A VCU religious studies professor last month broke from Islamic tradition when she led a mixed gender Islamic prayer service at the Cathedral of St. John the Divine in New York City.
Amina Wadud, a female professor who teaches a class on women and Islam, angered some members of the Muslim community in the United States and abroad.
Although Wadud’s prayer has created a heightened situation on campus, VCU President Eugene P. Trani maintains that the university supports the First Amendment:
“I want to emphasize that VCU respects the academic freedom and rights of free speech and religious expression of all our faculty and students,” he wrote in a March 24 e-mail to the VCU community.
Trani also said that there will be continued interest in this situation in the media both nationally and internationally.
“The safety of our students, faculty and staff is our highest priority, and we are taking appropriate measures to safeguard our campuses,” Trani wrote.
Security has been heightened on campus, and Wadud now conducts her class via video conference for the rest of the semester.
Jonathan Waybright, a VCU religious studies professor and Wadud’s colleague, said he and other staff members have had some informal contact with her.
“She counts herself as secure,” he said. “It has placed her and the university in an interesting position.”
Waybright also said the university has cautioned faculty members regarding this issue, asking them not to discuss information concerning Wadud or her classes.
“The university is keenly aware of the situation,” he said.