How conservative is Notre Dame?

Manorite
Sun, 12 Aug 2012 16:50:45 +0000

From my experience, Notre Dame is pretty conservative. I’m from a swing state, so I’m used to a close split, and it doesn’t quite feel like that. Catholics on a whole tend liberal, but wealthier Catholics go conservative, and shows at ND. I’d definitely say that it doesn’t impair academic freedom, though. Professors are a wide range, like you’ll find anywhere, and while the student body is skewed conservative, there are students across the spectrum as well. It is worth noting that even most of the more left-leaning students are pro-life, and, from my experience, I’d say a solid majority of students support gay rights.

I wouldn’t worry about the students. Even though there is a tilt, it isn’t like Liberty or Bob Jones, and the students are very accepting. The administration is definitely conservative, as shown by its repeated refusals to add sexual orientation to the university’s non-discrimination policy or allow a Gay-Straight Alliance club, [though the students did have something to say.](http://www.ndsmcobserver.com/viewpoint/signatures-of-solidarity-1.2866269)