Check out why the University of Notre Dame received a B grade in our Report Card below. 
The University of Notre Dame is a private university in Notre Dame, Indiana with an undergraduate enrollment size of 8,973. The university is located in a suburban area north of the city of South Bend. It has a large student club influence, with over 500 recognized organizations for students to choose from. The university does not have any Greek life organizations; rather, &#8220;the <a href="https://admissions.nd.edu/why-nd/student-life/#:~:text=There%20are%20no%20fraternities%20or,%2C%20service%20initiatives%2C%20and%20personality." target="_blank" rel="noopener">residence</a> hall is the focus of social, religious, and intramural athletic activities. Each hall boasts its own chapel, signature annual event, interhall athletic teams, service initiatives, and personality.&#8221; Students at the University of Notre Dame can enjoy shopping and restaurants at Eddy Street Commons, attend Division I sporting events within the university, view performance art shows at the Morris Performing Arts Center, or take the commuter train to Chicago for a day trip. Their official mascot is the Notre Dame Leprechaun. Members of the University of Notre Dame community are referred to as the &#8220;Fighting Irish.&#8221;
The University of Notre Dame offers approximately 75 undergraduate degree programs.  Notable former students include television presenter Regis Philbin, media personality Phil Donahue, author Nicholas Sparks, and former United States Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice.

The University of Notre Dame receives a “D” grade by <a href="https://www.whatwilltheylearn.com/schools/2761" target="_blank" rel="noopener">What Will They Learn?</a> which takes into account the university’s educational prowess. Factors include composition, literature, foreign language, U.S. government or history, economics, mathematics, and natural science.
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-85" src="https://cdn.deanslist.org/be/2022/12/06165831/d-e1671666996995.png" alt="" width="80" height="80" />

What Will They Learn? Academic Score

The University of Notre Dame receives an “A+” grade for the Average Salary of Recent Graduates. As of 2021, alumni with 0-5 years of experience after graduating from the University of Notre Dame with a bachelor’s degree make $73,000 on average according to <a href="https://www.payscale.com/college-salary-report/bachelors" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Payscale</a>.
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-92" src="https://cdn.deanslist.org/be/2022/12/09164724/a-plus-e1671666966981.png" alt="" width="80" height="80" />

Average Salary of Recent Graduates

The University of Notre Dame receives an “A+” grade for the Average Salary of Graduates Mid-Career. As of 2021, alumni with 10+ years of experience after graduating from the University of Notre Dame with a bachelor’s degree make $143,800 on average according to <a href="https://www.payscale.com/college-salary-report/bachelors" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Payscale</a>.
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-92" src="https://cdn.deanslist.org/be/2022/12/09164724/a-plus-e1671666966981.png" alt="" width="80" height="80" />

Average Salary of Graduates Mid-Career

The University of Notre Dame receives an “A-” grade for the Percent of Graduates with Debt (Federal and Private). In 2020, 41% of graduates accumulated student debt from federal and/or private sources according to <a href="https://ticas.org/interactive-map/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Institute for College Access &amp; Success</a>.
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-98" src="https://cdn.deanslist.org/be/2022/12/11154510/a-minus-e1671666943472.png" alt="" width="80" height="80" />

Percent of Graduates with Debt (Federal and Private)

The University of Notre Dame receives a “C+” grade for the Average Debt of Graduates (Federal and Private). In 2020, graduates accumulated $28,696 of debt on average from federal and/or private sources according to <a href="https://ticas.org/interactive-map/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Institute for College Access &amp; Success</a>.
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-80" src="https://cdn.deanslist.org/be/2022/12/06154124/c-plus-e1671667027604.png" alt="" width="80" height="80" />

Average Debt of Graduates (Federal and Private)

The University of Notre Dame receives an “F” grade for Mandated Equity, Inclusion, and Diversity Training for Staff.  The <a href="https://hr.nd.edu/professional-development/signature-programs/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">university</a> requires all staff and faculty to complete a training titled &#8220;Creating a Community of Respect.&#8221; The description says, &#8220;Our University is committed to promoting a work environment that is welcoming, inclusive, and respectful for all.&#8221;
All managers and supervisors are required to complete a training titled &#8220;Multicultural Competencies at Notre Dame.&#8221; The description says, &#8220;As part of our ongoing diversity and inclusion initiative, this workshop defines our D&amp;I Strategic Plan, explains multicultural competencies and discusses their benefits to Notre Dame, as well as, behaviors that can negatively influence campus climate and your team dynamics.&#8221;
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-83" src="https://cdn.deanslist.org/be/2022/12/06163659/f-e1671666890828.png" alt="" width="80" height="80" />

Mandated Equity, Inclusion, and Diversity Training for Staff

The University of Notre Dame receives a “C” grade for having a Bias Reporting System but not a Bias Response Team. Bias Reporting Systems and Response Teams are systems or teams of faculty, staff, and sometimes law enforcement.
According to <a href="https://speechfirst.org/bias-reporting-systems/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">SpeechFirst</a>, students are “encouraged to report ‘bias incidents’ to these boards (or teams) in the name of inclusion and tolerance, but it’s often unclear what the school considers ‘bias’ in the first place. Overly broad or vague definitions of bias put all kinds of speech at risk of being reported – even unpopular speech which is protected by the First Amendment.”
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-79" src="https://cdn.deanslist.org/be/2022/12/06151308/c-e1671667169543.png" alt="" width="80" height="80" />

Bias Reporting System or Bias Response Team

The University of Notre Dame receives an “A” grade for the Ratio of Right-Leaning Clubs to Left-Leaning Clubs. Out of a list of 20 clubs (10 from each side), <a href="https://nd.campuslabs.com/engage/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">the university</a> has four right-leaning clubs compared to four left-leaning clubs. Young Americans for Freedom, Network of Enlightened Women, Federalist Society for Law &amp; Public Policy Studies, and Right to Life are the four right-leaning clubs. Solidarity ND, Student Voices for Palestine, Prism ND, and Feminist ND are the four left-leaning clubs.
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-84" src="https://cdn.deanslist.org/be/2022/12/06164434/a-e1671667004869.png" alt="" width="80" height="80" />

Ratio of Right-Leaning Clubs to Left-Leaning Clubs

The University of Notre Dame receives an “F” grade for the Amount of Foreign Funding Received. According to <a href="https://sites.ed.gov/foreigngifts/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">College Foreign Gift Reporting</a>, the total amount of foreign funding the university has received is $11,703.72 per current undergraduate student. Oftentimes, foreign parties will convey their influence by funding certain courses, activities, professors, and organizations on campus. In certain cases, universities must abide by restrictions dictated by foreign parties to receive funding. In addition, there have been <a href="https://www.wsj.com/articles/top-universities-took-billions-in-unreported-foreign-funds-u-s-finds-11603226953" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reports</a> that claim that universities underreport foreign funding. The figure above only takes into account reported foreign funding.
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-83" src="https://cdn.deanslist.org/be/2022/12/06163659/f-e1671666890828.png" alt="" width="80" height="80" />

