JS: Marquette Tribune calls on Father Scott Pilarz to explain departure

In an editorial posted Tuesday, Marquette University's student newspaper called on the school's president, Father Scott R. Pilarz, to provide further explanation on his decision to step down at the end of the fall semester.

In its editorial, the Marquette Tribune said that "in almost every instance of groundbreaking university decisions, Pilarz personally emailed the student population. From Pilarz's announcement about forming the new Big East Conference to his yearly poetry month emails, Pilarz has been nothing if not personable with the student body."

The editorial noted that on the school's presidential website there is a page that lists 39 emails that Pilarz has sent to the school's community during his tenure.

The editorial said: "With a leadership style as personable as Pilarz's, it is perplexing that he would resign with such little notice, especially without finishing out the academic year.

"In his welcome back to campus email to students this August, Pilarz wrote, 'Please know that your needs as students are at the heart of our efforts.'

"Well Pilarz, right now, students need an explanation. You owe us one more letter."

continue at JS

and don't forget, unfortunately the next Marquette president may be layperson.

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Dr. McAdams at Marquette Warrior on Pilarz shocker

The official statement from the University is reproduced below. Marquette President Scott R. Pilarz, S.J., has resigned.

This came as a shock to the campus.

And of course, everybody is asking “what’s the real story behind this?”

We don’t claim any inside sources, but a common assumption seems to be that Pilarz simply wasn’t a good fundraiser. He he didn’t have the gregarious personality necessary to glad-hand alumni and others who might write big checks to Marquette.

He has not been around long enough for us to have a distinct impression of him, but we have liked what we have seen. He had the gumption to pull official sponsorship from the salacious FexSem seminar that was being sponsored by the Gender and Sexuality Resource Center last spring.

More importantly, he canned Provost John Pauly after allowing him to serve a “decent interval.” Then he made it clear that, with Pauly’s replacement, there was going to be a fundamental change in how the University is run. 

continue at Marquette Warrior

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JS: After just two years, Pilarz stepping down as Marquette president

After just two years as president of Marquette University, Fr. Scott R. Pilarz is resigning, effective at the end of the fall semester.

According a university statement, Pilarz informed the Board of Trustees of his resignation now to allow the university to begin its search to have a new president in place for the 2014-15 academic year. Marquette will begin the search process for a new permanent president immediately.

Pilarz told the board that “after 10 years as a university president, I believe the time has come to consider other apostolic opportunities for me as a Jesuit priest. I have made this decision after much prayer, discernment and conversation with religious superiors, my spiritual director and others whose counsel I have sought over the past three years.”

Pilarz notified the board of his decision during a meeting Thursday afternoon in Washington, D.C., said Marquette spokesman Brian Dorrington. The board was there for the 25th anniversary of the university’s Les Aspin Center, which prepares students for public service.

“We weren't expecting this because of the many accomplishments that occurred in his time as president,” Dorrington said.

Multiple calls to board members, faculty and administrators were not returned Friday evening.

continue at JS

Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm......

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New Marquette Prez stresses homosexual inclusion

Marquette President Fr. Scott Pilarz
at former U of Scranton office

Marquette’s decision last year to rescind the position of dean of the Klingler College of Arts and Sciences to a lesbian scholar, Jodi O’Brien, also came up for discussion.

The former president of the University of Scranton, a Jesuit University in Pennsylvania, said he was key to the development of the Scranton Inclusion Initiative which responded to the pastoral needs of gay and lesbian students – with opposition from the conservative community.

Fr. Pilarz said he doesn’t know all of the details about what happened at Marquette last year, and wouldn’t second-guess what happened because he wasn’t a part of the process, but he stressed there is no room in the Catechism of the Catholic Church for discrimination or exclusion on the basis of sexual orientation.

“I can assure you, going forward, Marquette will not discriminate in hiring on the basis of sexual orientation,” he said.

Milwaukee Catholic Herald

Some of this is left ambiguous; "pastoral needs" "discrimination" etc.  What does he really mean by these things?  I assume it means the world has it right on homosexual acts and that old outdated Church needs to get with the times.