What are Furman's character and values?
When news circulated last month that the board of trustees had adopted a new character and values statement for Furman, some began scratching their heads.
What is a character and values statement? And why was the old one changed? Although the Furman statement receives little attention (the subject is mentioned only briefly in Alfred Reid's history, Furman University: Toward a New Identity), it offers a glimpse into the campus culture.
Former chaplain L.D. Johnson authored Furman's first character and values statement in 1974 in response to more than a decade of cultural changes on campus. The statement was revised in 1992 after Furman and the South Carolina Baptist Convention severed ties.
A decade removed from the split, members of the board of trustees decided last year that it was time to take another look at the character and values statement. A 10-member committee led by trustee Hardy Clemons, retired senior pastor at Greenville First Baptist Church, helped revise the statement. Five other trustees, a representative from the Alumni Association Board of Directors, faculty member Tony Arrington and Beau Seagraves (then a Furman student) served on the committee.
"There were statements in the old character and values statement that were just dated," says Clemons. "One of the things we wanted to get away from is the perception that Furman is just a Baptist school. But at the same time, we didn't want to lose sight of our heritage."
Clemons says the new statement reinforces Furman's commitment to remain faithful to its Judeo-Christian heritage by encouraging students, faculty, administration and staff to grow in faith as they grow in knowledge. It also reflects the university's growing appreciation for diversity, tolerance and acceptance of other faiths.
"Furman students are recruited from a variety of backgrounds and perspectives," the statement reads. "The university seeks to nurture their development into mature, integrated persons by encouraging all students to develop a mature understanding of their own identities, to establish meaningful personal goals, and to understand their own faith and outlook. Furman celebrates freedom of conscience and opposes efforts to impose beliefs on students. Furman is a learning community where faith is cherished but not coerced."
Clemons says it took the group numerous drafts and "several lengthy meetings" to arrive at the final version.
"Some would say that for Furman to be a nationally recognized liberal arts college we need to move away from our heritage," says Clemons. "The committee feels that our reputation can continue to rise without Furman sacrificing its heritage or emphasis on spiritual growth of the whole person. I think the revised statement reflects this."
Inside Furman is published monthly during the school year by the Furman University Department of Marketing and Public Relations. For story ideas, e-mail John Roberts, editor.
