SMG dean signed petition seaking gay marriage ban
Anita Davis
Issue date: 1/18/06 Section: News
Students expressed mixed feelings whey they were informed that School of Management Dean Louis Lataif's name appeared on a recent petition to ban gay marriage and civil unions in Massachusetts.
The petition and its signatures can be viewed in its entirety on Knowthyneighbor.org.
Although Lataif declined to comment, students expressed cautious reservations about the appearance of the dean's name on the list.
Adam Minsky, College of Arts and Sciences junior and former vice president of Spectrum, Boston University's gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender and straight organization, said he thinks Lataif has disrespected the Boston University community for outwardly supporting the petition.
"I am extremely disappointed if it is true that Dean Lataif intentionally signed the anti-gay marriage petition," Minsky said in an email. "As an important leader of the university, Lataif has an obligation to respect the rights of all students, faculty and staff in the university community.
"In signing this petition, he is effectively saying that he believes the rights of a certain community - the LGBT community -should be limited," Minsky continued. "He is saying that fellow gay and lesbian professors, staff, and students, some of whom may have been in loving relationships for years, should not have the same benefits and rights to marriage that he enjoys. This may not conflict with any laws, it may not even conflict with BU policies - but it certainly conflicts with the ethical obligations of a university administrator," he said.
SMG students expressed mixed reactions, though they agreed that Lataif is entitled to his views as long as he does not speak directly for the university.
Natalya Kamenetsky, a SMG sophomore, said she was caught off guard by Lataif's choice but that it didn't affect her opinion on his character.
"I'm surprised," SMG sophomore Natalya Kamenetsky said. "You wouldn't expect that from a dean from any school because BU is so diverse.
The petition and its signatures can be viewed in its entirety on Knowthyneighbor.org.
Although Lataif declined to comment, students expressed cautious reservations about the appearance of the dean's name on the list.
Adam Minsky, College of Arts and Sciences junior and former vice president of Spectrum, Boston University's gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender and straight organization, said he thinks Lataif has disrespected the Boston University community for outwardly supporting the petition.
"I am extremely disappointed if it is true that Dean Lataif intentionally signed the anti-gay marriage petition," Minsky said in an email. "As an important leader of the university, Lataif has an obligation to respect the rights of all students, faculty and staff in the university community.
"In signing this petition, he is effectively saying that he believes the rights of a certain community - the LGBT community -should be limited," Minsky continued. "He is saying that fellow gay and lesbian professors, staff, and students, some of whom may have been in loving relationships for years, should not have the same benefits and rights to marriage that he enjoys. This may not conflict with any laws, it may not even conflict with BU policies - but it certainly conflicts with the ethical obligations of a university administrator," he said.
SMG students expressed mixed reactions, though they agreed that Lataif is entitled to his views as long as he does not speak directly for the university.
Natalya Kamenetsky, a SMG sophomore, said she was caught off guard by Lataif's choice but that it didn't affect her opinion on his character.
"I'm surprised," SMG sophomore Natalya Kamenetsky said. "You wouldn't expect that from a dean from any school because BU is so diverse.