Amount of Foreign Funding Received

The University of Notre Dame receives an “A” grade for Required Equity, Diversity, or Inclusion Courses for Students. <a href="https://corecurriculum.nd.edu/starting-fall-2018/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The university</a> requires a wide variety of categories of courses as part of its Core Curriculum. None of the corresponding courses appear to have a left-leaning bias.
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-84" src="https://cdn.deanslist.org/be/2022/12/06164434/a-e1671667004869.png" alt="" width="80" height="80" />

Required Equity, Diversity, or Inclusion Courses for Students

The University of Notre Dame receives an “A” grade for Segregated Dormitories, Graduations, and Classes. The university does not appear to have any segregated dormitories, graduation ceremonies, or classes by race or sexual orientation.
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-84" src="https://cdn.deanslist.org/be/2022/12/06164434/a-e1671667004869.png" alt="" width="80" height="80" />

Segregated Dormitories, Graduations, and Classes

The University of Notre Dame receives an “A” grade for Protests and Canceling Speakers. Since 2021, no instances of protests, speech cancelations, or violence/attempted violence against speakers have occurred.
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-84" src="https://cdn.deanslist.org/be/2022/12/06164434/a-e1671667004869.png" alt="" width="80" height="80" />

Protests and Canceling Speakers

The University of Notre Dame receives a “B” grade for the Percent of Students Graduating with STEM Degrees. According to the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data Center (<a href="https://nces.ed.gov/ipeds/use-the-data" target="_blank" rel="noopener">IPEDS</a>), as of 2020, 10.89% of the current undergraduate student population graduate with a Science, Technology, Engineering, or Mathematics (STEM) degree. Across the United States, students who graduate with STEM degrees tend to earn more on average than their other student counterparts.
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-82" src="https://cdn.deanslist.org/be/2022/12/06154915/b-e1671667012553.png" alt="" width="80" height="80" />

Percent of Students Graduating with STEM Degrees

The University of Notre Dame receives a “D-” grade for Crime Rates in University City or Town. According to the <a href="https://ucr.fbi.gov/crime-in-the-u.s/2018/crime-in-the-u.s.-2018" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Federal Bureau of Investigation</a>, the South Bend, Indiana violent crime rate was 1,039.09 per 100,000 people in 2018, much higher than the 2018 national average of 380.56 per 100,000 people. While campus safety is of utmost importance, it is also pertinent to consider the crime rates of the surrounding town or city as students often tend to venture off campus, especially after their freshman year.
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-106" src="https://cdn.deanslist.org/be/2022/12/13102645/d-minus-e1671666923723.png" alt="" width="80" height="80" />

Crime Rates in University City or Town

The University of Notre Dame receives an “A” grade for Required Western Civilization Courses for Students. The <a href="https://corecurriculum.nd.edu/starting-fall-2018/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">university</a> requires &#8220;Four Courses Exploring Explicitly Catholic Dimensions of the Liberal Arts.&#8221; To fulfill this requirement, students must complete two Theology courses and two Philosophy courses from a list of pre-approved options.
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-84" src="https://cdn.deanslist.org/be/2022/12/06164434/a-e1671667004869.png" alt="" width="80" height="80" />

Required Western Civilization Courses for Students

Holy Cross Drive

Check out why the University of Notre Dame received a B grade in our Report Card below. 

The University of Notre Dame is a private university in Notre Dame, Indiana with an undergraduate enrollment size of 8,973. The university is located in a suburban area north of the city of South Bend. It has a large student club influence, with over 500 recognized organizations for students to choose from. The university does not have any Greek life organizations; rather, "the <a href="https://admissions.nd.edu/why-nd/student-life/#:~:text=There%20are%20no%20fraternities%20or,%2C%20service%20initiatives%2C%20and%20personality." target="_blank" rel="noopener">residence</a> hall is the focus of social, religious, and intramural athletic activities. Each hall boasts its own chapel, signature annual event, interhall athletic teams, service initiatives, and personality." Students at the University of Notre Dame can enjoy shopping and restaurants at Eddy Street Commons, attend Division I sporting events within the university, view performance art shows at the Morris Performing Arts Center, or take the commuter train to Chicago for a day trip. Their official mascot is the Notre Dame Leprechaun. Members of the University of Notre Dame community are referred to as the "Fighting Irish."

The University of Notre Dame offers approximately 75 undergraduate degree programs.  Notable former students include television presenter Regis Philbin, media personality Phil Donahue, author Nicholas Sparks, and former United States Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice.

