Columbia President's Response Inadequate

Catholic League president William Donohue dismissed as inadequate the
response given by Columbia University president Lee C. Bollinger in the
wake of the anti-Catholic incident that occurred on September 21 at a
Fordham-Columbia football game.  Donohue sent a letter today to the
presidents of select New York-area colleges and to the presidents of all
Ivy League colleges expressing his concerns.  He contrasted Bollinger's
inaction to the meritorious response that was provided by Stanford's past
president Gerhard Casper when a like incident occurred at Stanford in
1997.

It should be stressed that the offending Columbia student, Andy Hao, is
unrepentant and has indeed made additional anti-Catholic remarks since
this episode occurred.  His remarks were also approved by an
administrator, Catherine Webster.  [This is misleading; Dean Webster
only approved the script, she was not consulted regarding any subsequent
remarks. --ed.]  President Bollinger has said he is searching for
"the appropriate institutional response."  Below is an excerpt from
Donohue's letter that addresses this point:


  The past president of Stanford University, Gerhard Casper, provides an
  answer to President Bollinger's predicament: denounce public displays of
  bigotry in public and take syumbolic steps to sanction the offenders.

  In 1997, there was an anti-Catholic and anti-Irish incident during the
  half-time of a Notre Dame-Stanford football game.  Following complaints
  lodged by the Catholic League and others, President Casper publicly
  apologized for what happened and wrote a personal letter to me expressing
  his sincere regret.  Importantly, he also saw to it that the band and the
  athletic director made a public apology.  Indeed, he barred the band from
  field shows during the next three Stanford-Notre Dame games and ordered a
  review of its procedure for approving band scripts.

  President Casper acted responsibly.  President Bollinger has not.  I hope
  you would agree and would therefore use the example of President Casper as
  a role model in the event that bigotry -- of any kind -- were to
  unfortunately strike your campus.