<p>I read something about certain Christian support groups threatened with getting shut down because they required their members to adhere to a faith statement. Can anyone at Vandy who is a part of one of these groups shed some light on this? </p>
<p>Thank-you.</p>
<p>A few groups on campus are being threatened with losing access to campus facilities and funding because they are technically discriminating against certain religions/sexualities, which is against Vanderbilt’s nondiscrimination policy.</p>
<p>Ex. A Christian group requires that the leader lead Christian bible studies and worship, which is a policy that implies the leader must follow Christian beliefs. Vanderbilt considers this discrimination against non-Christians, who currently cannot be elected to this office, according to the group’s rules.</p>
<p>Zeppos has made himself very clear in the issue. He invites students from the university from a variety of backgrounds and beliefs. He wants them all to be a part of a family at Vanderbilt deserve to have access to all of it. If a student organization on campus wants to use Vanderbilt facilities and Vanderbilt funding, they must allow ALL Vanderbilt students to have equal access to the group. Vanderbilt is not going to give out it’s resources to a group so that they can deny access to students who have been invited and earned their spot in the Vanderbilt family.</p>
<p>Hi Pancaked,</p>
<p>Are you a part of one of those Christian support groups that is possibly going to lose funding? I’d love to talk more with you about it.</p>
<p>I’m not, just a student. Attended a talk with Chancellor Zeppos where he talked about the issue pretty passionately.</p>
<p>As a Vandy student, I don’t think any of these groups are going to shut down. I’m a Christian, but I agree that all students should be open to any group on campus. However, it is a Christian support group, so I don’t think too many non-Christians will join anyway, unless they are looking to explore their religion, which I think would be great. The groups may have to slightly change the wording of their bylaws, but overall the groups should stay the same and be relatively unaffected if they comply</p>
<p>Hey sbjdorlo.</p>
<p>I’m currently a member of many of the religious organizations currently “under fire” on campus.</p>
<p>The problem is not that these groups are denying membership to students lacking in faith. The problem is that these groups are denying leadership positions to those without the same faith as the groups. Some of these groups have included like-minded faith as a necessary aspect for leadership within the group. Many of these groups feel that they could not carry out their goal (i.e., to spread the love and knowledge of Christ among the student body) without having leaders who share the same faith. </p>
<p>As a member of some of these religious organizations, I can tell you that some of these religious organizations are unwilling to budge on the matter of their constitutions. The reason being that they believe they will not be able to live up to their potential as a religious organizations without leaders sharing in the faith. As far as I know, some religious organizations are planning to move off campus and cut themselves off from Vandy funding if the decision is not in their favor.</p>
<p>The members won’t vote for a leader who won’t carry out the organization’s goal. You don’t see the the US Constitution requiring a pro-America president. </p>
<p>Are these organizations honestly worried that a group of rogues will join and vote one of themselves into leadership and destroy the organization? Do these organizations have so little faith in the Vanderbilt student population that they believe their peers will sabotage them if they change their constitution?</p>
<p>the Original Poster can read up on these issues at insidevandy.com…go to back issues of the Hustler and get informed. There is a good life at Vanderbilt for faith based individuals and a Divinity School on campus that adds in many interesting campus wide speakers and events.</p>
<p>Alkira,</p>
<p>Yes, this is what I understood. I read an article about it in World Magazine and was hoping to hear firsthand from someone involved in the group. I’m curious if this kind of thing is happening on campuses all over the county. </p>
<p>I wouldn’t expect leaders of religous groups not to adhere to the faith they profess. I wouldn’t expect a Christian to be a leader in a Muslim faith-based group, though a Christian might attend meetings. I wouldn’t expect a Muslim to be a leader in a Jewish faith-based group, etc.</p>
<p>I will be watching to see what happens.</p>
<p>Faline, thanks for the link. I will definitely check it out.</p>