Notre Dame students gather in prayer after Ostermann withdrawal
Originally scheduled as a protest, the 'March on the Dome' became a gathering of thanksgiving.
Students at the University of Notre Dame gathered Friday for a prayerful “March on the Dome” following Professor Susan Ostermann’s decision to decline her controversial appointment as director of the Liu Institute for Asia and Asian Studies.
Students processed Feb. 27 to the university’s grotto, sang Marian hymns, prayed, and lit candles in thanksgiving for the result.
The march, organized by students Luke Woodyard and Gabriel Ortner, was originally planned to protest the appointment of Professor Ostermann, an outspoken proponent of abortion, though it shifted focus following her declining of the position.
Ostermann explained her decision in an email shared with students, writing, “My only goal in accepting the Liu Institute Directorship was to serve as a steward for the Institute’s world-class faculty, students and staff; it is not a position I applied for, but I was truly honored to take it on. At present, the focus on my appointment risks overshadowing the vital work the Institute performs, which it should be allowed to pursue without undue distraction.”
The statement continued, “At the same time, it has become clear that there is work to do at Notre Dame to build a community where a variety of voices can flourish. Both academic inquiry and the full realization of human dignity demand this of us. Towards both of these ends, I have decided not to move forward as Director. Instead, I look forward to collaborating with colleagues across the university to build a campus community where all can speak openly on the issues that matter to them most, and to continuing collaborations with colleagues at the Liu Institute and beyond.”
Woodyard addressed these developments in an address to those gathered, saying, “We are gathered here today no longer in protest, but rather to give gratitude to God and to Our Lady. What started as an event addressing the appointment of Susan Ostermann as head of the Liu Institute, has become a gathering of thanksgiving and hope for the future in light of Ostermann’s recent withdrawal.”
“With your support, we can hold Notre Dame to her mission, envisioned by Father Sorin,” he concluded.
Following the event, students and faculty called for further action from the university.
Ortner specifically expressed his desire for rectification, explaining, “Ostermann may have stepped down, but the university has officially had no part in that. They have issued no apology, and have not taken action against those who made this appointment.”
“There must be consequences for Mary Gallgher, who made this appointment, and it must be made clear to provost [John] McGreevy that the Catholic identity of this university is the foremost duty and vision of Notre Dame,” he concluded.
Junior Ned Kerwin pointed to previous controversies at the university over its Catholic identity, highlighting the decision to invite President Barack Obama to speak at commencement in 2009, as evidence of the university’s failure to place Catholic values at the forefront of decision making.
“In the broader Catholic world, there’s a lot of resentment, or at the very least, dislike for Notre Dame, and I think a lot of it is due to what people see, the public image of the university,” he explained. “I think if we had a better public image [put forward] from the administration, that could really help the university as a whole [with] its image and with [its] influence in the broader world,” he said.
At the close of the event, Professor Emeritus Fr. Wilson Miscamble quipped that students should consider saving their candles should future decisions by the university require a similar prayer service in the future.