From:    Kenneth I. Clarke, Sr. <kic2@cornell.edu>
To:      don@isc.astro.cornell.edu, editor@cornellsun.com
Cc:      dean_of_students@cornell.edu, js58@cornell.edu, jpt62@cornell.edu, editor@cornellsun.com
Subject: Re: An Open Letter on the use of the Sage building for this year's Vagina Monologues
Date:    Thu, 19 Feb 2009 11:50:17 -0500

Dear Prof. Barry:

Thank you for your e-mail message of yesterday in which you registered your concern about the relocation of the Vagina Monologues from Sage Chapel to Anabel Taylor Hall. As the university's umbrella organization for religious organizations that have made a number of significant and progressive contributions to this campus community for 80 years, CURW must take into consideration the sensibilities of those in the religious community who use the Chapel for worship and a much broader--and often non-religious--campus community that frequent the Chapel daily for reflection and quietude, especially in economically perilous times. Hence, a contextual decision was made to change the venue which has nothing to do with censorship of the Monologues.

CURW is not involved in deciding the scope or content of any of the performance pieces of the Vagina Monologues, which challenge, of necessity, traditional views of sexuality. For most of the eight years I have been Director of CURW the Vagina Monologues have been held at the Anabel Taylor Auditorium because CURW supports the message and advocacy on behalf of women integral to the Monologues, particularly as women's voices reflect an aspect of the "other" who must be heard and are essential to any academic environment that prizes free inquiry and a broad spectrum of ideas. To do so reflect the CURW commitment to contributing to the educational mission and intellectual life of Cornell University.

Were censorship the case CURW would not have provided an alternative space for the Monologues in the campus' interfaith center, Anabel Taylor, nor offered $500 and space for a second Monologues program to help recoup monies that would have been raised at the Chapel. Two shows at the Auditorium, if filled to capacity, will render receipts from 720 attendees. I trust that you would understand that budgetary constraints in the current economic climate prevent CURW from providing additional funding, which the department otherwise would have been glad to provide.

I am always receptive to constructive engagement of diverse points of view and to learn from the conflict that often ensues from clashing points of view or misunderstanding. Thank you again for contacting me with your concerns. Ken Clarke.

Kenneth I. Clarke, Sr., D.Min.
Director, Cornell United Religious Work
122 Anabel Taylor Hall
Ithaca, NY 14853-1001
t: 607.255.6004
f: 607.255.7793
w: http://www.curw.cornell.edu
kic2@cornell.edu
Fostering Multifaith Community