Diversity At Bob Jones University: Enrollment Of Students Of Color

Bob Jones University, a private Christian institution in Greenville, South Carolina, has a long history of racial segregation. From its founding in 1927 until 1971, the university did not admit Black students. Even after integration, the university maintained a ban on interracial dating until 2000. In 1976, the Internal Revenue Service revoked the university's tax-exempt status due to its discriminatory policies, and it was not until 2000 that the university's then-president, Bob Jones III, publicly apologised for its racist past. Today, the university has an overall enrollment of around 3,000 students, of whom 9% identify as American minorities.

Bob Jones University's racial history

Bob Jones University (BJU) is a private Christian university in Greenville, South Carolina, with a history of conservative and evangelical cultural and religious positions. The university's founder, Bob Jones Sr., was a fundamentalist evangelist who believed in segregationist ethos, considering twentieth-century black people to be grateful to whites for bringing their ancestors to America as slaves. From its founding in 1927 until 1971, BJU's admission was restricted to white students only.

BJU's history is characterised by striving to achieve its goals as a private Christian institution while also conforming to the segregationist ethos of American culture at the time. The university did not admit black students until the 1970s, and even then, only married black people were allowed to enrol until 1975. During this period, BJU supported politicians who were aligned with racial segregation, and its founder, Bob Jones Sr., publicly stated his opposition to racial integration.

In 1976, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) revoked the university's tax exemption due to its racially discriminatory admissions policies, and the case went to the U.S. Supreme Court. BJU lost the decision and was forced to pay a million dollars in back taxes. It was not until 2000 that BJU officially lifted its ban on interracial dating and apologised for its racist past.

Today, BJU enrols students from diverse ethnicities and cultures, representing all 50 states and nearly 50 countries. The administration is committed to maintaining racial and cultural diversity and harmony, characteristic of the true Church of Jesus Christ worldwide. According to 2022 data, the student body is 71.9% White, 6.95% Hispanic or Latino, 2.97% Asian, 1.74% Black or African American, 1.23% Two or More Races, 0.258% Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islanders, and 0.226% American Indian or Alaska Native.

Current racial demographics of the student body

Bob Jones University (BJU) is a private Christian institution in Greenville, South Carolina. The university has a history of racist policies, having only admitted white students until 1971. From 1971 to 1975, only married Black people were allowed to enrol. In 1976, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) revoked BJU's tax-exempt status due to its discriminatory practices, and the university was required to pay $490,000 in back taxes. In 1983, the Supreme Court ruled against BJU, finding that its policies were racially discriminatory.

Following these events, BJU began to take steps towards racial integration and equality. In 2000, the university ended its prohibition against interracial dating, and the then-president, Bob Jones III, apologised for the university's past racist policies and expressed regret for not admitting African-American students earlier.

Today, BJU enrols students from diverse racial and cultural backgrounds, with a total enrollment of approximately 3,000 students. The racial demographics of the student body are as follows:

• 71.9% White
• 6.95% Hispanic or Latino
• 2.97% Asian
• 1.74% Black or African American
• 1.23% Two or More Races
• 0.258% Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islanders
• 0.226% American Indian or Alaska Native
• 7.46% of students did not report their race

While BJU has made progress in terms of racial diversity, it still has a long way to go. The university's history of racism and its previous support for segregationist policies have left a lasting impact. The current racial demographics of the student body show that White students still make up the majority, while students from other racial backgrounds, especially Black or African American students, continue to be underrepresented.

BJU has recognised the need for improvement and has stated its commitment to fostering a diverse and inclusive environment. The university's administration has expressed a desire to maintain racial and cultural diversity on campus, reflecting the true nature of the global Church of Jesus Christ. While the university has taken steps in the right direction, there is still much work to be done to create a truly equitable and inclusive learning environment for students from all racial backgrounds.

The university's apology for its racist past

Bob Jones University, a Bible college in Greenville, South Carolina, has a history of racist policies. The college was founded in 1926 by Bob Jones, a fundamentalist evangelist who believed that the theory of evolution was abhorrent and that Catholicism was a "Satanic counterfeit". Jones was also a segregationist, and his views on race were reflected in the college's policies.

From its inception until 1971, the college did not admit Black students. Then, for a four-year period until 1975, it only admitted married Black people. After 1975, unmarried Black applicants were admitted, but the college continued to deny admission to anyone engaged in an interracial marriage or known to advocate for interracial marriage or dating. Interracial dating among students was also prohibited.

