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About
Fidelity & ExcellenceThomas Aquinas College is unique among American colleges and universities, offering a faithfully Catholic education comprised entirely of the Great Books and classroom discussions.
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A Liberating Education
Truth MattersTruth, and nothing less, sets men free; and because truth is both natural and supernatural, the College’s curriculum aims at both natural and divine wisdom.
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A Catholic Life
Under the Light of FaithThe intellectual tradition and moral teachings of the Catholic Church infuse the whole life of Thomas Aquinas College, illuminating the curriculum and the community alike.
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Admission & Aid
Is TAC Right for You?Do you enjoy grappling with complex questions? Are you willing to engage in discussions about difficult concepts, with the truth as your ultimate goal?
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Students & Parents
Mind, Body & SpiritThere is always something to do at TAC — something worthwhile, something fulfilling, and something geared toward ever-greater spiritual and intellectual growth.
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Alumni & Careers
What Can You Do with a Liberal Education?Nothing speaks more to the versatility of the College’s academic program than the good that our alumni are doing throughout the Church and the world.
College Urges Opposition to California Senate Bill 1146
On Thursday, August 11, California’s Assembly Appropriations Committee will vote on Senate Bill 1146, which would incorporate “gender identity” into the state’s non-discrimination policies, in particular those that regulate institutions of higher education. If passed, SB 1146 would undermine the free exercise of religion in California, particularly at religious schools such as Thomas Aquinas College, while also depriving low-income students of much-needed tuition assistance.
“Though purporting to eliminate discrimination, SB 1146 would actually result in its own form of discrimination, penalizing young people of faith and limiting their ability to attend the college of their choice,” says Thomas Aquinas College President Michael F. McLean. Dr. McLean has urged all alumni, benefactors, and other friends of the College living in California to oppose the legislation. “I hope that all will join with us in this battle for religious liberty and the free exercise of religion guaranteed to us under the First Amendment.”
If passed, SB 1146 would compel all colleges and universities — religious and secular — to provide housing to students on the basis of their gender “identity” or “expression,” regardless of biology. Thomas Aquinas College, for example, would be required to house a biological male in a female residence hall (and vice-versa), if so requested, in contradiction of its policy prohibiting dorm visitation by members of the opposite sex. The bill also would force any colleges that offer married-student housing to make the same available to same-sex couples.
Additionally, SB 1146 would bar students at Thomas Aquinas College, or any other institution that holds to traditional religious views on marriage and sexuality, from participating in the Cal Grant program, which offers tuition assistance to members of low-income families. In effect, low-income students in California would be punished for — and dissuaded from — choosing an instiitution, such as Thomas Aquinas College, that maintains rules of residence that reflect the moral teachings of the Catholic Church.
If the Appropriations Committee approves SB 1146 on Thursday, the bill will go on to the full Assembly for deliberation and a vote sometime before the last day of this legislative session, August 30. To help defeat this bill, please contact the following key members of the Appropriations Committee before Tuesday, August 9, at 5:00 p.m. (PST), and urge them to vote “No.”
- Lorena S. Gonzalez (Chair) - (916) 319-2080
- Susan Bonilla - (916) 319-2014
- Chris Holden - (916) 319-2041
- Shirley Weber - (916) 319-2079
- Tom Daly - (916) 319-2069
- Eduardo Garcia - (916) 319-2056
- Miguel Santiago - (916) 319-2053
California residents should also visit Stop1146.com to identify and contact their Assembly members.
For the last several years, the Thomas Aquinas College community has recited the Prayer to St. Michael the Archangel, in support of the free exercise of religion, after every Mass in Our Lady of the Most Holy Trinity Chapel. Dr. McLean urges all friends of the College to join in this prayer. “Let us pray,” he says, “for the protection of religious liberty!”