School Upholds Catholic Values

By Matthew Rupel

The new White House mandate requiring religious employers to provide access to birth control gained attention last week when the president announced a compromise that would shift the requirement to insurance companies

The issue also pushed social issues to the forefront in an election year that had been dominated by the economy. Abortion, contraception and all of the requirements of Obama's health care overhaul law have gained attention nation wide.

The Association of Jesuit Colleges and Universities applauded the accommodation in a statement released shortly after the announcement, although the new law doesn't affect Santa Clara as an employer.

"It's kind of a moot point in California," said Director of Campus Ministry Jack Treacy, S.J. "California is one of 28 states that requires employers to cover birth control."

The law also brings to attention the long-standing tradition of Catholic universities not to provide birth control to students.

The rule wouldn't affect the university's long-standing tradition of not providing birth control for students. As a Catholic institution, the university does not support contraception on religious and moral grounds.

"(The) university has a different rule for employees than for students. Employees are presumably adults making their own decisions," said Treacy. "In a sense, the university is still helping students form values and perhaps guide behaviors."

While Santa Clara does follow by not providing birth control for contraceptive purposes, it can be prescribed for medical reasons.

Birth control as hormonal therapy is a widely practiced as a treatment for medical problems such as acne, painful periods and ovarian cysts.

"I would say that about six times a year Campus Safety escorts a student (to Cowell) with such severe abdominal cramps that she can't walk," said Lauren Hidalgo, a staff physician at the Cowell Health Center. In these cases, the pill can be prescribed to help regulate menstrual cycles, according to Hidalgo.

Cowell will refer students wishing to obtain birth control to other health centers, but Cowell won't deny a student that has medical reasoning for hormonal therapy drugs.

"As far as I'm concerned, it's immaterial if someone happens to be sexually active that has a medical reason (for hormonal therapy) because my foremost responsibility (is to provide medication) if they have a legitimate reason for birth control pills," said Hidalgo.

The policy shift was aimed at containing the political firestorm that erupted after Obama announced in January that religious-affiliated employers had to cover birth control as preventative care for women. Churches and houses of worship were exempt, but all other affiliated organizations were ordered to comply by Aug. 2013.

Republican leaders and religious groups, especially Roman Catholics, responded with intense outrage, saying the requirement would force them to violate church teachings.

Not everyone is pleased with the compromises made by the Obama administration, though, as some Catholic leaders completely oppose any legal mandate that would require them to provide access to birth control. 

Contact Matthew Rupel at mtrupel@scu.edu or call (408)554-4849. The Associated Press contributed to this report.