<p>An organization called FIRE (which monitors free speech on college campuses) says that Davidson does not allow students to ask out other students. This seems extremely strange, and I was unable to find confirmation of the rule anywhere on Davidson's website. Is this true? The link posted below is the video posted by FIRE that talks about the dating policy.</p>
<p>What</a> Every Student Should Know Before Starting College - YouTube</p>
<p>Whoaaaa. No, this is absolutely not the case and I have no idea what this girl in the video is talking about.</p>
<p>People at Davidson do often complain about the dating culture: that people are either looking to hook-up or that they’re looking for their life-partner, but not a lot in between. But dating is certainly permitted and it’s completely unrestricted. Sure enough, I knew plenty of students who went to parties every weekend who just wanted to have a fun time, and I knew plenty of couples that met freshmen or sophomore year and dated through graduation (some of them now engaged or married–myself and my fianc</p>
<p>Thanks for the reply! It’s not like I am going to college to get my MRS degree (far from it) but I worried that a “no dating” rule would be indicative of need to fit students into Christian ideals. I guess the video was WAY off base. (Which is unfortunate, because the organization offers a very nice scholarship!). You’ve actually put a lot of my fears at ease. I knew Davidson was a Christian school, and since I’m not religiously affiliated, I had been a tad concerned about being the odd one out. Looks like that’s not the case. Thanks for taking the time to post that response! It’s good to know Davidson isn’t trying to meddle in its students lives.</p>
<p>Way off-base sounds about right! </p>
<p>The question of the school’s religious affiliation is actually a huge issue right now–one that’s involved the alumni, parent, and student community. A few years ago, a campus policeman arrested a woman (who wasn’t a student) in the town of Davidson and charged her with driving under the influence. She was guilty, but appealed on the grounds that as a “religious institution” Davidson can’t have a police force…and the state ruled in her favor. Ever since, there have been major discussions about the significance of Davidson’s continued affiliation with the Presbyterian Church USA…whether the role of the church in the school’s founding should be relevant anymore. Davidson’s student population is mostly Christian, I would imagine, but many don’t attend religious services. Of those that do, they’re not confined to the Presbyterian Church. Davidson and the surrounding area have churches and faith groups for just about every denomination, in addition to interfaith groups. The school has a popular Hillel organization, as well. And plenty of students don’t bother with religion at all. There was a distribution requirement of a religion course (two religions OR one religion and one philosophy)…but I don’t know if this has changed as a result of the reformed course requirements, and in any case, you’re not required to take a religion course about Christianity. Courses are offered on Islam, Judaism, Buddhism, etc. and on more socially or politically motivated topics like Women in American Religion. I never felt religious pressure on campus from either peers or the school. I attended Episcopal services in the Lingle Chapel attached to DCPC (Davidson College Presbyterian Church) on Sunday afternoons, but didn’t participate beyond that and that wasn’t an issue.</p>
<p>Thanks ampliafiar 842- a friend at Davidson describes the school as very open-minded.</p>
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<p>Did you ever think to look on the [The</a> Foundation for Individual Rights in Education (FIRE)](<a href=“http://thefire.org%5DThe”>http://thefire.org) website? After all, this was a video produced by FIRE . . . </p>
<p>Here is the information you were looking for on Davidson’s Code of Responsibility, along with a link to the Davidson student handbook:</p>
<p>[Davidson</a> College - FIRE](<a href=“http://thefire.org/spotlight/codes/1168.html]Davidson”>Colleges (Find a School) | The Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression)</p>
<p>What I’m seeing does not appear to support the claim made in the video, but I could be missing something. In any event, if you’re concerned, why don’t YOU take responsibility for investigating this yourself?</p>
<p>Just to clarify - FIRE isn’t in the habit of targeting strange dating policies. It’s focus is restrictive speech policies. At some schools, use the “wrong” language in asking someone out and you could find yourself at the wrong end of a disciplinary hearing! Does this include Davidson? Figure it out for yourself.</p>
<p>FIRE got its information wrong, period. If there ever was such a policy, it didn’t exist this summer when they posted that video on YouTube. Or in the last five years. I actually read the entire handbook my freshman year (yes, I was that kid) and I seriously don’t remember anything that jumped out at me with regards to dating. FIRE might be about free speech, but they need to get their facts right before they post videos with unfounded (or exaggerated) claims that make applicants uneasy.</p>