Anti-Defamation League Investigates Possible Hate Crime Violation at DeSales

How DeSales University reacted to a 2007 dorm vandalism incident has drawn attention to university policy from the Anti-Defamation League.

The Anti-Defamation League (ADL), described on its website as "the nation's premier civil rights/human relations agency," reached out to DeSales after  

"We have made contact with DeSales about the incident, and are sending a letter to the administration to give them an opportunity to show what was done to ameliorate the situation," said Barry Morrison, regional director of the Anti-Defamation League. "When we hear about possible situations where people claim they were treated unfairly we try to play a constructive role."

The dorm room vandalism inspired Recently, Gallagher posted a petition on Change.org to challenge the administration's decision to allow an LGBT or Gay/Straight alliance group on campus. 

The petition is a separate issue from the possible hate crime that inspired it, says Morrison. "[Tim] Gallagher wants to change university policy, while we want to look at the incident and make sure it was fully investigated. We want to be satisfied that [DeSales] has the specific documentation and that they triaged the episode."

Morrison says the ADL spoke to Dr. Jerry Joyce, vice-president of student affairs, about the incident. Morrison says Joyce explained that there was a full investigation of the incident involving campus police and residence life staff, as well as interviews with students in the dorm and the student affected. 

Morrison said the ADL is giving the university a chance to turn over all documentation related to the incident for review. Morrison also said the university is cooperating fully with the request. 

In an interview earlier this week,  Joyce also stated that the university conducted a full investigation of the dorm room vandalism and was unable to find the perpetrator. 

Morrison agrees that it isn't the ADL's place to try and change church doctrine. "I think that in some ways it would be almost insulting to tell [DeSales administrators] they need to change their understanding of the Catholic faith."

Morrison says while forcing a private Catholic college to change policy is highly unlikely, a local or state law protecting individuals against hate crimes would fill the gap. Pennsylvania currently has no laws to prohibit discrimination or hate crimes based on sexual orientation.

"State government is moving at a glacial pace [to pass hate crime legislation]," says Morrison. "Several towns like Abington, Lower Merion, and Lansdale have passed statutes that protect against discrimination based on sexual orientation."

Morrison says that the ADL will offer the university its services to help identify any policies that could "be a factor or a reflection of prejudice." The ADL will continue to investigate the incident, and hopes to speak to both Gallagher and the student affected by the vandalism before a conclusion is reached.