More than 100 people descended on Shorter University in Rome Friday to protest new policies adopted by the private Baptist college.
Last month the college's board of trustees updated its policies to require future and current employees to sign a personal lifestyle statement that included: "I reject as acceptable all sexual activity not in agreement with the Bible, including, but not limited to premarital sex, adultery, and homosexuality." Students are not required to sign the statement.
University President Donald Dowless has defended the new policies, explaining they are in line with the school's standing as a Christian college. It has been the university’s policy since 2008 to hire Christians only.
The protests coincided with Dowless' inauguration as the college's 19th president. A smaller protest was held Thursday.
For weeks, students, alumni and others in Georgia and across the country have rallied against the lifestyle statement and other policies that deal with employees' off-campus behavior, calling them discriminatory and invasive. Some alumni have threatened to withhold donations. Thousands of people have signed online petitions at signon.org urging Shorter to revoke its policy.
There have also been counter-protests on campus and posts on Facebook and Twitter expressing support for Shorter and its new policies.
While Shorter’s new policy is raising questions, it isn't uncommon among Christian universities and is permitted under state and federal law, said John Witte Jr., director of the Center for the Study of Law and Religion at Emory University.
Some private Georgia colleges are taking opposite steps. Mercer University, based in Macon with a campus in Atlanta, recently announced it will extend healthcare benefits to domestic partners of employees. The college has retained its Baptist identity but is no longer affiliated with the Georgia Baptist Convention.
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