SPU's Dean Jordan: Still marginalizing Haven.
  • SPU's Dean Jordan: Still marginalizing Haven.
The man so many of you have been writing letters to, Seattle Pacific University's Jeffrey C. Jordan, recently gave an interview to the university's student newspaper in which he tried to explain himself.

The article begins with a quick recap of the fight to gain recognition—and space to meet—for the university's GLBT group, Haven:

One week ago, a post about Haven appeared on The Stranger’s blog, Slog. The post condemned the university’s action and encouraged readers to speak out against SPU. The original Slog post generated over 65 comments, as well as over 30 comments on The Falcon’s Feb. 2 article, “Haven no longer to meet on campus.”

“I can’t fully fathom how large it is yet,” said senior Caleb Richmond, co-leader of Haven. “I imagine I’m only seeing a piece of the picture.”

Now, Haven’s story has also appeared in Seattle Gay News, Seattle Post-Intelligencer and has been broadcast on KOMO Newsradio. Additional daily posts on Slog have published letters from disapproving alumni, many of whom also wrote letters to The Falcon.

Another letter, which is circulating via a Haven support blog and Facebook, petitions the university to reverse its decision on Haven. As of press time Tuesday night, the letter had received 222 signatures, 18 of which are from openly gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender and queer students and alumni.

Dozens of letters have also been sent directly to President Philip Eaton and Jeff Jordan, associate vice president of academic affairs.

On Friday, Jordan said he did not wish to be defensive about what was happening with Haven in relationship to the larger Seattle community. Still, neither the media attention nor alumni response changes the university’s stance, he said.

“I don’t think we have, in some way, said, ‘Stop talking about sex,’” Jordan said. “We haven’t done that, nor do we want to do that.”

As Dean Jordan knows, no one has been saying that SPU wants its students to "stop talking about sex." The school does, however, seem to want its students to stop talking about gay sex—and gay rights, and the issues that come with being gay at a school that officially prohibits homosexuality.

Hence the letter campaign, which continues. (Campaign web site here, back story here, contact info for Dean Jordan here, and you can copy me on whatever you send him here.)