A Christian student organization returned to Harvard University last week after a one-year probation period.
According to a report from the Crimson, Harvard College Faith and Action was reinstated this week after a one-year probationary period. The group was placed on probation in early 2018 after it was revealed to university administrators that group leaders had removed a student from a leadership position because the student was in a same-sex relationship.
A report from February 2018 claims that an assistant Bible course leader was ousted from her position after she revealed to the group that she was dating a woman. In a statement, the student leaders denied that they discriminated against the student on the basis of her sexuality. “We reject any notion that we discriminate on the basis of sexual orientation in our fellowship,” the group’s leaders said at the time. “Broadly speaking, the student in this case was removed because of an irreconcilable theological disagreement pertaining to our character standards.”
In a statement, college spokesperson Aaron M. Goldman argued that the group’s decision to remove the student from the leadership position was based on the student’s sexuality. “After a thorough review and finding that HCFA had conducted itself in a manner grossly inconsistent with the expectations clearly outlined in [the Office of Student Life’s] Student Organization Resource and Policy Guide, OSL has placed HCFA on a one year administrative probation,” Goldman said in 2018.
Student leaders claim that they operated as an independent student organization during the prohibition. They continued to hold two weekly meetings, including one that focused on Bible readings.
“Over the course of the administrative probation HCFA continued to operate with the privileges of all other independent student organizations. We will continue all normal operations and procedures, including weekly Bible Studies and our weekly large-group meeting on Friday nights,” Harvard College Faith and Action co-president Eunice A. N. Mwabe said in a comment.
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