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[greymonkey]

I've just started the tenure track at a large Catholic university.  The policy of the university is to embrace religious diversity, and being non-Catholic, I am thus far ok with the tone of religiosity that is being conveyed in public meetings, etc.  But when we were all hired, we received a form from HR asking us to state our religion (among other identifying factors, race, etc), and the instructions stated that completing and submitting the form was not optional.  I also found out at our tenure and promotion meeting that we are asked, annually, to report our marital status and the number of our children.  Am I obligated to provide this information?  Can any institution legally ask me to disclose my religious affiliations or my family situation?  Some of the more "senior" junior faculty have been asking what is being done with this information, but we haven't gotten any answers.

[mignon]

I'm at a Catholic U, too.  Just tell them what they want to know.  Nothing will happen.  Have a drink and forget about it. 

[zharkov]

Can any institution legally ask me to disclose my religious affiliations or my family situation? 

A religious institution can, at least about one's religion.  Not sure about the family stuff.

Some of the more "senior" junior faculty have been asking what is being done with this information, but we haven't gotten any answers.

In other words, they weren't expecting the Spanish Inquisition......

[dellaroux]

Maybe they have a holiday faculty party and they want to be sure to get the right kind of gifts and the right number....

Actually, I think some larger and more diverse Catholic schools are interested in the degree of religious diversity they represent...I can think of a couple that might take this the right way, as a sign of healthiness in their outlook and the ways they have attracted a variety of people of different confessions.

Sometimes those who attend (or their parents) want some religious context and/or content, and in the larger, more open Catholic schools I have in mind, they can expect that, and the openness to be able to discuss the life of faith overall, as well as courses in areas that, say, state schools might not be able to provide.

Also, interfaith councils and confessional chaplaincies often need advisors, and/or faculty leaders for group events, so they might be hoping to identify those with a specific faith interest that can assist in those ways as well.

In other words, it might not be inquisitorial, too...

[psychdiva]

I'm a non-Catholic faculty member at a Catholic university. I was asked to disclose my faith when I was first hired. I was told - true or not - that they could ask this question because it is a private institution.

I get a card from the university's president on my religion's major holiday each year. I presume the employee database is used to get the information that I do not celebrate Christmas.

My understanding from discussion at my school is that there is pressure from the Vatican, in the form of a papal encyclical called Ex Cordiae Ecclesiae, to make sure that at Catholic universities, courses in religious studies are necessarily taught by practicing Catholics. This encyclical was also described to us as setting a goal of maintaining the percentage of Catholic faculty at greater than 51%. If this is in fact what this encyclical demands, then I suppose one reason for tracking the religion of new faculty hires is to calculate the percentage of faculty who are Catholic.

This is an interesting thread.

[zharkov]

My understanding from discussion at my school is that there is pressure from the Vatican, in the form of a papal encyclical called Ex Cordiae Ecclesiae,

The encyclical is from 1990, so really nothing new, although the "zeal" with which the US bishops and/or the order that runs a particular school may have increased.  I have been surprised at a few stories of some Catholic colleges becoming more conservative (for want of a better term) over the past few years.

The winds in Catholicism blow in a variety of directions.  Despite the vocal loyalty to Rome, there are winds that say, We are Americans, leave us alone; We are universities, leave us alone; and naturally, We are American universities, leave us alone.  Seldom vocalized, but these winds are there.

http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/john_paul_ii/apost_constitutions/documents/hf_jp-ii_apc_15081990_ex-corde-ecclesiae_en.html

[greymonkey]

The winds in Catholicism blow in a variety of directions.  Despite the vocal loyalty to Rome, there are winds that say, We are Americans, leave us alone; We are universities, leave us alone; and naturally, We are American universities, leave us alone.  Seldom vocalized, but these winds are there.

Thanks for the link, Zharkov.  The winds also blow many ways in the same institution.  My department seems to be much less "Catholicly" oriented.  I suppose that's why I was surprised by the hyper-religious bent of some of the orientation activities.  I note all of this neither as good nor bad-- the department is what it is, and the University is what it is.  I just arrived here, so it remains to be seen what it might actually mean to work for a Catholic institution (either as a Catholic or non-Catholic).

It also remains to be seen what will be done with the information that was collected-- may be I'll get a card on my non-Christmas holiday, like Psychdiva.  One thing that is VERY and IMMEDIATELY evident is that my colleagues in same-sex partnerships do not get equal benefits for their loved ones.  Are there Catholic universities that do provide partner benefits? 

[zharkov]

  Are there Catholic universities that do provide partner benefits? 

I don't know for sure, but I would be very surprised if any did.

In Catholicism, it isn't a sin to be gay or lesbian, but sex outside of marriage is considered sinful.  So the concept of any kind of non-marriage partnership goes against mainstream teaching. And I don't think the CC is about to buy-into gay/lesbian marriage anytime soon.

[mignon]

[/quote]

In other words, they weren't expecting the Spanish Inquisition......

[/quote]

Nobody expects the Spanish Inquisition!

(BTW, I'm an atheist at a major Catholic U.  No one has ever given me trouble.  I get some religious-themed mailings, for retreats and such, and I just throw them away.  Catholic U.s in general, the Pope notwithstanding, are eager to prove their academic integrity.  And although, as other posters point out, benefits for unmarried partners are not likely anytime soon, I'd blame the Vatican--and conservative donors to the schools--rather than individual college administrations.)

[psychdiva]

Catholic U.s in general, the Pope notwithstanding, are eager to prove their academic integrity.

My school routinely violates very basic standards of academic integrity in the name of "forgiveness." A recent example: a student who confessed to four separate incidents of blatant plagiarism - across the span of two years - is continuing in coursework towards his degree, without penalty or any kind of disciplinary action, because, in the words of an administrator, "we must forgive him his transgressions."

My sense from other posters is that this attitude is not typical of Catholic universities, but it's certainly noteworthy.

[dellaroux]

The availability of health and other benefits for same-gender partners might depend on what state the university is in, mightn't it?

I'd have to do the research, but it runs in my mind that some states have stronger mandates than others about this.