University of Notre Dame

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Tamara Kay is a <a href="https://keough.nd.edu/profile/tamara-kay/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Professor of Global Affairs and Sociology</a> at the University of Notre Dame’s Keough School of Global Affairs. She is also an ex-officio member of the Keough School’s Racial Justice Task Force.
<a href="https://irishrover.net/2022/10/keough-school-professor-offers-abortion-access-to-student/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Irish Rover</a> reports that Professor Kay is helping students get abortions after an Indiana law banning abortions statewide took effect on September 15, 2022. She posted a sign on her office door that read: “This is a SAFE SPACE to get help and information on ALL Healthcare issues and access &#8211; confidentially with care and compassion.” The sign also contained her personal email address and a capital “J.”
<img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="wp-image-2374 aligncenter" src="https://backend.professorwatchlist.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/Screen-Shot-2022-10-12-at-10.22.25-AM.png" alt="" width="382" height="493" srcset="https://backend.professorwatchlist.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/Screen-Shot-2022-10-12-at-10.22.25-AM.png 254w, https://backend.professorwatchlist.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/Screen-Shot-2022-10-12-at-10.22.25-AM-232x300.png 232w" sizes="(max-width: 382px) 100vw, 382px" />
In a social media post, Kay explained: “We are here (as private citizens, not representatives of ND) to help you access healthcare when you need it, and we are prepared in every way. Look for the “J”, Spread the word to students!” The Rover reports that professors with the “J” on their doors offer help in obtaining Plan B “morning after” pills and “Plan C” abortion pills.
<a href="https://www.breitbart.com/politics/2022/10/12/notre-dame-professor-offers-students-abortion-access-indiana-abortion-ban/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Breitbart</a> reports that her Twitter account boasts about “important” organizations like “Abortion Finder” that provides information on how to get abortion pills online and get reimbursed for traveling out-of-state to obtain an abortion.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
It&#8217;s SO IMPORTANT to use a vetted, verified, reliable organization for abortion health care information. <a href="https://twitter.com/Abortion_Finder?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Abortion_Finder</a> is one: <a href="https://t.co/LQTgQLYMWz">https://t.co/LQTgQLYMWz</a>
— Dr. Tamara Kay: Abortion Rights &amp; Policy Scholar (@BuildSolidarity) <a href="https://twitter.com/BuildSolidarity/status/1580007466926215168?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 12, 2022</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
&nbsp;
According to The Rover, Professor Kay claims that her abortion advocacy is allowed because she’s “doing that as a private citizen,” saying, “that’s been cleared by the university … I talked to the dean and have also spoken to ND Media about policies.”
However, during the week of September 26, Kay changed her Twitter name from “Dr. Tamara Kay &#8211; Notre Dame abortion rights expert” to “Dr. Tamara Kay &#8211; Abortion Rights &amp; Policy Scholar.” She has also since deleted all tweets referencing abortions for students and removed the signs from her office.
Professor Kay has written many articles about abortion rights. One article, co-authored with Susan Ostermann, an assistant professor at the Keough School, is titled <a href="https://www.salon.com/2022/05/04/forced-pregnancy-and-childbirth-are-violence-against-women--and-also-terrible-health-policy/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">“Forced pregnancy and childbirth are violence against women &#8211; and also terrible health policy.”</a> The article argues that “forced pregnancy and childbirth is sexual abuse,” stating:
“Both require the sexual reproductive capacity of human bodies. Being forced to provide that capacity, and to endure the physical intrusion and penetration of the body that both pregnancy and childbirth require, is nothing less than sexual abuse.” 
The article argues that “abortion access is freedom-enhancing,” saying:
“Consistent with integral human development that emphasizes social justice and human dignity, abortion access respects the inherent dignity of women, their freedom to make choices and to evaluate medical and other risks associated with pregnancy and childbirth.” 
It concludes:
“Perhaps most important, abortion access also prioritizes and values women’s freedom from experiencing violence, sexual abuse and trauma through forced pregnancy and childbirth. When the state supports forced pregnancy and childbirth, it is complicit in this violence.”
&nbsp;
You can contact the Keough School by email:keoughschool@nd.edu or by phone: 574-631-3426
Published &#8211; October 14, 2022

Tamara Kay is a <a href="https://keough.nd.edu/profile/tamara-kay/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Professor of Global Affairs and Sociology</a> at the University of Notre Dame’s Keough School of Global Affairs. She is also an ex-officio member of the Keough School’s Racial Justice Task Force.

<a href="https://irishrover.net/2022/10/keough-school-professor-offers-abortion-access-to-student/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Irish Rover</a> reports that Professor Kay is helping students get abortions after an Indiana law banning abortions statewide took effect on September 15, 2022. She posted a sign on her office door that read: “This is a SAFE SPACE to get help and information on ALL Healthcare issues and access - confidentially with care and compassion.” The sign also contained her personal email address and a capital “J.”

<img class="wp-image-2374 aligncenter" src="https://backend.professorwatchlist.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/Screen-Shot-2022-10-12-at-10.22.25-AM.png" alt="" width="382" height="493" />

In a social media post, Kay explained: “We are here (as private citizens, not representatives of ND) to help you access healthcare when you need it, and we are prepared in every way. Look for the “J”, Spread the word to students!” The Rover reports that professors with the “J” on their doors offer help in obtaining Plan B “morning after” pills and “Plan C” abortion pills.

<a href="https://www.breitbart.com/politics/2022/10/12/notre-dame-professor-offers-students-abortion-access-indiana-abortion-ban/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Breitbart</a> reports that her Twitter account boasts about “important” organizations like “Abortion Finder” that provides information on how to get abortion pills online and get reimbursed for traveling out-of-state to obtain an abortion.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
It's SO IMPORTANT to use a vetted, verified, reliable organization for abortion health care information. <a href="https://twitter.com/Abortion_Finder?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Abortion_Finder</a> is one: <a href="https://t.co/LQTgQLYMWz">https://t.co/LQTgQLYMWz</a>
— Dr. Tamara Kay: Abortion Rights &amp; Policy Scholar (@BuildSolidarity) <a href="https://twitter.com/BuildSolidarity/status/1580007466926215168?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 12, 2022</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

&nbsp;

According to The Rover, Professor Kay claims that her abortion advocacy is allowed because she’s “doing that as a private citizen,” saying, “that’s been cleared by the university … I talked to the dean and have also spoken to ND Media about policies.”

However, during the week of September 26, Kay changed her Twitter name from “Dr. Tamara Kay - Notre Dame abortion rights expert” to “Dr. Tamara Kay - Abortion Rights &amp; Policy Scholar.” She has also since deleted all tweets referencing abortions for students and removed the signs from her office.

Professor Kay has written many articles about abortion rights. One article, co-authored with Susan Ostermann, an assistant professor at the Keough School, is titled <a href="https://www.salon.com/2022/05/04/forced-pregnancy-and-childbirth-are-violence-against-women--and-also-terrible-health-policy/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">“Forced pregnancy and childbirth are violence against women - and also terrible health policy.”</a> The article argues that “forced pregnancy and childbirth is sexual abuse,” stating:
“Both require the sexual reproductive capacity of human bodies. Being forced to provide that capacity, and to endure the physical intrusion and penetration of the body that both pregnancy and childbirth require, is nothing less than sexual abuse.” 
The article argues that “abortion access is freedom-enhancing,” saying:
“Consistent with integral human development that emphasizes social justice and human dignity, abortion access respects the inherent dignity of women, their freedom to make choices and to evaluate medical and other risks associated with pregnancy and childbirth.” 
It concludes:
“Perhaps most important, abortion access also prioritizes and values women’s freedom from experiencing violence, sexual abuse and trauma through forced pregnancy and childbirth. When the state supports forced pregnancy and childbirth, it is complicit in this violence.”
&nbsp;
You can contact the Keough School by email:keoughschool@nd.edu or by phone: 574-631-3426
Published - October 14, 2022

