<p>The first thing that jumped out at me on Georgetown's website is that it is a "Catholic and Jesuit university" with "Jesuit values." Is the school very conservative? Are they against contraception, gay marriage, abortion, etc.? What does this really mean for students?</p>
<p>Thanks!</p>
<p>Essentially all it means is that you see crucifixes on campus, there’s a great deal of masses offered at the school, and you have to suffer the indignity of walking to target to get condoms. The students for the most part are liberal, but there is a sizable conservative faction. The faculty is very liberal, and all students are required to take 2 theology courses, but these courses vary greatly based on your teacher, in any case they are designed for all religions and no religion. The admin is definitively not against gay marriage as they play up their LGBT resource center at every opportunity. Essentially, the only way Georgetown’s Catholicism affects students is that condoms aren’t free, and there is technically a rule against cohabitation, but no one cares about it; as long as your roommate doesn’t mind getting sexiled, you are all good on that front.</p>
<p>Wow @hotair, thank you very much for your insight. It’s a shame Georgetown’s Jesuit values get in the way of your oh-so-praiseworthy morals. How about you stop complaining or go to a public school that’s more accepting of your liberal ideals. Let me remind you that it is a CATHOLIC university. The very tenets of Catholicism are against gay marriage, contraception, abortion, etc. And @LakeClouds, there is quite a strong conservative and religious base at Georgetown if you so choose to accept it. Apparently @hotair with his/her fantastically creative name hangs out with a different crowd other than the one Georgetown was founded upon. But then again the school is diverse so you’ll be accepted and embraced on whatever path you choose to take.</p>
<p>@hotair You have an interesting and rather limited perspective of the “Jesuit values” on the Georgetown campus I know. I’m curious - Do you attend Georgetown? </p>
<p>@LakeClouds The Jesuit values the Georgetown website touts DO support an openness of ideas not repression. In lecture halls the controversial topics you asked about are routinely discussed and debated - neither condoned nor admonished. Groups like “Hoyas for Choice” are very active on campus (yes, even handing out free condoms on campus) but are not given university (SAC) funding for their group. The Jesuit ideals I see most valued on campus are those of leaders-in-service, altruism, and constant self-reflection and questioning of one’s beliefs (political/social/religious) to grow spiritually and intellectually. </p>
<p>Here is a great article that highlights the key points of a Jesuit education. I believe it is worthy read, if you are considering attending Georgetown or another Jesuit university. <a href=“http://academic.regis.edu/ghodne/Orientation/themes.pdf[/url]”>http://academic.regis.edu/ghodne/Orientation/themes.pdf</a></p>
<p>I would say that Georgetown managed, to a remarkable degree, to make people with a very wide range of views feel welcome and accepted.</p>
<p>Officially, the University cannot have a formal position that goes against the stated doctrine of the Catholic Church. Unofficially, Jesuits are known as the most liberal of the Catholic orders, and Georgetown is considered by many to be the most liberal of the American Jesuit colleges. The faculty and staff generally lean to the left (see e.g. [GU</a> Employees Donate to Campaigns - The Hoya](<a href=“http://www.thehoya.com/gu-employees-donate-to-campaigns-1.1897101]GU”>GU Employees Donate to Campaigns) ) but are committed to an open exchange of ideas and are not dogmatic (there are always a few exceptions).</p>
<p>Given its location and reputation, Georgetown draws a lot of people who are very serious about politics and have very strongly held views, as our dueling friends hotair and Hoyagolfer apparently do. However, in my experience, this does not hamper the collegial atmosphere among students - most people have friends from all across the political spectrum, something that is increasingly a rarity among members of Congress, it seems.</p>
<p>In terms of ‘what it really means for students,’ there’s only a few areas where this has any direct and broad impact on student life, some of which hotair touched on (although you cannot actually walk to Target, of which there is only 1 in DC, up in Columbia Heights 
)</p>
<p>My personal take is that until you have a Richard Dawkins-esque fundamental dislike of any sort of religious atmosphere, you will not find Georgetown to be disagreeable. Your mileage may vary, of course, but I know enough people from all around the political and religious spectrum (including the ardent non-believer end) who enjoyed there time on the Hilltop to convince me of this.</p>
<p>Lol, apparently my sarcasm did not come through, and I’m going next year, my brother and a bunch of people at my school go there. I’m catholic and fairly conservative for one, I was simply pointing out that despite what Georgfetown says, it really is not much of a traditionally Catholic school, as despite what they say, they do not really enforce anything (current students, do you know anyone who got in trouble for cohabitation?). Everything I said by the way was true, the students and faculty are very liberal for the most part, as seen by the whole Sandra Fluke thing, the habit of protesting/interrupting any conservative that speaks on campus, the letter signed by like 90 members of the faculty saying that the Ryan plan was anti-catholic, and then the university’s decision to have Selibus, the person in charge of creating legislation forcing the university to cover contraception in its heath care, give the commencement address. Also, the current president attempted to give funding to Hoyas for Choice or whatever the organization that came before it was called back in 1991, but outrage among the bishops stopped the university from doing that. The OP asked questions and I gave actual answers that simply cut through the bs put out by the college and gave the answers he wanted, how the Jesuit culture affects students, and the truth is that it simply does not affect students that much.</p>
<p>My D is going to Georgetown in the fall. She is not Catholic, and she doesn’t care that Georgetown is Jesuit. She just loves the school for its academics and overall reputation. I just hope that the religious nature of the school will not compromise her enjoyment of her time there.</p>
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<p>I don’t mind dealing with the official/unoffical position stuff. Sounds like students are left to their own devices except for the need to buy their own condoms!</p>
<p>I attended GU 25 years ago and have kept up with the campus culture living in DC and practicing law. I think GU is very tolerant of all sorts of diverse viewpoints and am not aware of the campus culture changing toward any particualr bent, conservative or otherwise. Indeed, in all my time on campus, I have never met anyone with viewpoints as strict as a few of the posters here. They may have them, but not outwardly at least. Indeed, I would say GU was more diverse than where I attended law school (Duke) because there are so many international students helped by all of the embassies in DC and, unlike other campuses where international students may segreagte, at GU they are a strong part of the overall campus culture and defintely intermingle to the same extent as other students. </p>
<p>If you want strict Catholicism, you can get it at GU, but it is not forced down your throat like at ND, BC or Catholic. Indeed, this past spring, GU told the bishop to stick it re his protests about Katherine Sebelius speaking at graduation. Also, a few years ago, GU suspended a student who intentionally knocked over a Menorah displayed on the quad during the holiday season. Finally, GU gets 4.5 stars on the LGBT campus climate friendliness index.</p>
<p>Wow. Someone intentionally knocked over a Menorah? I think they should have been expelled.</p>