Bob Jones University

Bob Jones University

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Bob Jones University (BJU) is a private, non-denominational Christian liberal arts university in Greenville, South Carolina. Founded in 1927 by Bob Jones, Sr., an evangelist and revival-preacher, it is the largest private liberal arts university in South Carolina.

The current president of the University is Stephen Jones, son of previous school president Bob Jones III and the first president of the University not named "Bob Jones." The university enrolls approximately 4,200 students with a staff of 1,800. It offers degrees in 126 majors, plus additional schools from kindergarten through 12th grade.

The University is in candidate status for accreditation through the Transnational Association of Christian Colleges and Schools, allowing it to be listed as an accredited institution.

Its mission statement read as follows: Within the cultural and academic soil of liberal arts education, Bob Jones University exists to grow Christlike character that is Scripturally disciplined; others-serving; God-loving; Christ-proclaiming; and focused above.

The school also produces a vast quantity of textbooks and other material under the name Bob Jones University Press.

Creed

Students at BJU recite the University Creed at chapel services four days a week.

I believe in the inspiration of the Bible (both the Old and the New Testaments); the creation of man by the direct act of God; the incarnation and virgin birth of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ; His identification as the Son of God; His vicarious atonement for the sins of mankind by the shedding of His blood on the cross; the resurrection of His body from the tomb; His power to save men from sin; the new birth through the regeneration by the Holy Spirit; and the gift of eternal life by the grace of God.

History

BJU was founded in 1927 by evangelist Bob Jones, Sr., in College Point, Florida. Jones was the son of an Alabama sharecropper. His stated purpose was to create a school where Christian students could receive a high-quality education in a strongly traditional Christian environment.

The school moved to Cleveland, Tennessee in 1933, and to its present campus in Greenville, South Carolina in 1947.

From its 1927 founding to 1971, black people were prohibited from enrolling. From 1971 to 1975, only unmarried black people were permitted to apply to the school. After the 1975 court decision of McCrary v. Runyon, which prohibited racial exclusion from private schools, the policy was changed. Other public colleges in the south had similar policies at that time, including Clemson University who did not admit their first black student until 1965. A person of any race could apply to the school, but the school adopted a disciplinary rule prohibiting interracial dating or marriage:

There is to be no interracial dating.

1. Students who are partners in an interracial marriage will be expelled. [461 U.S. 574, 581]
2. Students who are members of or affiliated with any group or organization which holds as one of its goals or advocates interracial marriage will be expelled.
3. Students who date outside of their own race will be expelled.
4. Students who espouse, promote, or encourage others to violate the University's dating rules and regulations will be expelled."

The former policies of Bob Jones University on interracial dating are indebted to the founder's view that the Bible forbids interracial dating and marriage, though today, Bob Jones University sometimes claims that the policy is a product of a (1950s) legal threat on the part of the parents of a female Asian student (who threatened legal action after learning that their daughter was dating a white student).

The school lost its Internal Revenue Service tax exemption in 1980 because of its anti-interracial dating policy. The school appealed all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court, arguing that the school met the criteria for tax-exempt status on several counts, including that the school's racial discrimination was based on sincerely held religious beliefs. U.S. President Ronald Reagan supported the school's tax exempt status, but the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in 1983 in favour of the IRS (see Bob Jones University v. United States, 461 U.S. 574) and the school does not intend to seek tax-exempt status again. In 2000, the policy was dropped in its entirety[1] (http://www.cnn.com/transcripts/0003/03/lkl.00.html) (after some experimentation with a policy of parental consent for interracial dating) shortly after the State of South Carolina formally legalized interracial marriage.

Academics

The University is composed of six colleges and schools that offer over 125 undergraduate majors. Among these majors are fourteen "trade school" programs that range from aircraft management to cosmetology. Classes are also offered by correspondence and also through the University's live, interactive satellite system.

Extracurriculars

The University has intramural sports programs in many different fields including soccer, basketball, softball, track, volleyball, tennis, badminton, and table tennis. The highlight of the sports season is the Turkey Bowl, where the top two societies (the University's version of fraternities and sororities) compete in a soccer match usually during Thanksgiving.