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<a href="https://politicalscience.nd.edu/people/luis-ricardo-fraga/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Luis Ricardo Fraga</a> is the Rev. Donald P. McNeill, C.S.C, Professor of Transformative Leadership, Joseph and Elizabeth Robbie Professor of Political Science, Director of the Institute for Latino Studies, and Fellow at the Institute for Educational Initiatives at the University of Notre Dame. According to his university biography, he specializes in Latino politics, voting rights, immigration, and education.
In June 2021, Professor Fraga signed a “statement of concern” titled <a href="https://www.newamerica.org/political-reform/statements/statement-of-concern/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">“The Threats to American Democracy and the Need for National Voting and Election Administration Standards.”</a> The letter was circulated by New America, a liberal think tank, and signed by professors from across the country. The statement says:
“State legislatures have advanced initiatives that curtail voting methods now preferred by Democratic-leaning constituencies, such as early voting and mail voting. Republican lawmakers have openly talked about ensuring the “purity” and “quality” of the vote, echoing arguments widely used across the Jim Crow South as reasons for restricting the Black vote.” 
The letter acknowledges it is “always far better for major democracy reforms to be bipartisan,” but argues that in the “current hyper-polarized political context such broad bipartisan support is sadly lacking.” The statement ends with a call to action:
“We urge members of Congress to do whatever is necessary &#8211; including suspending the filibuster &#8211; in order to pass national voting and election administration standards that both guarantee the vote to all Americans equally, and prevent state legislatures from manipulating the rules in order to manufacture the result they want.” 
Notre Dame News wrote an article about the letter titled, <a href="https://news.nd.edu/news/political-science-professors-sign-statement-warning-of-threats-to-us-democracy/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">“Political science professors sign statement warning of threats to US democracy.”</a> Fraga, listed as an expert on this topic, says that the United States is a “nation founded on the basis of slavery and its related racism.”
He explains:
“We have culture wars and our racist historical past and its lingering contemporary effects and immigration &#8211; particularly from Latin American &#8211; is identified as a threat to American identity and American ideals. Add to that people coming from Muslim countries, and this intensifies the culture wars.” 
He believes that the Republican Party wants to <a href="https://www.thecollegefix.com/republicans-want-to-dehumanize-voters-who-threaten-white-identity-says-notre-dame-professor/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">“dehumanize” those who threaten “white identity,”</a> stating:
“All these things together have led to &#8211; and research backs this up &#8211; the importance of white identity. Working against this threatens the status of the Republican Party and spurs the gerrymandering/voting tricks. Their goal is to dehumanize the people who are the sources of that threat.” 
&nbsp;
Published &#8211; November 10, 2022

<a href="https://politicalscience.nd.edu/people/luis-ricardo-fraga/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Luis Ricardo Fraga</a> is the Rev. Donald P. McNeill, C.S.C, Professor of Transformative Leadership, Joseph and Elizabeth Robbie Professor of Political Science, Director of the Institute for Latino Studies, and Fellow at the Institute for Educational Initiatives at the University of Notre Dame. According to his university biography, he specializes in Latino politics, voting rights, immigration, and education.

In June 2021, Professor Fraga signed a “statement of concern” titled <a href="https://www.newamerica.org/political-reform/statements/statement-of-concern/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">“The Threats to American Democracy and the Need for National Voting and Election Administration Standards.”</a> The letter was circulated by New America, a liberal think tank, and signed by professors from across the country. The statement says:
“State legislatures have advanced initiatives that curtail voting methods now preferred by Democratic-leaning constituencies, such as early voting and mail voting. Republican lawmakers have openly talked about ensuring the “purity” and “quality” of the vote, echoing arguments widely used across the Jim Crow South as reasons for restricting the Black vote.” 
The letter acknowledges it is “always far better for major democracy reforms to be bipartisan,” but argues that in the “current hyper-polarized political context such broad bipartisan support is sadly lacking.” The statement ends with a call to action:
“We urge members of Congress to do whatever is necessary - including suspending the filibuster - in order to pass national voting and election administration standards that both guarantee the vote to all Americans equally, and prevent state legislatures from manipulating the rules in order to manufacture the result they want.” 
Notre Dame News wrote an article about the letter titled, <a href="https://news.nd.edu/news/political-science-professors-sign-statement-warning-of-threats-to-us-democracy/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">“Political science professors sign statement warning of threats to US democracy.”</a> Fraga, listed as an expert on this topic, says that the United States is a “nation founded on the basis of slavery and its related racism.”

He explains:
“We have culture wars and our racist historical past and its lingering contemporary effects and immigration - particularly from Latin American - is identified as a threat to American identity and American ideals. Add to that people coming from Muslim countries, and this intensifies the culture wars.” 
He believes that the Republican Party wants to <a href="https://www.thecollegefix.com/republicans-want-to-dehumanize-voters-who-threaten-white-identity-says-notre-dame-professor/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">“dehumanize” those who threaten “white identity,”</a> stating:
“All these things together have led to - and research backs this up - the importance of white identity. Working against this threatens the status of the Republican Party and spurs the gerrymandering/voting tricks. Their goal is to dehumanize the people who are the sources of that threat.” 
&nbsp;
Published - November 10, 2022

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<a href="https://sites.nd.edu/michael-coppedge/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Michael Coppedge</a> is a Professor of Political Science at the University of Notre Dame and a Faculty Fellow of the Kellogg Institute for International Studies.
According to his university profile, he is a member of the highest decision-making body, the Principal Investigator Board, for the <a href="https://www.v-dem.net/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Varieties of Democracy</a> project. The project, also known as V-Dem, is a collaborative effort led by four principal investigators that has “produced new measures of hundreds of aspects of democracy and governance for nearly all countries since 1900.”
In June 2021, Professor Coppedge signed a “statement of concern” titled <a href="https://www.newamerica.org/political-reform/statements/statement-of-concern/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">“The Threats to American Democracy and the Need for National Voting and Election Administration Standards.”</a> The letter was circulated by New America, a liberal think tank, and signed by professors from across the country. The statement says:
“State legislatures have advanced initiatives that curtail voting methods now preferred by Democratic-leaning constituencies, such as early voting and mail voting. Republican lawmakers have openly talked about ensuring the “purity” and “quality” of the vote, echoing arguments widely used across the Jim Crow South as reasons for restricting the Black vote.” 
The letter acknowledges it is “always far better for major democracy reforms to be bipartisan,” but argues that in the “current hyper-polarized political context such broad bipartisan support is sadly lacking.” The statement ends with a call to action:
“We urge members of Congress to do whatever is necessary &#8211; including suspending the filibuster &#8211; in order to pass national voting and election administration standards that both guarantee the vote to all Americans equally, and prevent state legislatures from manipulating the rules in order to manufacture the result they want.” 
Notre Dame News wrote an article about the letter titled, <a href="https://news.nd.edu/news/political-science-professors-sign-statement-warning-of-threats-to-us-democracy/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">“Political science professors sign statement warning of threats to US democracy.”</a> Professor Coppedge says that the V-Dem project demonstrates that there has been a “significant erosion of liberal democracy in the U.S. since 2016.”
V-Dem reports that no country in North America or Europe has advanced in democracy in the last decade and democracy in the U.S. has declined substantially. Coppedge states:
“A decline is already underway. If recent and pending state-level legislation erects more and more barriers to voting and makes the translation of votes into seats and electors even more distorted than it already is, I am sure this trend will worsen.” 
V-Dem’s 2021 report shows that the U.S. declined substantially on the Liberal Democracy Index from 2010 to 2020. Notre Dame News reports that the V-Dem researchers blame this decline on “former President Donald Trump’s repeated attacks on the media and opposition politicians, and the substantial weakening of the legislature’s de facto checks and balances on executive power.”
&nbsp;
Published &#8211; November 10, 2022

