Duquesne University's recent decision to flex its muscles and force public radio station WDUQ to refuse underwriting by Planned Parenthood of Western Pennsylvania has caused a crisis across our community and in my own life. I am not only a supporter of Planned Parenthood of Western Pennsylvania (my wife is its vice president of public affairs) but I am also a Duquesne University student. Further, I am a loyal WDUQ listener and contributor, and I have volunteered to take calls during its pledge drives.

I have typically felt coherence among these different parts of my life. After all, Planned Parenthood is a regular part of Pittsburgh, especially the Duquesne community. Duquesne students utilize its health services and are a common source of its volunteers. While some of Planned Parenthood's services violate parts of contemporary Catholic dogma, a general tolerance among the student body and faculty facilitates a meaningful relationship.

There has been no clearer sign of Duquesne's efforts to be a part of the wider, secular Pittsburgh community than its sponsorship of WDUQ -- the area's premier National Public Radio affiliate. The "public" in NPR has historically meant that the radio network addresses issues of common concern among all communities in the United States. As a student at Duquesne, I have often felt proud of the university's connection to WDUQ. It seemed as though this Catholic institution was recognizing itself as simply one thread in the American tapestry, proudly supporting a continuing dialogue across our differences.

Thus I am unsure of what happened last week, but Duquesne administrators (woefully out of touch with the realities of daily life at Duquesne) ordered WDUQ station manager Scott Hanley to refuse Planned Parenthood under- writing. Mr. Hanley buckled and notices of Planned Parenthood's contributions were abruptly taken off the air after only two days.

This blatant meddling by the Duquesne administration in WDUQ's affairs has deeply compromised the university's position as a community leader, as well as WDUQ's pretensions of being an independent news source. Regardless of the stand on abortion that some Duquesne administrators may take, the procedure is legal and a part of the available health services in our community. Further, none of Planned Parenthood's underwriting messages noted abortion. UPMC medical facilities also offer abortion services -- will their underwriting also be refused at Duquesne?

Even more saddening is WDUQ's cowardly decision to back down to pressure. As Kimberlee Evert, the CEO of Planned Parenthood of Western Pennsylvania, has stated, NPR is public radio, not Catholic radio, and WDUQ is not a novelty station for Duquesne University. Caving in on Planned Parenthood underwriting compromises all of WDUQ's information. Are we to believe that Duquesne administrators would allow a special investigative report on other concerns which they deem unaligned with their beliefs? I wouldn't.

Action must be taken. Mr. Hanley should reassert control over his station, accept Planned Parenthood underwriting and force Duquesne administrators to bear it, or WDUQ must separate from Duquesne in order to fulfill its mission of being a public institution serving all of Pittsburgh, not just the administration of Duquesne University.