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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.
Victory! Senator Lara to Strip SB 1146 of Language Threatening Religious Liberty
According to the Los Angeles Times, State Senator Ricardo Lara, sponsor of Senate Bill 1146, has reportedly agreed to strip his controversial legislation of key provisions that threatened the religious liberty of California’s religious colleges and universities.
“We are grateful to all the interfaith leaders of religious schools and organizations in California and across the country who voiced their opposition to this bill, as well as to friends of the College who petitioned their legislators and prayed for a favorable outcome,” says Dr. McLean. “We are also grateful to Senator Lara for taking seriously the concerns of his constituents, and we hope that, moving forward, he and his fellow lawmakers will continue to respect the religious liberty of private colleges and universities.”
Thomas Aquinas College has rules of residence that accord with the moral teachings of the Catholic Church, including a prohibition of dorm visitation by members of the opposite sex. If passed in its original form, however, SB 1146 would have compelled all colleges and universities — religious and secular — to provide housing to students on the basis of their gender “identity” or “expression,” regardless of biology, or else face the threat of crippling litigation. The bill also would have penalized students at Thomas Aquinas College, or any other institution that holds to traditional religious views on marriage and sexuality, by barring them from participation in the Cal Grant program, which offers significant tuition assistance to members of low-income families.
On Wednesday, Senator Lara and his staff met with Kristen F. Soares and Erica M. Romero, president and vice president, respectively, of the Association of Independent California Colleges and Universities. According to Ms. Soares and Ms. Romero, the senator gave them his assurance that he would remove the offending language from SB 1146, and said he would inform the Assembly Appropriations Committee, which was set to consider the bill on Thursday, of his amendments. This news came soon after friends of the College had begun petitioning St. Michael for his intercession.
“We are very pleased with the apparent resolution to this controversy, not only for the sake of Thomas Aquinas College and our students, but also because we seem to have averted a dangerous precedent that would have compromised the religious liberty of all Americans,” says Dr. McLean. “We ask now that all pray again — this time a prayer of thanksgiving!”