Editor’s note: Some Whitworthian editors and staff writers have become actively involved in efforts to advocate to the Board of Trustees on this issue. Per Whitworthian policy, these students are not allowed to participate in any aspect of coverage, including reporting, editing or publishing.
*These paragraphs were added or edited on April 15, 2023, to include additional events and context that occurred after this article was originally published.
**This update was added on May 1, 2023, to include additional events that occurred after this article was first published.
Two petitions have recently circulated in the Whitworth community that urge the Board of Trustees to consider certain things when looking at Whitworth’s hiring policy.
The policy states, “Whitworth complies with all federal, state and local nondiscrimination laws that are applicable to religious nonprofit institutions and does not engage in unlawful discrimination on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, sex or disability. “
Whitworth’s current hiring policy does not list sexuality as a protected class, in the “unlawful discrimination” section. This means that Whitworth reserves the right to consider sexuality in decisions regarding people’s careers at Whitworth.
Both petitions surrounding the hiring policy are titled To the Whitworth University Board of Trustees. Below is a timeline regarding these petitions. The timeline will be updated as needed.
March 30, 2023: The Whitworthian was informed of an undated and unauthored petition that was sent to Whitworth’s Board of Trustees. This petition asks them to consider five questions before making decisions about including LGBTQ+ persons as a protected class in Whitworth’s hiring policy.
There are several concerns mentioned in this petition. The first question asks how this change will affect Whitworth’s relationship with the global church. It talks about scripture explaining God’s view on sex and sexuality and how the “majority of Christians around the world still agree on a traditional view of sexuality.”
The second question asks how this will affect Whitworth’s commitment to biblical honor. This question mentions Christ’s stability when finding yourself.
The third asks how this change will affect Whitworth’s mission to honor and follow God. It is said in this question that Whitworth is a dying breed being a small, Christian university and that Whitworth needs to preserve its standing with the church and with academics.
The fourth question asks about the practical implications of amending the hiring policy. They ask if this would mean affirming all forms of sexuality and ask for an understanding of what this lifestyle would look like.
The fifth question asks how this would affect other policies and practices around campus. It is mentioned here that those who hold a traditional view of sexuality will not feel welcome to share their opinions in the Whitworth community.
238 individuals signed this petition.
April 1, 2023: A student-led Instagram account named @signalsafespacewu released a response to the original petition.
Each question raised in the original petition was responded to by the students running this Instagram account.
At this time, a previously made Google Form for people to share their stories related to this issue was linked to their Instagram account.
April 2, 2023: @signalsafespacewu released a petition for members of the Whitworth community to sign.
This petition advocates for the Whitworth Board of Trustees to adopt a non-discrimination hiring policy for LGBTQ+ faculty and staff by including LGBTQ+ persons as a protected class in Whitworth’s hiring policy.
April 3, 2023: 827 individuals have signed @signalsafespacewu petition.
Late afternoon, The Whitworthian editorial board noticed that the original petition had finalized its list of signatories, which means they will no longer be accepting any signatures.
*April 3-4, 2023: Westminster Round led efforts to raise awareness for changing the hiring policy by drawing affirming chalk signs on the sidewalks around campus.
April 5, 2023: 1,114 individuals have signed @signalsafespacewu petition.
*April 10, 2023: Around 14 students made posters at associate professor of English Thomas Caraway’s print shop, Spokane Print and Publishing Center. These posters displayed a variety of messages and encouraged the board to change Whitworth’s current hiring policy.
*April 12-14, 2023: The Whitworth Board of Trustees will meet. They may discuss the hiring policy, although there have been no statements made regarding if they will make any decisions.
*April 12, 2023: A zine titled, “Dear Whitworth, a student’s response to recent events,” was anonymously distributed around Whitworth University. The 12 page zine took chunks of text from the original petition and highlighted, underlined and commented reasons why they believe the hiring policy needs to be changed. The back cover of the zine reads, “Please, Whitworth. Do the right thing and choose to love. Sincerely, a student who cares.”
*April 12-13, 2023: Whitworth students hung the posters they had made on April 10 inside buildings and around the loop. These posters were not approved through ASWU and thus were removed a few hours after they were hung up. Some students removed posters from the trash and re-hung them.
More rainbow chalk messages were added to the the sidewalks on and around the loop. A group of students also added chalk drawings and a Bible verse to the exterior wall of the Seeley G. Mudd Chapel.
*April 13, 2023: The chalk signs on the walls of the Chapel were removed at the request of campus pastor Forrest Buckner and in accordance with facilities’ general policies.
*April 15, 2023: 1,588 individuals have signed @signalsafespacewu petition.
**April 27, 2023: The Whitworthian was informed that the original petition was no longer able to be viewed. The link now leads to a page which states “This form has been deactivated and is closed to any further submissions.”
