass in one sentence while still finding it necessary to express your intolerable beliefs that are diametrically opposed to the university's policy without any fear of reprisal -- as Don King would say, "ONLY IN AMERICA!"....then, days later, Hatfield AGAIN finds it necessary to point out to the press that he has received dozens of letters supporting his original bigoted statement.

I applaud President Gillis wholeheartedly for his unequivocally STRONG, sincere support that has left absolutely no room for doubt on where he and the university stands on this issue.....however, he now needs to go one step further and dismiss this homophobic coach who has absolutely NO PLACE in higher education, a profession that arguably has the greatest influence upon our leaders of tomorrow....Send Hatfield (along with his 4-7 record) packing, regardless of the "guaranteed money" remaining on his fat contract, before he has the opportunity to sway the impressionable minds of dozens of other young men and, more importantly, drive gay athletes further into the closet causing them insufferable anguish and depression.

Once again someone is comparing the experience of Blacks and homosexuals as if they're commensurate. First, Rice has a particularly unfortunately history concerning Blacks; in the original charter of the university's founder, William Marsh Rice, Black students were barred from attending, and it took a lawsuit in 1964 or so to change this. As of 1995, however, Rice had made great strides in enrolling Black students, and had the highest percentage increase in Black admittees (Harvard had the highest yield, Virginia the highest numerical enrollment) of major U.S. institutions ranked in the U.S. News Top 25.

(The national debate about affirmative action, particularly at public universities, rarely broaches the long history of Blacks being barred, dissuaded or prevented from enrolling at and attending many institutions *outside* the South--for every exemplary case, such as Ohio State or UCLA, there are numerous awful histories, even though Black citizens paid their tax dollars for hundreds of years to support these institutions.)

Second, the comparison elides the possibility of Black gay/bi people, with gays being normatively viewed as white and Blacks being normatively viewed as straight. As we've seen, though, gay athletes come in all colors, just as Blacks are no more or no less likely to be straight than any other racial (or ethnic) group. "Black" itself is a broad catchall category. If a coach or a professor at a private institution makes any statements that violate the tenets, rules, charter or stated policies of that institution, she or he should have to pay the price for doing so. Hatfield appears to have done this, and it cast a bad light on an outstanding institution (I'm not a Rice alumnus, but I do know that it is one of best universities in the U.S. and the world).

The wheels of justice may be slow, but...

I do think this has something to do with the new University President David Leebron, who has stated countless times that he will not tolerate bigotry.

http://www.media.rice.edu/media/NewsBot.as...IEW&ID=8001

12/01/2005

Head football coach Ken Hatfield resigns

Rice head football coach for 12 years, Ken Hatfield announced his resignation Nov. 30 during an afternoon press conference in the Owl Club at Rice Stadium.

"I have enjoyed untold moments and memories through the game of football," Hatfield said. "Sandy [his wife] and I are so honored to have been here for 12 years."

Rice Athletic Director Bobby May said the decision to leave was Hatfield's own and that the discussions about it were "amicable, never adversarial." May thanked Hatfield for "representing himself well and surrounding himself with coaches and student athletes with impeccable character."

"[Hatfield] is a remarkable individual -- revered and an inspiration for his players. When measuring a programs success we sometimes forget that it is more than accumulating [wins]," May said. "Successful programs build character, develop leadership skills and prepare students for life after athletics -- Ken has done that and much more."

Hatfield, a native of Helena, Ark., came to Rice 12 years ago after stints at the U.S. Air Force Academy, the University of Arkansas-Fayetteville and Clemson University. At the end of the 2005 season, he was fifth among active Division I-A coaches with 168 career victories.

Hatfield's record as Rice head coach was 55-78-1, including 7-4 seasons in 1997 and '98, and an 8-4 mark in 2001. Rice lost 14 straight games over the 2004-05 seasons, ending what had been the nation's longest Division I-A losing streak with a 42-34 win over Tulane on Nov. 12. The Owls finished the season 1-10 and averaged 10,072 fans at its five home games, an all-time low in 56 seasons.

May said that the search for a new coach will begin immediately.

Fantomas, while of course it is true that racial and sexual orientation have different histories, of it is also true that one need not be EITHER Black or gay/lesbian/bi/trans, I think the comment that a professor would not be excused for making a similar racist remark is still apt. Because homophobia is the last acceptable bigotry. True, there is a ton of racial, religious and gender prejudice around, but it can no longer be official. Compare, for example, racial remarks of President Truman (overtly bigoted, repeating flat-out racial lies) to those of Bush (claiming to honor Rosa Parks). The climate has changed to the point where only a fringe can openly advocate hate towards racial/national/religious minorities. Hatred of women is more acceptable but no longer "offically" sanctioned (unless she wants an abortion). But a person in a position of authority, from coach to president, can openly express views that gay/lesbian/bi/trans people are inferior to and deserve fewer rights than straights and get away with it; indeed, be applauded for it by more than a lunatic fringe.

You know, until the 1920's the NY Times, whenever they covered a lynching, included comments by the KKK or similar groups to present "the other side". They finally decided that there really is no "other side" to lynching. And articles on Hanukah don't include comments from Nazis. But any gay-related story, even acts of extreme violence against our community, will inevitably have a section, sometimes major sections, devoted to comments by haters.

Yella: As much as I would like to believe that Hatfield is being booted for his bigotry, it's quite clear that he's being canned due to his team's shitty showing. If Rice were 10-1 and had just defeated UCF for the C-USA title, he would be coming back next season--notwithstanding his anti-gay comments.

I think his dismal record has something to do with it, DLNY, but Rice in the last 30 years has rarely had a winning football team. So that's not the sole reason.

Nothing happened to this guy during this whole time since he made these comments -- except that his team went 4-7, 5-7, 3-8, 1-10. That's all. His record is the ONLY reason he's no longer coach. It had NOTHING whatsoever to do with anything else.

He got away with his bigotry. He couldn't get away with losing.

Again, for the logic-impaired:

Rice has rarely had a winning football season since the early 1960's.

Rice has a new University President, who took office this summer and is hell-bent on giving the institution a reputation like Stanford or Yale. I have been at several high-profile meetings where he has denounced the coach's comments about gays, and has stated that those comments do not reflect the kind of institution Rice has framed itself to be.

The university recently took to vote of Board of Trustess whether to keep intercollegiate athletics at all -- although the vote was unanimously in favor, it was a 2-year campaign, and something that constantly comes up with a vocal minority of staunch academics in the school.

Hatfield's comments to the press about gays ultimately did him in at Rice, even if only indirectly. Had he not made them, I'd venture to say when the new president started office, his contract would have been renewed, in spite his dismal record in football. We're not a football school and have not been for decades.

For the TRULY logic-imapired: If the team went 10-1 and were going to a bowl game, there'd be NO POSSIBLE CHANCE of his leaving, whether Rice is "a football school" or not and regardless of whatever the new president has said.