University punishes club for stating men are not women, officers must attend LGBTQ+ training session, submit DEI plan
The university has now ordered that all executive officers of the club attend LGBTQ+ training and submit a Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion action plan against the club’s will.
The club was initially suspended earlier this year for declaring men are not women on International Women’s Day.
Senior faculty at Long Island University (LIU) sent the university’s American Club chapter a letter earlier this summer demanding that it submit a DEI action plan and attend LGBT training as consequences for declaring that men are not women on social media.
The letter, addressed to American Club President and Campus Reform Correspondent Matthew Cairo, was signed by Senior Associate Director of Student Affairs Samiah Bhutta and Director of LIU Promise Brendan Caputo.
[RELATED: Students, alumni take stand against Christian university promoting wokeism]
“All American Club executive officers and 50% of the American club membership roster are required to attend and participate in a LGBTQIA+ training session hosted by an LIU Promise employee before January 1, 2024,” it states.
The letter also demands that the LIU American Club “Submit a diversity, equity, and inclusion action plan by September 1, 2023, that aligns with both the University’s co-curricular learning outcomes and the mission of the American Club.”
The DEI plan must “Demonstrate tangible ways in which the American Club will ensure an inclusive and respectful environment on all its platforms, including social media.”
Cairo told Campus Reform that the club continue to stand for truth despite being forced to draft a DEI action plan against their will in order to remain a recognized club on campus.
[RELATED: Tulane recruits high schoolers for summer courses in ‘gender equity’]
“We are not going to let the university bully us into censoring ourselves. My goal when starting this club was to empower students to stand up for what they believe in, even if it’s not the popular opinion on college campus,” he said.
Cairo also stated that the club has to be “strategic” in its methods of fighting back due to the fact that private colleges today have been given too much power over students’ individual rights.
“We do not agree with such plans, but we tried to draft our statements in a way that doesn’t compromise on our values,” he concluded.
Long Island University declined the offer to comment on the issue.
Campus Reform reached out to the authors of the letter and LIU Promise. This article will be updated accordingly.
Follow William Biagini on Instagram and X.
