After hearing this response from Father Privett I took the posting titled “Ducca” happens down. This posting expressed the feelings of the Erasmus Students after we were informed that USF could not be declared an abolitionist university. Here we have a response from the president of our University, and it makes all the sense in the world. Thank you Father Privett for all the support you have given us!
“After reading David Batstone’s book and having an extended dicussion with him, the Univeristy’s Leadership Team [All Vice Presidents and Deans] reached a consensus that USF endorse and support student-led efforts [Not For Sale Campaign] and those of our student atheltes [Free to Play Campaign] to end human traficking. The University is and wants to be idenfied as a Jesuit University. That identification carries with it a 450 year tradition of educating stduents to make a difference in society. The University encourages and supports this particular student-driven effort to end human traficking, as it supports other efforts aimed at promoting the dignity and worth of every human being: the Global HIV-AIDS inititative, Point 7 millenial goals, reduction of third world debt campaign, drive to end malaria, global warming initiatives. It is my judgment that the Univeristy should be viewed as a institution that supports and encourages all well informed and thoughtfully orchestrated efforts to “fashion a more humane and just world for all” without privileging any one initiative over the other. My decision to not formally and officially declare USF an abolitionist University does not mean that the University does not support the campaign to end human traficking. It does. Indeed, USF is proud of those students and student-athletes who are taking the lead in this important effort, as I said yesterday in my comments to those USF students assembled in McLaren.
Stephen A. Privett, SJ
President”
