Code of Behavior for Religious Groups - From the Student Handbook:
Vanderbilt is a private and non-sectarian university that has committed itself to helping its students acquire knowledge and standards of value, develop a sense of responsibility, explore religious concerns and issues, and develop their own sense of purpose. The University itself is diverse in its makeup and perspectives and encourages diversity in its student body.
The university, therefore, provides both directly and indirectly for the religious and moral development of its students. Programs in this area are predicated on the right of students to form and freely express their own beliefs and values. A campus where persons from diverse traditions live and work is an open forum for all perspectives. Respect for all religious faiths is essential; observances and holy days are honored; and dialogue among groups is encouraged.
The element of personal development, as mentioned above has been given expression in the establishment of the Office of Religious Life (http://www.vanderbilt.edu/religiouslife), in the recognition of qualified para-church staff, and in the registration of student religious groups whose goals are in keeping with those of the university. The purposes of the university are harmonious with the purposes of addressing issues of religion, values, ethics, and morality of life; in helping members of the university community to articulate a personal philosophy of life, and in understanding the interactions of faith, intellectual inquiry, and social responsibility as bases for finding and affirming meaning and satisfaction in life.
Specific university goals for moral and religious development include the development of programs to help those in the university community to:
1. understand their own faiths and the faiths of others;
2. examine and affirm a personal faith or life philosophy;
3. express that faith through association with others, through opportunities for worship, study, and service, and through campus forums for the presentation and debate of ideas;
4. examine the relation of their faith or life philosophy to current moral, ethical, and social issues and to various academic disciplines and professional and vocational fields.
These goals shall be met by the university itself in a non-sectarian manner, and the university expects all religious groups on campus to give evidence of tolerance, fairness, and respect for the religious traditions represented at the university, to respect the non-sectarian natures of the university itself, and to uphold the university's commitment to creating a diverse and pluralistic community on campus.
The university expects that all religious groups which are affiliated, recognized, or registered, respectively, will conduct their affairs so that their policies, programs, and personal actions are in accordance with university catalogues, handbooks, and manuals, such as the Student Handbook, The Student Organizations Manual, and the Faculty Manual (http://www.vanderbilt.edu/facman). In particular, the university expects all religious groups to abide strictly by the policy on "Soliciting for Religious Activities," below, and, with the provision that student groups must be led by full-time Vanderbilt students. The university also expects that all such religious groups on campus will conduct their affairs in such a manner that no one will be intimidated or coerced and that participants in any group may freely express their beliefs and values. The university requires all registered groups not to discriminate on the basis of unlawful or irrelevant criteria in policies, practices, programs, and activities. The university reserves the right to make other regulations as necessary, without notice, to secure maximum freedom, comfort, safety, and convenience for all. Violations of this code of behavior will be addressed through the university's student conduct system and/or the Office Religious Life.