Coach Hatfield, homophobic comment case – Nov. 2002

This collection consists of non-academic papers of Dr. Lynne Huffer that reflect her committee activities while she was at Rice from 1998 to 2005. Appointed as a member of the French Department and Director of the Program for the Study of Women and Gender, she was active on several committees formed to improve working conditions or the quality of campus life at Rice. The first of these was an ultimately successful campaign to persuade the university administration to allow benefit coverage for domestic partners of employees as well as employees and their families. Also included are papers relating to campus turmoil surrounding head football coach Ken Hatfield, following a homophobic statement he made to one of his student players which was quoted in The Chronicle of Higher Education as well as the local press. The papers include results of a survey on the campus climate at Rice, especially regarding women, as well as records of Dr. Huffer’s participation when President Gillis asked her to be on the President’s Council on the Campus Climate for Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgender individuals. Finally are papers recording the work of the 2003-04 ad hoc committee for on-site childcare at Rice.