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May 15, 2008
Southern Cal Names Hindu as New Dean of Religious Life
The University of Southern California has chosen Varun Soni as its new dean of religious life — an appointment that makes him, according to the university, the first Hindu to hold such a position in the United States. —Thomas Bartlett
Posted on Thursday May 15, 2008 | Permalink |Comments
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A dean of religious life?????? What’s next, Dean of Intramural Sports? Dean of Commuting? Dean of Keggers?
— original original marci May 15, 03:02 PM #
What an ignorant comment — conflating religious/ spiritual life with “keggers.” While there are needs for directors/ coordinators of programming specific to commuters and intramural sport communities, there is particular need for there to be a central figure coordinating, facilitating spaces for, and advocating the many different ways religious life is expressed on campus.
— PJ May 15, 03:33 PM #
Some people seem to be able to commune with God without the help of intermediaries. But most people need them.
— Lawrence S. Lerner May 15, 03:35 PM #
This post is a bit misleading, as it seems to indicate that this position is new. In fact, the Dean of Religious Life position has been around for a few decades. The position has provided, for these decades, multiple resources for any person in the USC community seeking spiritual guidance or support—from almost every religion to each denomination within those religions. Having a Hindu Dean of Religious Life makes a bold statement that Christianity, Islam, and Judaism are not the only world religions—many more exist and they should be acknowledged and supported.
— WMTA May 15, 03:43 PM #
It does sound like a strange positionfor a secular institution.
— Ed Hynes May 15, 04:06 PM #
Are they no longer Methodist?
— William Chunestudy May 15, 04:11 PM #
The director of McGill University’s chaplaincy services is Manjit Singh, a Sikh. When appointed in 2006, he was the first non-Christian to hold this post at the Montreal university.
— Leo C. May 15, 04:20 PM #
Private schools often have religious roots, including Harvard and Yale. A position of Dean of Religious Life would be consistent with this mission.
— Linda K. May 15, 04:31 PM #
The first comment is somewhat stunning in its lack of awareness. Indeed, all of the Ivies have chaplains or Deans of religious life, as well as many, many other private universities. I’m kind of wondering what rock the commenter has been living under!
A hindu DORL is a new one, though. I don’t know that I’ve seen a Hindu hold that position anywhere before. How exciting!
— Susan May 15, 04:56 PM #
As we say in the Sanskrit Spirit: “A Hindu Can Do.”
— GT May 16, 07:43 AM #
When is religion relevent to an academic appointment? As long as this position exists, someone will hold the title and that someone can only belong to one religion. There are many faculty members and members of administrative staff who are Hindu across the nation. This is a non news. Move on…
— -Academic from So Cal May 16, 08:02 AM #
The previous Dean of Religious Life at SC was Jewish and female, Rabbi Susan Laemmle, “Laemmle was also a pioneer. She was the first non-Christian to lead a major American university in religious life.”
— heartland May 16, 08:12 AM #
Speaking for myself, all the Marci’s have run their course. No longer funny, witty, or even mildly interesting.
— John May 16, 09:05 AM #
why is his “Hindu” newsworthy? haven’t we moved beyond this? Ooooops, that’s right we’re in H/E afterall and we all know how fake the progressive facades are…next.
— Zander May 16, 09:15 AM #
USC has not had a Methodist connection for a long time. I have been a director of religious life for over 20 years at 3 schools. Trust me, the position is both valid and needed.
— JP May 16, 10:06 AM #
Are you all so naive to think that “secular” universities are actually secular and not just as fundamentally, unspokenly Christian as our government? This is a great accomplishment for making American institutions reflect the cultural and religious diversity of out country.
— KS May 16, 11:13 AM #
KS, Trust me. The university is secular. I’ve spent enough time there to know. So long as God or religious affiliation plays no governing role as far as one’s participation in an institution goes… then it’s secular.
But there can be religious elements within a secular institution, or nation.
The religious organizations cannot be faulted for not being secular. Hopefully you didn’t mean that. I think you were faulting them for being overwhelmingly Christian in orientation. Again… who cares? You are aware that America is overwhelmingly Christian, right?
— KS Says What? May 16, 02:12 PM #
This sounds like an administrative sort of post. The specific cosmic fantasy believed in by the incumbent should not really matter.
— WB May 16, 04:59 PM #
As a 1967 graduate of the University of Southern California, I can attest the USC’s Methodist roots, but without question it is as secular an institution of higher learning as you can find: notwithstanding the fact, as most SC alums will be only too happy to tell you, that God is a Trojan.
I did, however, do a double take in the best tradition of Oliver Hardy at the Dean of Religious Life title. Back when I was in school, at the start of each term the Daily Trojan published the “religious affiliation” statistics for that semester ( they could ask such an invasive question as that back in the 1960’s) and I frankly took delight in embracing a new, often times, obscure religion each term. In 1964, there was one Taoist at USC and I’m proud to say that he was me.If I tried that now,I’d probably be hauled up before the new Dean and grilled like the lowest form of life on the caste chart,otherwise known as a UCLA graduate ( think Peter Sellers in THE PARTY…“you will explain yourself, please.”
— Bill Baldwin, Jr. May 19, 12:11 AM #