The University also competes in intercollegiate debate in the National Educational Debate Association.

Achievements

• On December 3, 2004, the school broke the Guinness World Record for Christmas caroling with 7,514 carolers.
• On April 2, 2005, the school won the NEDA Debate Nationals Tournament, defeating Ball State University 2-1 in Varsity and 3-0 in Novice, and also taking 1st place Varsity Speaker.

Art gallery

Bob Jones, Jr., son of the founder, had an interest in art depicting scenes from the Bible, especially those which had a highly illustrative nature rather than those relying on symbols. He began collecting after World War II, and concentrated on Italian Baroque painters. This style was out of favor in the mid-20th century and the works were relatively inexpensive, and Jones built up an important collection. He donated his paintings to a museum at the University. The BJU Museum & Gallery (http://www.bjumg.org) now is considered the largest collection of religious art in the Western Hemisphere.

Criticism of BJU's art collection

Humorist Al Franken alleges that some of BJU's art collection may have been confiscated from Jewish families - including possibly his own - by the Nazis. Franken makes the allegations and describes making an undercover visit to BJU (posing undisguised as the father of a prospective student) in his book Lies and the Lying Liars Who Tell Them: A Fair and Balanced Look at the Right. BJU denies the allegations made by Franken.

Some fundamentalist Christians, such as David Cloud, have also criticized BJU's art as pagan and/or Roman Catholic in origin.

Controversial national recognition

Largely due to the national attention received after the scuffle with the IRS and such events, the school has become known in American popular culture as some sort of a stereotypical racist, bigoted Southern institution (especially outside of the southern United States). To most people, this is probably what the school is most known for. However, the school has a diverse community of international students and has recently in its intercollegiate debate competitions defeated such instutions as Ball State University.

Graduate school controversy

Graduates have been accepted into medical schools at a rate that exceeds the national average. Graduates in other fields have been accepted into many law schools, and other graduate programs at other colleges and universities. However, according to some college rating sites, some graduates have said that much difficulty was required to attend law schools. In many cases an explanation of attending BJU was required as it was viewed negatively. Some graduates even claimed that BJU misleads people by claiming that its graduates attend prestigious law schools when in reality very few were accepted to each of the schools they mention. For example, one student may gain admission to a school, then BJU flaunts that information on their website but makes it appear that many students have attended that particular school.

Biology

The BJU biology department proudly proclaims its support for creationism. Its Department of Biology's website states:

Although Bob Jones University is primarily a teaching institution, the members of the science faculty have a long tradition of speaking, writing, and doing research related to defending the Bible's account of creation.

Since biological scientists generally prefer the theory of evolution as an explanation of biological diversity, this embrace of creationism may be one of the major reasons that BJU has chosen to forego accreditation until recently. BJU is currently seeking accreditation as a Christian college; however, even should the university as a whole attain accredited status, it remains likely that a bachelor's degree in biology from BJU would not be recognized by any accredited Ph.D. program in the biological sciences as legitimately fulfilling the prerequisites for graduate study.

Rules for Students

Bob Jones has been criticized for the rules it imposes upon students. Here is an up-to-date list of many of the rules found in the student handbook or on the website. [2] (http://www.bju.edu/prospective/expect/general.html)

