Bishop Kevin C. Rhoades, who presides over the diocese of Fort Wayne-South Bend, denounced Saint Mary’s new admissions policy to consider applicants “who consistently live and identify as women” beginning in fall 2024.

The Board approved the change June 23, but the College has only been under the national spotlight for the past week. Online publications including Fox News, Breitbart, Newsweek and The Daily Signal reported on the new admissions policy after a report in The Observer. The Turning Point USA club at Saint Mary’s, which is not officially recognized by the College, called attention to the policy change in an Instagram post Nov. 17.

Conboy said the College is still determining the housing practices that will follow from the policy.