Our Dear Notre Dame Community,
We write to you from a place of genuine concern, as we are now in a position where we must defend the value of our work. While the three of us are proud student workers at the Gender Relations Center (GRC), we are speaking here as fellow students and community members who have lived and worked on this campus for years. The views expressed here are solely our own and do not represent the GRC or any other office. As Pope Francis said in his 2024 Christmas Midnight Mass homily, “Hope calls us — as Saint Augustine would say — to be upset with things that are wrong and to find the courage to change them.” We feel dissuaded by the incivility of current student discourse and the lack of official University statements to condemn hateful rhetoric within this cherished community we are honored to call home.
On January 29, the Irish Rover published an opinion editorial that stated “the aim of achieving ‘belonging’ is inherently a futile one,” claiming that “inclusion” and “belonging” stray from “Catholic values” and directly claiming that students who attend events within the Center for DEI cannot “expect to belong” at Notre Dame. In the following week, Father Gerry Olinger sent a statement from the Division of Student Affairs to all students to reaffirm the necessity of “walking together” and provided a list of resources for student support. While his message was a positive commentary on building a beloved community, he omitted the resources within the Division’s Center for DEI — the offices of the Gender Relations Center, Multicultural Student Programs and Services and Office of Student Enrichment. An Observer article published on February 12 reported the changing language on the previous diversity.nd.edu website that removed “Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion” within the heading of the web page. This language change, in addition to the exclusion of the Center for DEI’s valuable work from official messaging, has caused us much concern about the future of our work and student well-being initiatives on campus.
While Notre Dame changed this language to “better reflect Fr. Dowd’s voice and leadership,” we also want to emphasize that language is important. Words both represent movements larger than ourselves and evoke emotions personal to us. Diversity is an integral part of what makes the Notre Dame community great — we learn from each other by listening to multitudinous perspectives on race, nationality, gender and sexuality. Equity ensures that all students, regardless of their financial background or identity, have an equal opportunity to see their hard work bear fruit. There is no Notre Dame without inclusion — no such thing as "residential life” or “an academic community” without it.
While the official language of the University may change regarding these topics, as students we continue to uphold our obligation to create safe spaces for people of any and all identities. We must reaffirm there are many individuals and offices on campus that are continuing their work to promote belonging, provide emotional and social support and celebrate each other for our God-given uniqueness. As Father Dowd stated in his inauguration address: “So this is who we are, and who we are called to be. Seekers of truth. Sustainers of hope. Builders of bridges.” In line with the theme of the Jubilee Year of Hope and the 2025-2026 Notre Dame Forum, we hope to strengthen the necessary bridges between our administration and fellow students, consistent with our University’s ideals.
Fr. Hesburgh championed the principles of inclusion and relations in love unequivocally, his actions rooted in lessons from the Bible and Christ’s life. This tradition is why we came here, to be part of a trailblazing institution that does not compromise on its ideals rooted in human dignity. Now, it appears that rather than bearing the torch of connection and hope amidst discord and fear, we are beginning to capitulate to the secular politics that divide our country.
If you are feeling like us — swept away in the tide of national and institutional changes — we want to assure you that you are not alone. The Catholic Social Teaching we learn here emphasizes reaching out to the most marginalized members of our communities as Jesus did throughout his ministry. We have found it disturbing to see fellow students of Our Lady’s University actively contributing to that marginalization rather than encountering each and every peer with empathy, grace and mercy. We also understand if you are feeling worried or hopeless despite this year’s Forum. But we must not linger in fear and despair.
In spite of division, we are reminded of University President Father Robert Dowd’s call to action in approaching all nuanced situations on campus and within our lives as a “Both/And.” We can both seek communities where we find belonging and support our peers who are on their own journey towards inclusion. We can both be challenged by other groups on campus and acknowledge their inherent dignity while engaging in civil dialogue that truly seeks to understand. We can both appreciate the ability to walk together as a University community and hold our University to a higher standard of speaking out against attempts at division and community fracture.
Our University frequently asks us what we would fight for. It is time to fight for the inherent dignity of every single person on this campus. We are living through a time when we are encouraged — prompted by algorithms, media pundits and even our peers — to disdain those we don’t consider one of “us.” Why not fight to make the harder choice: to create a Notre Dame community of open arms, minds and hearts? We all love Notre Dame. So let us do that radical thing that Jesus demonstrated for us throughout his entire life — let us love each other.
Finally, we want to provide the previously omitted campus resources open to everyone. We hope that our fellow students do not feel intimidated or deterred from reaching out to the resources available to them. They are still here and these events and programming strive always to make you feel safe and valued. So please reach out. Outstretched hands are waiting for yours.
In Notre Dame,
Maggie Winter, Sophia Rockwell, and Ava Hyde
senior, senior and junior
Feb. 13
Resources:
Center for DEI
deicenter@nd.edu
Gender Relations Center
grc@nd.edu
Multicultural Student Programs and Services:
msps.nd.edu
Office for Student Enrichment
https://studentenrichment.nd.edu/
enrich@nd.edu
Office for Institutional Equity
equity@nd.edu