In 1976, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) revoked the college's tax-exempt status, citing its racially discriminatory admissions policies. The case went to the Supreme Court, which ruled against the college in 1983. It wasn't until 2000 that the college's ban on interracial dating was dropped, following a media uproar over a visit by then-presidential candidate George W. Bush.

In 2008, Stephen Jones, the great-grandson of the founder and the fourth president of Bob Jones University, issued an apology for the college's racist past. He acknowledged that the college had conformed to the segregationist ethos of American culture instead of providing a clear Christian counterpoint. Jones stated that the college had failed to accurately represent Christian values and fulfill the commandment to love others as themselves. He apologized for the hurtful institutional policies, while also asserting that no personal expressions of racism had ever been tolerated on campus.

The number of students of colour enrolled at the university

Bob Jones University (BJU) is a private Christian university in Greenville, South Carolina. It was founded in 1927 by evangelist Bob Jones Sr., who was concerned about the secularisation of higher education and the influence of religious liberalism in denominational colleges. The university is known for its conservative and evangelical cultural and religious positions.

BJU did not admit Black students until the 1970s. From 1971 to 1975, only married Black couples were permitted to enrol. In 1976, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) revoked the university's tax-exempt status, citing its racially discriminatory admissions policies. The IRS demanded the payment of $490,000 in back taxes, and the case went to the Supreme Court, which ruled against BJU in 1983.

In 2000, BJU ended its official prohibition against interracial dating. In a statement, Stephen Jones, great-grandson of the founder and the fourth president of BJU, apologised for the university's racist past, saying:

> "For almost two centuries American Christianity, including BJU in its early stages, was characterised by the segregationist ethos of American culture. Consequently, for far too long, we allowed institutional policies regarding race to be shaped more directly by that ethos than by the principles and precepts of the Scriptures. We conformed to the culture rather than provide a clear Christian counterpoint to it."

BJU's total enrollment in 2022 was 3,095 students, of whom 2,339 were full-time students and 756 were part-time. The racial breakdown of the student body was as follows: 71.9% White, 6.95% Hispanic or Latino, 2.97% Asian, 1.74% Black or African American, 1.23% Two or More Races, 0.258% Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islanders, 0.226% American Indian or Alaska Native, and 7.46% unknown or unreported.

In summary, while BJU has taken steps to address its racist history and increase diversity, the student body remains predominantly White, with students of colour comprising a relatively small proportion of the total enrollment.

The university's ban on interracial dating

Bob Jones University (BJU) is a private Christian university in Greenville, South Carolina, known for its conservative and evangelical cultural and religious positions. BJU's history has been characterised by striving to achieve its goals of helping young men and women cultivate a biblical worldview, represent Christ and His Gospel to others, and glorify God in every dimension of life. However, the university has also been criticised for its past policies on race and interracial relationships.

BJU was founded in 1927 by Christian evangelist Bob Jones Sr., who was concerned about the secularisation of higher education and the influence of religious liberalism in denominational colleges. From its inception, the university admitted Asian students and other ethnic groups, but it did not enrol Black students until 1971. Between 1971 and 1975, BJU only admitted married Black people. This change in policy was influenced by the Internal Revenue Service's (IRS) determination in 1970 that "private schools with racially discriminatory admissions policies" were not entitled to federal tax exemption.

In 1975, the University Board of Trustees authorised a policy change to admit unmarried Black applicants. However, the university continued to deny admission to applicants engaged in interracial relationships or known to advocate for interracial marriage or dating. BJU's interpretation of Biblical principles regarding interracial dating led to a ban on interracial dating until 2000. This ban was enforced through disciplinary rules and resulted in warnings for students who spent too much time with partners of other races.

In 2000, BJU president Bob Jones III announced on Larry King Live that the ban on interracial dating had been lifted. This change was prompted by a media uproar following a visit to the university by then-presidential candidate George W. Bush. The university's interracial dating policy had drawn criticism from the public and the media, and Bush himself was criticised for not speaking out against it during his visit.

Today, BJU enrols students from diverse racial and cultural backgrounds, representing all 50 states and nearly 50 countries. The administration is committed to maintaining racial and cultural diversity and harmony on campus, characteristic of the true Church of Jesus Christ worldwide. The university has expressed profound sorrow for its past institutional policies that were racially hurtful and has acknowledged its failure to accurately represent the Lord and to fulfil the commandment to love others as themselves.

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