Dear Members of the St Andrews community
I understand that the Kate Kennedy procession is a wonderful day in St Andrews and I hope it may continue to flourish as an important traditional event in our local calendar of activities.
The University will not, however, be participating officially in the procession this year nor continuing its recognition of the Kate Kennedy Club.
As Principal, I do not believe that a university can endorse a student club – even a club like the KK which is renowned for its charitable activities - from which so many of our students are excluded at birth.
The official endorsement of any club or society which excludes people because of their gender or race would be completely at odds with the values of this University and our commitment to foster an open and inclusive international community of scholars and students in St Andrews.
I look forward to the day when membership of the Kate Kennedy Club is open to every student of St Andrews at which point the university will be delighted to treat the Kate Kennedy Club in the same way as all other clubs and societies.
Louise Richardson
Principal and Vice-Chancellor
The Kate Kennedy Club is the premier club on campus for men. There is a female equivalent, though, called the Lumsden Club. Both groups do a considerable amount of work for various charities. The KKC also throws the biggest events of the year, including May Ball, the proceeds of which go to charity. Yes, there might be an unspoken rule that you have to be rich to get into the club, but this is St Andrews, after all. She mentions that people are excluding from birth; she must be referring to the women, but it doesn't matter, since they have their own club.
Some people speculate that she is retaliating against the Royal and Ancient Golf Club, a mens-only organization, for not inviting her to become a member, as they have done to other principals of the university.
