Universities have instituted new social media regulations for university-affiliated accounts, The Chronicle of Higher Education reported on Monday. These regulations are an attempt to collect data about accounts and, eventually, inform the colleges' social media strategies. Social media accounts can influence a school's image, but universities struggle to initiate and enforce social media policies due to the high volume of components they must track. Some university employees expressed frustration with the restrictions, citing the difficulty of monitoring and reporting online analytics. Northern Illinois University was mentioned for its particularly stringent standards. Steven McDonald, general counsel for the Rhode Island School of Design, argued that online restrictions are no different than restrictions in other mediums.
The day after the publication of an interview in which Pope Francis called for a more inclusive Catholic church, private Roman Catholic institution Providence College canceled a lecture championing gay marriage, The New York Times reported on Monday. The lecture was to be given by openly gay philosophy professor John Corvino of Wayne State University, who has written a book about gay marriage and has lectured in colleges around the country. Corvino said he had been looking forward to engaging with students who disagreed with his views. When announcing the cancellation, the College's provost cited a church document, "Catholics in Political Life," that states "Catholic institutions should not honor those who act in defiance of our fundamental moral principles." The Providence faculty senate president said he had not found a college policy requiring opposing opinions at each lecture and objected to the use of the church document, which he said was written primarily for politicians.
College trustees approved a $3.6 million proposal for the Triangle House, a new affinity house for the College's LGBTQ students. The house will incorporate eight existing rental units, accommodate 27 students and include an apartment for an advisor. It will host events and programs pertaining to personal identity, sexuality and community. The house's name comes from the inverted triangle that gay male inmates were forced to wear during the Holocaust, LGTBQ advisor Reese Kelly said. College President Phil Hanlon applauded the new affinity house as evidence of the College's ongoing dedication to diversity and inclusivity. The house is scheduled to open in fall 2014.
