The University of Windsor has started a new tradition during its convocation ceremonies by replacing the Christian prayer with a moment of reflection, following lobbying from the campus atheist group.
Shawna Scott, student and president of the Windsor-Essex County Atheist Society helped bring about the change, which was reflected in UWindsor’s Oct. 13 commencement ceremony.
“It was in 2010 when I was at my convocation ceremony at [University of] Windsor and I was so surprised that they had a prayer convocation, given that our university is a public university,” Scott said.
“So at that point I wrote some letters independently to administrative staff at the university and I didn’t get a reply, so I tried again the next year and didn’t get a reply,” she said.
“I knew I would graduate with my master’s degree this fall so I got some help from some members of the [atheist] club and we tried to be more successful.”
Carleton University student Leah Arnold-Parson said she goes to school to “get a degree, not a religious perspective.”
“I don’t think any institution has the right to force students to partake in religious practices, unless that’s the point, like a church,” she said. “There are religious universities and colleges, the University of Windsor is not one, and therefore should not attempt to be.”
“The best part about giving a reflection speech is that nothing’s been imposed on students. We’re allowed to attribute our success in whatever way is meaningful to ourselves,” Scott said.
Other students said they feel that there is some value in maintaining a university tradition.
“I personally don’t believe that religion has a place in schools unless it is specifically a religious school, then go ahead and do your thing,” said Katerina Rudolfova, a psychology student at Trent University.
“But tradition is special and it can be a shame to lose something that helped build the institution in the first place. It depends on whether the values are being replaced with equally as good or better ones, instead of just being lost,” she said.
Jeff Lavery, a Catholic missionary working with students at Carleton said he is not surprised the university would have the prayer removed.
“Wherever you look, things are becoming less and less Christian so we have less influence of God in our society,” he said.
“I don’t like it. I believe in God and I think it’s important. I realized that less and less people are Christian and so it doesn’t really reflect the beliefs of a lot of people who are convocating.”
Scott said she has had an overall positive reaction from students and staff, but is getting some negative responses.
“The most common reaction that I’ve gotten from people is they’re saying that the atheists have won and they’re getting upset by that,” Scott said.
“Yes, the University of Windsor was a Catholic place at one time but now it’s public so it shouldn’t be playing favour towards one religious group or another.”
