Gay rights committee says comments merit dismissal

A national student affairs organization’s committee on gay rights sent a letter to SIU President James Walker and Board of Trustees Chairman Glenn Poshard, demanding that Chancellor Walter Wendler be fired because of remarks he made relating homosexuality to sin.

The letter adds to the controversy surrounding Wendler’s comments, which have created a rift between top University officials, the campus and the surrounding community.

Keith Humphrey, the chairman of the American College Personnel Association Standing Committee for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Awareness, the organization that sent the letter, said his organization is requesting Wendler’s dismissal because he has created an unsafe work environment for gay employees and students.

“I am writing today in condemnation of the anti-gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender comments made by SIUC Chancellor Walter Wendler in the July 31, 2004 issue of The Southern Illinoisan and urge that he be removed from his position immediately,” Humphrey wrote on behalf of the committee.

Poshard said he has not yet spoken to Duane Stucky, who is acting as SIU president during Walker’s 90-day sick leave, or the Board of Trustees about the letter, but said a meeting would be arranged to discuss the letter with Wendler.

“The Board is not entertaining a consideration of asking Dr. Wendler to resign,” Poshard said. “We’re just not.”

Although Wendler has refused comment to the Daily Egyptian about statements published in the Southern Illinoisan suggesting that offering domestic partner benefits encourages “sinful behavior,” when approached Wednesday he said,” I don’t have any other thoughts about it.”

Humphrey said he does not expect the University to respond to his letter, but he does hope it will create programs to help provide gay employees and students with a safe place where they can openly and freely learn, teach or research.

“While Chancellor Wendler may hope that his comments drive openly GLBT individuals back in the closet or away from Carbondale, I hope that SIUC will become an active center in our country’s latest civil rights revolution,” the letter concluded.