<a href="https://sites.nd.edu/michael-coppedge/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Michael Coppedge</a> is a Professor of Political Science at the University of Notre Dame and a Faculty Fellow of the Kellogg Institute for International Studies.

According to his university profile, he is a member of the highest decision-making body, the Principal Investigator Board, for the <a href="https://www.v-dem.net/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Varieties of Democracy</a> project. The project, also known as V-Dem, is a collaborative effort led by four principal investigators that has “produced new measures of hundreds of aspects of democracy and governance for nearly all countries since 1900.”

In June 2021, Professor Coppedge signed a “statement of concern” titled <a href="https://www.newamerica.org/political-reform/statements/statement-of-concern/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">“The Threats to American Democracy and the Need for National Voting and Election Administration Standards.”</a> The letter was circulated by New America, a liberal think tank, and signed by professors from across the country. The statement says:
“State legislatures have advanced initiatives that curtail voting methods now preferred by Democratic-leaning constituencies, such as early voting and mail voting. Republican lawmakers have openly talked about ensuring the “purity” and “quality” of the vote, echoing arguments widely used across the Jim Crow South as reasons for restricting the Black vote.” 
The letter acknowledges it is “always far better for major democracy reforms to be bipartisan,” but argues that in the “current hyper-polarized political context such broad bipartisan support is sadly lacking.” The statement ends with a call to action:
“We urge members of Congress to do whatever is necessary - including suspending the filibuster - in order to pass national voting and election administration standards that both guarantee the vote to all Americans equally, and prevent state legislatures from manipulating the rules in order to manufacture the result they want.” 
Notre Dame News wrote an article about the letter titled, <a href="https://news.nd.edu/news/political-science-professors-sign-statement-warning-of-threats-to-us-democracy/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">“Political science professors sign statement warning of threats to US democracy.”</a> Professor Coppedge says that the V-Dem project demonstrates that there has been a “significant erosion of liberal democracy in the U.S. since 2016.”

V-Dem reports that no country in North America or Europe has advanced in democracy in the last decade and democracy in the U.S. has declined substantially. Coppedge states:
“A decline is already underway. If recent and pending state-level legislation erects more and more barriers to voting and makes the translation of votes into seats and electors even more distorted than it already is, I am sure this trend will worsen.” 
V-Dem’s 2021 report shows that the U.S. declined substantially on the Liberal Democracy Index from 2010 to 2020. Notre Dame News reports that the V-Dem researchers blame this decline on “former President Donald Trump’s repeated attacks on the media and opposition politicians, and the substantial weakening of the legislature’s de facto checks and balances on executive power.”
&nbsp;
Published - November 10, 2022

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<a href="https://politicalscience.nd.edu/people/scott-mainwaring/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Scott Mainwaring</a> is the Eugene and Helen Conley Professor of Political Science at the University of Notre Dame. He’s also a faculty fellow at the <a href="https://kellogg.nd.edu/people/scott-mainwaring" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Kellogg Institute of International Affairs</a>. According to his university profile, his research interests and teaching focus on “democratization and authoritarianism, political parties and party systems, and Latin American politics.”
In June 2021, Professor Mainwaring signed a “statement of concern” titled <a href="https://www.newamerica.org/political-reform/statements/statement-of-concern/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">“The Threats to American Democracy and the Need for National Voting and Election Administration Standards.”</a> The letter was circulated by New America, a liberal think tank, and signed by professors from across the country. The statement says:
“State legislatures have advanced initiatives that curtail voting methods now preferred by Democratic-leaning constituencies, such as early voting and mail voting. Republican lawmakers have openly talked about ensuring the “purity” and “quality” of the vote, echoing arguments widely used across the Jim Crow South as reasons for restricting the Black vote.” 
The letter acknowledges it is “always far better for major democracy reforms to be bipartisan,” but argues that in the “current hyper-polarized political context such broad bipartisan support is sadly lacking.” The statement ends with a call to action:
“We urge members of Congress to do whatever is necessary &#8211; including suspending the filibuster &#8211; in order to pass national voting and election administration standards that both guarantee the vote to all Americans equally, and prevent state legislatures from manipulating the rules in order to manufacture the result they want.” 
Notre Dame News wrote an article about the letter titled, <a href="https://news.nd.edu/news/political-science-professors-sign-statement-warning-of-threats-to-us-democracy/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">“Political science professors sign statement warning of threats to US democracy.”</a> The news release says that Mainwaring “stresses that the overt attempts to suppress minority votes, the partisan manipulation of electoral administration and the refusal to accept Trump’s defeat are all harbingers of the demise of democracy.”
Notre Dame News quotes Mainwaring, writing:
“These practices represent a movement toward competitive authoritarian regimes, and they are a deep threat to democracy. As a student and scholar of democracy for more than 40 years, I am disheartened to see these practices.”
&nbsp;
Published &#8211; November 23, 2022

<a href="https://politicalscience.nd.edu/people/scott-mainwaring/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Scott Mainwaring</a> is the Eugene and Helen Conley Professor of Political Science at the University of Notre Dame. He’s also a faculty fellow at the <a href="https://kellogg.nd.edu/people/scott-mainwaring" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Kellogg Institute of International Affairs</a>. According to his university profile, his research interests and teaching focus on “democratization and authoritarianism, political parties and party systems, and Latin American politics.”

