It is scheduled to host the third and final presidential debate in October, and it hosted a presidential debate in 2008. Once a small Baptist university, Belmont severed its ties with the state Baptist convention in 2007 after a debate about whether the board could include non-Baptist trustees. It now calls itself an ecumenical Christian university with no denominational ties. In 2010, Belmont University drew widespread attention when the women’s soccer coach abruptly left after telling the team that she was a lesbian, and that she and her partner of eight years, the team’s former assistant coach, decided to have a baby. At the time, the university did not comment on the circumstances of Ms. Howe’s departure, nor did Ms. Howe, citing contractual reasons.

Source: New York Times February 02, 2020 15:22 UTC