Campus Reform: St. John's University - New York

A professor at Brooklyn College recently published a series of articles on the official campus website in which he associated climate change skeptics with early Holocaust deniers.

As a UConn undergrad studying economics, I felt disappointed by the unchallenged drumbeat of Keynesian theory in my classes. Even after Ron Paul's presidential campaign and the financial crisis had reinvigorated interest in the Austrian school, it remained absent from our lesson plans. I decided to track down the Econ department's only Austrian, Richard Langlois, to see what could be done to fix this injustice.

Last week the University of Connecticut, my alma mater, announced that it was discontinuing the waiveable student fee charged to support ultra-liberal Public Interest Research Group (also known as PIRG). The UConn Board of Trustees cited PIRG's poor bookkeeping as the reason for its decision, which was widely celebrated by the school's conservative minority.

Note: This blog-post was written by LI Regional Field Coordinator Mike Armstrong.

Villanova University has decided to cancel its invitation for a radical gay rights activist and performer to serve as an artist in residence.

Last week, the Catholic institution made the decision to cancel Tim Miller's residency due to his controversial - and sometime's anti-Christian - performances.

In a statement, the university explained its decision:

"Villanova University embraces intellectual freedom and academic discourse.  Indeed, it is at the very heart of our University and our Augustinian Catholic intellectual tradition.  With regard to the forthcoming residency and performance workshops by Tim Miller, we had concerns that his performances were not in keeping with our Catholic and Augustinian values and mission."

Villanova has more than a little cause for concern.

About thirty Yale students stormed the school dining hall on Monday to protest Arizona's House Bill 2281.

Why do liberal students in faraway Connecticut believe they have something to say about a state house bill in Arizona?

Amidst controversy last week, Yale's School of Health considered withdrawing its invitation to Nancy Brinker, director and founder of the Komen Foundation to speak at its graduation.

Last week, a group of student activists known as Undergraduates for a Better Yale College hosted True Love Week, as a reaction to the infamous Sex Week at Yale.

Among the events they hosted was a talk by Providence College Professor Anthony Esolen, which was entitled "The Person as a Gift". Some students decided that, because of Dr. Esolen's strong pro-family views, they should show up to protest his talk. A group of students decided that a "kiss-in" was the perfect way to do that.

When word got out of Esolen's talk on campus, an email was circulated to some of the more liberal student groups on campus. “Aside from the sheer creepiness of the talk’s title, Mr. Esolen is also a giant homophobe. . . . So what are we gonna do about it? How about a kiss in? Find a partner, a friend, a stranger who consents—anyone you feel comfortable sharing a smooch with (whether or not there's tongue is entirely up to you and your partner/s).”

A Valentine's Day contest at Saint Joseph's University in Philadelphia, PA is getting a little more attention than anyone could have expected.

The "How I Met My Hawk Mate" contest awards a $100 gift card to the best "love story" of a couple who met while studying at the university.  The winning couple is chosen by the number of "likes" their story receives on SJU's alumni association Facebook page.

So what's the big deal?  Currently, the contest's leading submission is by Megan Edwards and Katie MacTurk, a lesbian couple who met during their undergraduate work at Saint Joseph's.

Initially, Edwards and MacTurk were told that their story would count toward the contest.  As a Jesuit institution, SJU does not recognize same-sex relationships.

The Director and Founder of the Susan G. Komen Foundation, Nancy Brinker, was invited to speak at the Yale School of Public Health 2012 Commencement ceremony this spring. Ms. Brinker accepted the school's invitation in October.

Undergraduates for a Better Yale College (UBYC) has followed through on a promise they made last September, to counter Sex Week at Yale with True Love Week.

Yale University first banned Sex Week, and then un-banned it two weeks before it was scheduled to begin - a classic administrative move, leaving opponents of Sex Week with little time to react. Fortunately, our Yale conservative activists were prepared. They unveiled a schedule of talks and events to counteract Sex Week with truly diverse and intellectual approach to what love and sexuality is all about.