In June 2021, Professor Mainwaring signed a “statement of concern” titled <a href="https://www.newamerica.org/political-reform/statements/statement-of-concern/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">“The Threats to American Democracy and the Need for National Voting and Election Administration Standards.”</a> The letter was circulated by New America, a liberal think tank, and signed by professors from across the country. The statement says:
“State legislatures have advanced initiatives that curtail voting methods now preferred by Democratic-leaning constituencies, such as early voting and mail voting. Republican lawmakers have openly talked about ensuring the “purity” and “quality” of the vote, echoing arguments widely used across the Jim Crow South as reasons for restricting the Black vote.” 
The letter acknowledges it is “always far better for major democracy reforms to be bipartisan,” but argues that in the “current hyper-polarized political context such broad bipartisan support is sadly lacking.” The statement ends with a call to action:
“We urge members of Congress to do whatever is necessary - including suspending the filibuster - in order to pass national voting and election administration standards that both guarantee the vote to all Americans equally, and prevent state legislatures from manipulating the rules in order to manufacture the result they want.” 
Notre Dame News wrote an article about the letter titled, <a href="https://news.nd.edu/news/political-science-professors-sign-statement-warning-of-threats-to-us-democracy/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">“Political science professors sign statement warning of threats to US democracy.”</a> The news release says that Mainwaring “stresses that the overt attempts to suppress minority votes, the partisan manipulation of electoral administration and the refusal to accept Trump’s defeat are all harbingers of the demise of democracy.”

Notre Dame News quotes Mainwaring, writing:
“These practices represent a movement toward competitive authoritarian regimes, and they are a deep threat to democracy. As a student and scholar of democracy for more than 40 years, I am disheartened to see these practices.”
&nbsp;
Published - November 23, 2022

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<a href="https://politicalscience.nd.edu/people/christina-wolbrecht/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Christina Wolbrecht</a> is a Professor of Political Science and the C. Robert and Margaret Hanley Family Director of the Notre Dame Washington Program. She’s also an Affiliated Faculty in the Gender Studies Program and a Faculty Fellow of the Klau Institute for Civil and Human Rights. According to her university profile, Wolbrecht’s expertise is in “American politics, gender/women and politics, political parties, and American political development.”
In June 2021, Professor Wolbrecht signed a “statement of concern” titled <a href="https://www.newamerica.org/political-reform/statements/statement-of-concern/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">“The Threats to American Democracy and the Need for National Voting and Election Administration Standards.”</a> The letter was circulated by New America, a liberal think tank, and signed by professors from across the country. The statement says:
“State legislatures have advanced initiatives that curtail voting methods now preferred by Democratic-leaning constituencies, such as early voting and mail voting. Republican lawmakers have openly talked about ensuring the “purity” and “quality” of the vote, echoing arguments widely used across the Jim Crow South as reasons for restricting the Black vote.” 
The letter acknowledges it is “always far better for major democracy reforms to be bipartisan,” but argues that in the “current hyper-polarized political context such broad bipartisan support is sadly lacking.” The statement ends with a call to action:
“We urge members of Congress to do whatever is necessary &#8211; including suspending the filibuster &#8211; in order to pass national voting and election administration standards that both guarantee the vote to all Americans equally, and prevent state legislatures from manipulating the rules in order to manufacture the result they want.” 
Notre Dame News wrote an article about the letter titled, <a href="https://news.nd.edu/news/political-science-professors-sign-statement-warning-of-threats-to-us-democracy/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">“Political science professors sign statement warning of threats to US democracy.”</a> Wolbrecht, listed as an expert on this topic, stated: “Marginalized and intersectional communities have been crucial leaders in the contemporary struggle to defend and secure voting rights. Black women in particular have turned their commitment to community into sophisticated voter mobilization organizations.”
She added:
“It’s important to emphasize, however, that resisting and overcoming discriminatory voting rules requires time, energy and attention that these communities do not have in abundance and that distract from other work that advances human flourishing.”
&nbsp;
Published &#8211; November 23, 2022

<a href="https://politicalscience.nd.edu/people/christina-wolbrecht/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Christina Wolbrecht</a> is a Professor of Political Science and the C. Robert and Margaret Hanley Family Director of the Notre Dame Washington Program. She’s also an Affiliated Faculty in the Gender Studies Program and a Faculty Fellow of the Klau Institute for Civil and Human Rights. According to her university profile, Wolbrecht’s expertise is in “American politics, gender/women and politics, political parties, and American political development.”

In June 2021, Professor Wolbrecht signed a “statement of concern” titled <a href="https://www.newamerica.org/political-reform/statements/statement-of-concern/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">“The Threats to American Democracy and the Need for National Voting and Election Administration Standards.”</a> The letter was circulated by New America, a liberal think tank, and signed by professors from across the country. The statement says:
“State legislatures have advanced initiatives that curtail voting methods now preferred by Democratic-leaning constituencies, such as early voting and mail voting. Republican lawmakers have openly talked about ensuring the “purity” and “quality” of the vote, echoing arguments widely used across the Jim Crow South as reasons for restricting the Black vote.” 
The letter acknowledges it is “always far better for major democracy reforms to be bipartisan,” but argues that in the “current hyper-polarized political context such broad bipartisan support is sadly lacking.” The statement ends with a call to action:
“We urge members of Congress to do whatever is necessary - including suspending the filibuster - in order to pass national voting and election administration standards that both guarantee the vote to all Americans equally, and prevent state legislatures from manipulating the rules in order to manufacture the result they want.” 
Notre Dame News wrote an article about the letter titled, <a href="https://news.nd.edu/news/political-science-professors-sign-statement-warning-of-threats-to-us-democracy/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">“Political science professors sign statement warning of threats to US democracy.”</a> Wolbrecht, listed as an expert on this topic, stated: “Marginalized and intersectional communities have been crucial leaders in the contemporary struggle to defend and secure voting rights. Black women in particular have turned their commitment to community into sophisticated voter mobilization organizations.”

She added:
“It’s important to emphasize, however, that resisting and overcoming discriminatory voting rules requires time, energy and attention that these communities do not have in abundance and that distract from other work that advances human flourishing.”
&nbsp;
Published - November 23, 2022