General rules

• All wireless access to the Internet is forbidden since all Internet use must go through the University's filtered access. This would only pertain to cell phone / satellite phone use, since the University does provide Wi-fi service.
• An email account is provided for each student. Due to the flood of objectionable content coming through outside email services, students may use only this filtered campus email system.
• Students are required to be in their own rooms and quiet at 11 pm. All lights must be out by midnight.
• For the sake of accountability, students MUST "check out" when they leave the campus. Those with Junior and Senior privileges do not have to "check out" between 7AM and 7 PM.
• Posters of movie and music stars and fashion models are not permitted.
• Music must be compatible with the University's music standards:
  • New Age, jazz, rock, and country music is not permitted.
  • Contemporary Christian music is not permitted (e.g., Michael W. Smith, Steven Curtis Chapman, WOW Worship, and so forth).
• Televisions and DVD/videocassette players are not permitted in the residence halls; computer DVD players may NOT be used to view movies.
• All weapons must be turned in for storage. Trigger locks are required for pistols. Fireworks are not permitted on campus.
• Residence hall students may not watch videos above a G rating when visiting homes in town and may NOT attend movie theaters.
• Freshmen and sophomores may not use their vehicles to go to and from work.
• Students may not serve alcoholic beverages when waiting tables at restaurants.
• Students may not do house-to-house sales anywhere in the Greenville area. Students offering services to the community must have a retail license or have clearance from the Dean of Students to do door-to-door solicitation for their services.

Work

• Students may work in town until 10:25 pm on weekdays and midnight on weekends. Freshmen must have a prayer captain, assistant prayer captain, or upperclassman with them. Sophomores and upperclassmen may work alone.
• Freshmen and sophomores may not use their vehicles to go to and from work.
• Students may not serve alcoholic beverages when waiting tables at restaurants.
• Students may not do house-to-house sales anywhere in the Greenville area. Students offering services to the community must have a retail license or have clearance from the Dean of Students to do door-to-door solicitation for their services.
• Students may not miss nightly prayer meetings on weekdays.

Men's dress

• Hair must be cut in a traditional, conservative style–not shaved, spiked, tangled, or shelved. It may not be colored or highlighted.
• Sideburns should not extend past the middle of the ear. Men are expected to remain clean-shaven.
• Necklaces, earrings, and bracelets are not permitted.
• Hats may not be worn indoors except in the gym.
• Men are not permitted to get tattoos or wear body piercings.
• Abercrombie & Fitch and its subsidiary Hollister have shown an unusual degree of antagonism to the name of Christ and an unusual display of wickedness in their promotions. In protest, we will not allow articles displaying their logos to be worn, carried, or displayed (even if covered or masked in some way).
• Morning Dress – dress shirt (no denim/chambray) with tie, dress or neat casual pants (no jeans, cargo, carpenter, or sloppy pants), dress or leather casual shoes; sweaters should show shirt collar and tie knot (no sweatshirts).
• Afternoon Dress – collared shirt (no crew necks), neat casual pants, dress or casual shoes (no slides or sandals), socks above the ankle, sweatshirts or sweaters.
• Sunday Dress–coat, tie, and dress shirt; dress shoes; dress or dressier casual pants.
• Recreation and Work Dress – jeans, t-shirts, shorts at athletic facilities (not as spectators at sports events), sleeveless athletic shirts (indoor activities only), socks required (including at work).

Women's dress

Classroom/general dress consists of a dress or top and skirt; however, pants may be worn for some recreational activities. Shorts may never be worn outside the residence halls and fitness center.

• Tops
  • Tops must be long enough that the midriff is never exposed.
  • Sleeves are required. (Sleeveless tops and dresses may be worn with a blouse, jacket, or sweater.)
  • Necklines may come no lower than four fingers below the collarbone.

• Skirts
  • Hemlines and slits or other openings should never come higher than the bottom of the knee.
  • Denim skirts may be worn for casual dress (not to class or other professional-type events).

• Pants
  • Loose-fitting pants may be worn between women's residence halls, for athletic events, and to homes in the area.
  • Loose-fitting jeans may be worn between women's residence halls and when participating in activities where the durability of the fabric is important, such as skiing and ice-skating.
  • Low-riders are not permitted.

• Ease
  • All dresses, skirts, pants, and shirts must be loose-fitting, having a minimum of three inches of ease at bust and hips.
  • An informal way to measure ease is to stand up straight and pinch the loose fabric on both sides of the hips or at the bust line. Without stretching the fabric, there should be at least a 3/4-inch fold of fabric on both sides.

