<p>I think that the original conjecture was that Notre Dame’s participation in the lawsuits against the mandate would make it look more overtly political, that the university’s seeming more political (and perhaps also partisan) would depress applications.</p>
<p>I’m not sure I think there will be much effect, though. As has been said already, the pool of applicants to Notre Dame who don’t know much about Notre Dame and what it stands for culturally, religiously and politically is, I think, pretty darn small. (Perhaps also athletically gifted?) I’d expect that, like most political decisions enacted in the last decade, it will simply reinforce people’s previously held notions. People who have admired Notre Dame will be more inclined to apply, and to attend if admitted. People who have felt antipathy toward Notre Dame will…I don’t know…not apply more zealously.</p>
<p>I mean, way back on page 1 I said that I do think this move by Notre Dame and the other Catholic organizations looks politically motivated to me. I just don’t think anybody’s going to move to the other side of the fence over it.</p>