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<a href="https://keough.nd.edu/profile/anibal-perez-linan/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Aníbal Pérez-Liñán</a> is a Professor of Political Science and Global Affairs and Director of the Kellogg Institute for International Studies at the University of Notre Dame. According to his <a href="https://politicalscience.nd.edu/people/anibal-perez-linan/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">university profile,</a> his areas of expertise include “democratization, political institutions, executive-legislative relations, and the rule of law.”
In June 2021, Professor Pérez-Liñán signed a “statement of concern” titled <a href="https://www.newamerica.org/political-reform/statements/statement-of-concern/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">“The Threats to American Democracy and the Need for National Voting and Election Administration Standards.”</a> The letter was circulated by New America, a liberal think tank, and signed by professors from across the country. The statement says:
“State legislatures have advanced initiatives that curtail voting methods now preferred by Democratic-leaning constituencies, such as early voting and mail voting. Republican lawmakers have openly talked about ensuring the “purity” and “quality” of the vote, echoing arguments widely used across the Jim Crow South as reasons for restricting the Black vote.” 
The letter acknowledges it is “always far better for major democracy reforms to be bipartisan,” but argues that in the “current hyper-polarized political context such broad bipartisan support is sadly lacking.” The statement ends with a call to action:
“We urge members of Congress to do whatever is necessary &#8211; including suspending the filibuster &#8211; in order to pass national voting and election administration standards that both guarantee the vote to all Americans equally, and prevent state legislatures from manipulating the rules in order to manufacture the result they want.” 
Notre Dame News wrote an article about the letter titled, <a href="https://news.nd.edu/news/political-science-professors-sign-statement-warning-of-threats-to-us-democracy/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">“Political science professors sign statement warning of threats to US democracy.”</a> The article discusses how Pérez-Liñán “sees parallels in some Latin American countries to attempts by U.S. state Republican legislatures to restrict voting rules, thus securing long-term partisan control of their states.” He states:
“This strategy only works if federal legislation fails to enforce voting rights nationally. Students of Latin American politics call this phenomenon ‘boundary control.’ In Latin America, authoritarian governors are known to preserve power in their enclaves by fending off the influence of national governments.” 
Pérez-Liñán believes the filibuster is an “important maneuver that protects legislative minorities;” but adds,
“Paradoxically, however, some Republican senators are using this institution to disempower minorities in their own states. By blocking the adoption of federal legislation to defend voting rights, they sadly exercise boundary control to protect the adoption of restrictive voting laws.”
&nbsp;
Published &#8211; November 23, 2022

<a href="https://keough.nd.edu/profile/anibal-perez-linan/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Aníbal Pérez-Liñán</a> is a Professor of Political Science and Global Affairs and Director of the Kellogg Institute for International Studies at the University of Notre Dame. According to his <a href="https://politicalscience.nd.edu/people/anibal-perez-linan/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">university profile,</a> his areas of expertise include “democratization, political institutions, executive-legislative relations, and the rule of law.”

In June 2021, Professor Pérez-Liñán signed a “statement of concern” titled <a href="https://www.newamerica.org/political-reform/statements/statement-of-concern/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">“The Threats to American Democracy and the Need for National Voting and Election Administration Standards.”</a> The letter was circulated by New America, a liberal think tank, and signed by professors from across the country. The statement says:
“State legislatures have advanced initiatives that curtail voting methods now preferred by Democratic-leaning constituencies, such as early voting and mail voting. Republican lawmakers have openly talked about ensuring the “purity” and “quality” of the vote, echoing arguments widely used across the Jim Crow South as reasons for restricting the Black vote.” 
The letter acknowledges it is “always far better for major democracy reforms to be bipartisan,” but argues that in the “current hyper-polarized political context such broad bipartisan support is sadly lacking.” The statement ends with a call to action:
“We urge members of Congress to do whatever is necessary - including suspending the filibuster - in order to pass national voting and election administration standards that both guarantee the vote to all Americans equally, and prevent state legislatures from manipulating the rules in order to manufacture the result they want.” 
Notre Dame News wrote an article about the letter titled, <a href="https://news.nd.edu/news/political-science-professors-sign-statement-warning-of-threats-to-us-democracy/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">“Political science professors sign statement warning of threats to US democracy.”</a> The article discusses how Pérez-Liñán “sees parallels in some Latin American countries to attempts by U.S. state Republican legislatures to restrict voting rules, thus securing long-term partisan control of their states.” He states:
“This strategy only works if federal legislation fails to enforce voting rights nationally. Students of Latin American politics call this phenomenon ‘boundary control.’ In Latin America, authoritarian governors are known to preserve power in their enclaves by fending off the influence of national governments.” 
Pérez-Liñán believes the filibuster is an “important maneuver that protects legislative minorities;” but adds,
“Paradoxically, however, some Republican senators are using this institution to disempower minorities in their own states. By blocking the adoption of federal legislation to defend voting rights, they sadly exercise boundary control to protect the adoption of restrictive voting laws.”
&nbsp;
Published - November 23, 2022

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<a href="https://ftt.nd.edu/people/faculty/pamela-robertson-wojcik/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Pamela Wojcik</a> is the Chair of the Department of Film, Television, and Theatre at the University of Notre Dame. According to her university profile, her research “focuses on American cinema with particular interest in examining the ways in which film negotiates and interrogates issues of modernity, gender, and cultural change.”
Wojcik is teaching a <a href="https://classsearch.nd.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Fall 2023 course</a> titled, “What a Drag: Drag on Screen &#8211; Variations and Meanings.” The course description says it “provides an overview of the history of drag performance on screen.” Students will “be asked to read essays on drag, write weekly reflections, attend class discussions, and attend weekly screenings, as well as a symposium on drag and performance on November 3, 2023.”
Wojcik told <a href="https://irishrover.net/2023/09/drag-show-planned-at-notre-dame/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Irish Rover</a> that the symposium will be on “efforts to ban drag” and confirmed it will include a drag performance. She said that drag “is a vital art form that has existed at least since Greek theater, through Shakespearean theater. There are currently claims about drag that seem ahistorical and confused about what it is. So I thought it would be helpful to have an informed, respectful conversation about it.”
Wojcik further told <a href="https://www.campusreform.org/article?id=24105" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Campus Reform</a> the course would help educate students on drag:
“[B]ecause the national conversation about drag has this distorted view, it really is just trying to give students the opportunity to learn about something in a rational, intellectual environment, rather than through this sort of hysteria of Republicans trying to ban something that they don’t understand.” 
Professor Wojcik <a href="https://www.thecollegefix.com/notre-dame-professor-doesnt-see-any-conflict-with-drag-programs-and-university-mission/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">does not see any conflict</a> with the University of Notre Dame, a Catholic institution, hosting a drag show on campus. She stated, “There is no evidence of drag ever hurting anyone and I don’t think it’s counter to the teachings of the Church, I don’t think it’s counter to the teachings of Notre Dame.”
In March 2023, Pope Francis condemned gender ideology as “one of the most dangerous ideological colonizations. He described gender ideology as “dangerous” because it “blurs differences and the value of men and women.”
The upcoming symposium will be sponsored by the University of Notre Dame’s Department of Gender Studies, Department of Music, Department of American Studies, and the Initiative on Race and Resilience. It is unclear at this time if the event is open to the public.
&nbsp;
Published &#8211; October 31, 2023

<a href="https://ftt.nd.edu/people/faculty/pamela-robertson-wojcik/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Pamela Wojcik</a> is the Chair of the Department of Film, Television, and Theatre at the University of Notre Dame. According to her university profile, her research “focuses on American cinema with particular interest in examining the ways in which film negotiates and interrogates issues of modernity, gender, and cultural change.”