• Other
  • Sheer clothing may be worn only when the garment underneath conforms to normal dress regulations.
  • Hose must be worn for all professional-type activities including class, church, and recitals.
  • Combat boots, hiking boots, or shoes that give this appearance are not permitted.
  • Hairstyles should be neat, orderly, and feminine. Avoid cutting-edge fads and cuts so short that they take on a masculine look.
  • Students are not permitted to get tattoos. Excessive makeup is not permitted. Earrings may be worn only in the lobe of the ear (maximum of two matched sets). All other types of body piercings are prohibited.
  • Please note the statement concerning Abercrombie & Fitch under Men's General Dress.

Political campaigns

Over the years many gubernatorial and presidential candidates have spoken at the school, including Ronald Reagan, Jack Kemp, Bob Dole, and Alan Keyes. Democrats tend to avoid the school, and on a national level, it is mainly Republicans who appear there (see Southern strategy).

On February 2, 2000, George W. Bush, while campaigning to become U.S. President, addressed the school's chapel service. Many people, including many American conservatives, disagreed with Bush's decision to speak at the controversial institution. Bush's speech did not include any mention of either the school's ban on interracial dating or its anti-Catholic teachings. Following public outcry, the Bush campaign promptly released remarks declaring that Bush was neither anti-Catholic nor a racist, and that his brother Jeb Bush could not have dated his wife (who is Latina) if he had attended the school. Bush also appeared before the press to implausibly deny that he either knew or approved of what he regarded as the school's intolerant policies.

On February 26, after twenty-four days of considerable media pressure, Bush also wrote a formal letter of apology to Cardinal John O'Connor of New York for failing to denounce Bob Jones University's history of strongly anti-Catholic prejudice (among other things, the university's founder once called the Catholic Church a "satanic cult"). At a news conference following the letter's release, Bush stated: "I make no excuses. I had an opportunity and I missed it. I regret that." and "I wish I had gotten up then and seized the moment to set a tone, a tone that I had set in Texas, a positive and inclusive tone."

On March 3, the school issued a "Letter to the Nation" defending their position and arguing that the real issue of the media pressure was religious freedom. [3] (http://www.bju.edu/aboutbju/special_articles/response/response.html)

Famous alumni

• Glenn Hamilton is a member of the South Carolina House of Representatives.
• Terry Haskins was the Speaker Pro Tempore of the South Carolina House of Representatives.
• Asa Hutchinson is a former Arkansas lawyer and U.S. Congressman who was confirmed by unanimous vote of the Senate in January 2003 to become Under Secretary for Border & Transportation Security with the Department of Homeland Security.
• Tim Hutchinson, brother of Asa Hutchinson, is a former pastor, U.S. Congressman, and U.S. senator.
• Billy Kim is the president of the Baptist World Alliance.
• Tim LaHaye is a best-selling author of prophecy novels.

Honorary degree recipients

• Jesse Helms, former U.S. Senator
• Ian Paisley, MP, leader of the hardline Democratic Unionist Party, Northern Ireland and Moderator of the Free Presbyterian Church of Ulster.
• Chiang Kai-shek, leader of Kuomintang
• George Wallace, segregationist governor of Alabama
• Strom Thurmond, senator from South Carolina
• Lester Maddox, segregationist governor of Georgia

Former students

• John F. MacArthur, pastor, author, and radio preacher
• Billy Graham, evangelist

External links

Official links

• Bob Jones University website (http://www.bju.edu/)
• BJU creation science home (http://www.bju.edu/academics/cas/undergrad/divns/creation/)

News Stories

• Taking the Bob Out of Bob Jones U. (http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/05/04/AR2005050402413.html)

Commentary

• Reviews of the Bob Jones Experience by Students and Alumni (http://www.studentsreview.com/SC/BJU_c.html#comments/)
• "Being Black at Bob Jones U.: A fundamentalist university enters the age of integration. Sort of." (http://www.killingthebuddha.com/damn_nation/being_bobjones.htm)
• BJU Urban Legends (http://www.troyandjessica.com/article/17/bob-jones-university-urban-legends.html)