U. institutes 'accommodation'

The University of Utah now has a "Religious Accommodation Policy" committee as a result of a recent settlement with former theater student Christina Axson-Flynn.

The committee includes a former alumni association president, three U. students and U. professors of English, political science and medicine.

U. English professor Katherine Coles will chair the committee, with general counsel John Morris and Thomas Loveridge, assistant vice president for human resources, serving as ex officio members.

Dr. A. Lorris Betz, former interim president at the U., sent a memorandum last week to committee members, notifying them of their roles on the new panel.

In the July 27 note, Betz said the committee will "develop, and present for approval through ordinary university channels, a policy that will address the rights of students to request reasonable educational accommodations based upon sincerely held religious beliefs."

Axson-Flynn sued the school, alleging her rights to free speech and freedom of religion were violated when she was not allowed to omit words she found offensive during an in-class assignment.