Wojcik is teaching a <a href="https://classsearch.nd.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Fall 2023 course</a> titled, “What a Drag: Drag on Screen - Variations and Meanings.” The course description says it “provides an overview of the history of drag performance on screen.” Students will “be asked to read essays on drag, write weekly reflections, attend class discussions, and attend weekly screenings, as well as a symposium on drag and performance on November 3, 2023.”

Wojcik told <a href="https://irishrover.net/2023/09/drag-show-planned-at-notre-dame/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Irish Rover</a> that the symposium will be on “efforts to ban drag” and confirmed it will include a drag performance. She said that drag “is a vital art form that has existed at least since Greek theater, through Shakespearean theater. There are currently claims about drag that seem ahistorical and confused about what it is. So I thought it would be helpful to have an informed, respectful conversation about it.”

Wojcik further told <a href="https://www.campusreform.org/article?id=24105" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Campus Reform</a> the course would help educate students on drag:
“[B]ecause the national conversation about drag has this distorted view, it really is just trying to give students the opportunity to learn about something in a rational, intellectual environment, rather than through this sort of hysteria of Republicans trying to ban something that they don’t understand.” 
Professor Wojcik <a href="https://www.thecollegefix.com/notre-dame-professor-doesnt-see-any-conflict-with-drag-programs-and-university-mission/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">does not see any conflict</a> with the University of Notre Dame, a Catholic institution, hosting a drag show on campus. She stated, “There is no evidence of drag ever hurting anyone and I don’t think it’s counter to the teachings of the Church, I don’t think it’s counter to the teachings of Notre Dame.”

In March 2023, Pope Francis condemned gender ideology as “one of the most dangerous ideological colonizations. He described gender ideology as “dangerous” because it “blurs differences and the value of men and women.”

The upcoming symposium will be sponsored by the University of Notre Dame’s Department of Gender Studies, Department of Music, Department of American Studies, and the Initiative on Race and Resilience. It is unclear at this time if the event is open to the public.

&nbsp;
Published - October 31, 2023

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<a href="https://anthropology.nd.edu/people/faculty/cara-ocobock/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Cara Ocobock</a> is an Assistant Professor of Anthropology and Director of the Human Energetics Laboratory at Notre Dame. Her research program “integrates human biology and anthropology, with a focus on the interaction between anatomy, physiology, evolution, and the environment.”
In October 2023, Professor Ocobock and Professor <a href="https://www.professorwatchlist.org/professor/charlesroseman" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Charles Roseman</a>, of University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, penned an op-ed for <a href="https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/to-understand-sex-we-need-to-ask-the-right-questions/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Scientific American</a> in which they questioned the existence of only two genders. In the op-ed—titled “To Understand Sex, We Need to Ask the Right Questions”—they argue that “binaries” about sex in humans “start to fail us once we move into questions about how organisms live out their lives.”
The authors write:
“This can be seen in the example of transgender athletes. Arguments revolving around including or excluding trans athletes often rest on notions of strict binary differences in hormone type and concentration that associate female individuals with estrogen and male ones with testosterone. This assumes testosterone is at the root of athletic performance. These hormones do not hew to a strict binary, however.” 
Their argument continues:
“Female and male people need both estrogen and testosterone to function, and they overlap in their hormone concentrations. If we are interested in how estrogen and testosterone affect athletic performance, then we need to examine these respective hormone levels and how they correlate with athletic outcomes. We cannot rely on gross average differences between the sexes as evidence for differential athletic success. Adherence to a sex binary can lead us astray in this domain of inquiry.” 
Ocobock and Roseman state that the discussion about sex <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/media/professor-biologist-bashed-questioning-existence-two-genders-op-ed-depends-context" target="_blank" rel="noopener">might benefit from asking the question</a>, “If ‘sex’ is the answer, what was the question?” The authors conclude they have “no warrant to make authoritative declarations on this issue from a scientific standpoint that is uninformed by ethical, moral, or social considerations.” They believe they are in “good company” because they “doubt any one medical, scientific or humanistic practitioner would be able to come up with a question that encompasses all of the ways in which humans are affected by sex, however it is construed.”
&nbsp;
Published &#8211; November 3, 2023

<a href="https://anthropology.nd.edu/people/faculty/cara-ocobock/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Cara Ocobock</a> is an Assistant Professor of Anthropology and Director of the Human Energetics Laboratory at Notre Dame. Her research program “integrates human biology and anthropology, with a focus on the interaction between anatomy, physiology, evolution, and the environment.”

In October 2023, Professor Ocobock and Professor <a href="https://www.professorwatchlist.org/professor/charlesroseman" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Charles Roseman</a>, of University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, penned an op-ed for <a href="https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/to-understand-sex-we-need-to-ask-the-right-questions/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Scientific American</a> in which they questioned the existence of only two genders. In the op-ed—titled “To Understand Sex, We Need to Ask the Right Questions”—they argue that “binaries” about sex in humans “start to fail us once we move into questions about how organisms live out their lives.”

The authors write:
“This can be seen in the example of transgender athletes. Arguments revolving around including or excluding trans athletes often rest on notions of strict binary differences in hormone type and concentration that associate female individuals with estrogen and male ones with testosterone. This assumes testosterone is at the root of athletic performance. These hormones do not hew to a strict binary, however.” 
Their argument continues:
“Female and male people need both estrogen and testosterone to function, and they overlap in their hormone concentrations. If we are interested in how estrogen and testosterone affect athletic performance, then we need to examine these respective hormone levels and how they correlate with athletic outcomes. We cannot rely on gross average differences between the sexes as evidence for differential athletic success. Adherence to a sex binary can lead us astray in this domain of inquiry.” 
Ocobock and Roseman state that the discussion about sex <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/media/professor-biologist-bashed-questioning-existence-two-genders-op-ed-depends-context" target="_blank" rel="noopener">might benefit from asking the question</a>, “If ‘sex’ is the answer, what was the question?” The authors conclude they have “no warrant to make authoritative declarations on this issue from a scientific standpoint that is uninformed by ethical, moral, or social considerations.” They believe they are in “good company” because they “doubt any one medical, scientific or humanistic practitioner would be able to come up with a question that encompasses all of the ways in which humans are affected by sex, however it is construed.”

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Published - November 3, 2023

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