Did the conservative Brigham Young University (BYU) update its student code of conduct and loosen restrictions on homosexuality … or not?

Reports last week announced that the updated honor code was less restrictive about same-sex behavior among its nearly 34,000 students. BYU, which operates on four campuses in Utah, Idaho and Hawaii, is a private, not-for-profit school governed by the religious doctrine of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (LDS), also known as Mormons. Nearly all BYU students belong to the LDS church.

“We have removed the more prescriptive language and kept the focus on the principles of the Honor Code, which have not changed,” wrote BYU spokesperson Todd Hollingshead in an email to VOA. “We did this to align the Honor Code with the doctrine and policies of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.”

Hollingshead said the university is trying to be more inclusive to its lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ) students. The updated policy took out any negative connotations regarding homosexuality.

“We believe that removing the more prescriptive language from the Honor Code is helpful for our LGBTQ students,” Hollingshead wrote. “We want our LGBTQ students to feel welcome and included on our campus.”

But the existing guidance and honor code on the BYU website and approved Feb. 12 is definitively hetero.

“Be honest. … Live a chaste and virtuous life, including abstaining from any sexual relations outside a marriage between a man and a woman. … Encourage others in their commitment to comply with the Honor Code.”

There are numerous references endorsing relationships between a man and a woman, but sexual relations are restricted to married church members.

While the official website of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints defines “same-sex attraction” as “emotional, physical, romantic, or sexual attraction to a person of the same gender,” it does not condone it.

“There may have been some miscommunication as to what the Honor Code changes mean,” stated the official BYU Twitter account. “Even though we have removed the more prescriptive language, the principles of the Honor Code remain the same.”

Some students celebrated the initial announcement.

“I’m here, I’m queer and I deserve to feel safe,” Matty Easton tweeted. “Girls and gays, we did it!”

Others say the policy toward LGBTQ students remains unclear.

“Hey @BYU. If I wrote an essay with the same vagueness as your Honor Code, my writing professors would give me an F,” tweeted Andy Denison. “If you’re going to make an point, you must state it, not be vague about it so you can claim it might be there when it’s convenient to you.”

LGBTQ students and their supporters claimed the rule was unfair, since it was not required of heterosexual couples. In the past, students criticized language that barred gay couples from holding hands, which is permitted for heterosexual couples. The university bans all sex before marriage for all students.

Behind the policy changes are complaints from students about the way the honor code is enforced. BYU has an honor code office to which anonymous charges can be made about student behavior on or off campus that violates the code. The office conducts an interview and investigation that may result in dismissal.

Students posted their disagreement with honor code office policies and actions to Instagram last year, where they created @honorcodestories. Posts compared BYU sexual assault investigations to victim-blaming and shaming.

“The goal of this Instagram account is to give students a voice and to let them know that they are not alone. We are here to shine a light on what goes on within The Honor Code Office."

In The Student Life, the student newspaper for the Claremont Colleges, a consortium of five liberal art colleges and two graduate schools in Claremont, California, student Rochelle Lu writes about readjusting to her Shanghai home after spending a semester in the United States.

Read the full story here.

Cedarville University in the U.S. state of Ohio says it’s got more than 140 international students representing 44 countries.

Here, the school interviews Jonathan Sutton, director of international student services. He talks about his job and the opportunities for international students on campus.

Read the full article here.

Morehouse College, a private, historically Black liberal arts college in the U.S. state of Georgia, offers a guide for international students interested in attending the school.

Among the tips to apply and thrive at Morehouse:

• Take advantage of the school’s orientation program
• Turn to the school’s Center for Academic Success for tutoring, support and more
• Immerse yourself in campus life via clubs and societies

Read the full article here.

The administration of President Donald Trump said on Monday it will review Columbia University's federal contracts and grants over allegations of antisemitism, which it says the educational institution has shown inaction in tackling.

Rights advocates note rising antisemitism, Islamophobia and anti-Arab bias since U.S. ally Israel's devastating military assault on Gaza began after Palestinian Hamas militants' deadly October 2023 attack.

The Justice Department said a month ago it formed a task force to fight antisemitism. The U.S. Departments of Health and Education and the General Services Administration jointly made the review announcement on Monday.

"The Federal Government's Task Force to Combat Anti-Semitism is considering Stop Work Orders for $51.4 million in contracts between Columbia University and the Federal Government," the joint statement said.

The agencies said no contracting actions had been taken yet.

"The task force will also conduct a comprehensive review of the more than $5 billion in federal grant commitments to Columbia University."

The agencies did not respond to requests for comment on whether there were similar reviews over allegations of Islamophobia and anti-Arab bias.

Columbia had no immediate comment. It previously said it made efforts to tackle antisemitism.

College protests

Trump has signed an executive order to combat antisemitism and pledged to deport non-citizen college students and others who took part in pro-Palestinian protests.

Columbia was at the center of college protests in which demonstrators demanded an end to U.S. support for Israel due to the humanitarian crisis caused by Israel's assault on Gaza. There were allegations of antisemitism and Islamophobia in protests and counter-protests.

During last summer's demonstrations around the country, classes were canceled, some university administrators resigned and student protesters were suspended and arrested.

While the intensity of protests has decreased in recent months, there were some demonstrations last week in New York after the expulsion of two students at Columbia University-affiliated Barnard College and after New York Governor Kathy Hochul ordered the removal of a Palestinian studies job listing at Hunter College.

A third student at Barnard College has since been expelled, this one related to the occupation of the Hamilton Hall building at Columbia last year.