Alexander Sens
In this brief contribution, I will describe my experience as a non-Catholic working at a Catholic research university in the Jesuit tradition, early in my career before I had tenure. At the time, the university was embroiled in a heated debate about what its historical identity meant as it continued a transformation from regional Catholic university to one with a more global visibility and outreach. In this context, the university was immensely supportive of academic and religious freedom, but those who spoke up in controversial ways were sometimes subject to attacks from conservative alumni and students. Although the debates have long passed, those experiences have shaped my views about the role of faculty in religious institutions.