Clearing up confusion about faculty and staff employment policies

Why require faculty and staff to sign an agreement to live a Christian lifestyle in accordance with Scripture and Georgia Baptist Convention core values?

Since 2005, Shorter has been in the process of defining what it means to be a Christ-centered institution. In the past administration, one of the steps taken was affiliation with the Council for Christian Colleges and Universities. This is another step. In an age of increasing postmodern relativism, it becomes necessary to explicitly articulate our core values. Scholarly research finds that successful organizations have clearly identified core values and articulated these values both internally and externally.

Won’t this jeopardize SACS reaffirmation or accreditation?

Shorter's adoption of a personal lifestyle policy in no way threatens the university's accreditation. According to Belle Wheelan, president of the Southern Association of Schools and Colleges (SACS), [Shorter] can do that. They're a private college and it's part of their mission.

Will students have to sign any documents?

This statement of faith is only for faculty and staff. Students of all faiths, all denominations or even no faith are welcome in our campus community.

Why single out homosexuality?

As a Christian university, we view higher education as a ministry. Our faculty and staff are in positions of responsibility in relation to our students. Having an effective witness means that there are certain expectations that are made related to the personal behavior of our faculty and staff. Shorter expects faculty and staff to live a sexually moral life. That means fidelity in a biblical marriage between a man and a woman and abstinence outside of a biblical union.

Aren’t you turning Shorter into a “Bible college”?

Shorter will continue to be an excellent liberal arts university with a strong Christian identity. Dr. David Dockery, president of Union University, wrote in his book “Renewing Minds” that “There is no sphere of humanity to which Jesus Christ is irrelevant.” We continue to embrace an academic setting that prepares students to be the best in their field of study by teaching them to critically examine all aspects and theories within their disciplines. As a Christian university, we also allow students the opportunity to explore how faith informs how we view the world and how we interact with it.