Response to RD Couples Article

By Jenny Vandenbelt

Dear Editor,

For the first time in my years at Santa Clara, the cover story in last year's final issue of The Santa Clara caught my eye. The article "RD Couples Not Allowed to Stay the Night," — or rather, the quotations within it—not only irritated me, but made me question how open-minded the administration at this university really is.

The Director of Residence Life, Heather Dumas-Dryer, wrote in an email that it is "essential for live-in staff to be positive role models" to which two things immediately came to mind: one, that she is making the unfair assumption that premarital sex makes one an unfit role model. The second, is that she should seriously take a closer look at what some of the Community Facilitators engage in, beer pong in the dorms with residents, anyone? Turning a blind eye to recreational drug use in the quad?

As for Rosenberger's sentiments that, "what's important is that we're open to talk about it," I could not disagree more. I am not impressed by their openness to "talk" about the policy, nor is that what's important.

What is important, and should be noted by the student body, is their unwillingness to consider changing the policy.

Further, let us reflect on the administration's picking and choosing of when to be the progressive, open-minded people they strive to teach us to be.

What do I know though, I am not a positive role model — I have had one or two sleepovers.

Jenny Vandenbelt is a senior.