A letter from Boston University Dean of Students, Ronald L. Carter to Albert W. Baird, Elder of the Boston Church of Christ
Dr. Albert W. Baird, Elder
The Boston Church of Christ
PO Box 313
Boston, MA 02117
Dear Dr. Baird:
After careful consideration and extensive discussion, we have
reason to believe that certain members and leaders of the Boston
Church of Christ, acting for and on behalf of that organization,
have repeatedly engaged in actions which interfere with the privacy
of Boston University students and the policies of the University
in the residence halls. Accordingly, we must inform you that
pending review of these allegations by the University's Religious
Life Council, the leaders from your church assigned to this campus,
Mr. Steve brand, and others will not be authorized or permitted
to enter any of the residence halls of the University. In addition,
the concerns regarding the activities of your organization on
campus will be subject to review by the Student Activities Office
in order to determine whether the Student affiliated organization
and thus enjoy the use of the facilities of the University.
This action is very grave because we consider the situation with
our students to be most serious. Long discussions between the
University chaplain and leaders of the Boston Church have sought
to emphasize that the continued pressure and harassment of students
to attend meetings, to leave other faith traditions and join the
extensive activities of the Boston Church of Christ will not
be tolerated. These actions have been carried out both by Boston
University, many of whom have entered the Residence halls be means
considered illegal. These harassment's come by means of repeated
and insistent solicitation in residence halls and campus dining
facilities as well as by direct telephone calls to students in
their rooms. The allegations we have received from many students
are that Mr. Brand and others have repeatedly crossed over the
line separating legitimate efforts to communicate and persuade
and harassing efforts which fail to honor or respect the student's
right to say 'no' and be left alone. The allegations include
repeated incidents in which individuals associated with the Boston
Church of Christ abused the privilege they had been granted to
enter a residence hall as a guest of a resident and then proceeded
to make door-to-door solicitations in flagrant violation of the
residence hall policy and their status as guests of a particular
resident.
These actions by persons representing your organization have continued
so intensively during the summer terms just finished that we may
conclude that you are either unwilling or unable to change this
pattern. We have recorded complaints from staff of the Office
of Residence Life, faculty persons and staff members as well as
numerous parents. Their testimony concerning harassment and pressure
tactics of students is always the same. Thus this drastic action
is necessitated. As I am sure you are aware, the alleged activities
of these representatives of the Boston Church of Christ violate
fundamental policies of the University and the guidelines concerning
religious activity which we have repeatedly shared with the Boston
Church of Christ and all other religious organizations and groups
which seek to find welcome at Boston University. In addition,
we have serious concern that these activities may constitute acts
of hazing which in addition to being prescribed by University
policy are prohibited by the laws of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
Every student organization on campus is required to act in accordance
with both the policy and the law.
We must emphasize that this action cannot be interpreted to reflect
either positively or negatively on the beliefs or philosophy of
your church, nor does it abridge your rights to promulgate your
beliefs in public places. However, the repeated documented cases
of infringement on the rights of some students in residential,
instructional or other University space and the destructive consequences
in the lives of so many other students necessitates that we make
the strongest possible response. Similarly, nothing in this letter
nor in the proposed actions is intended to prevent any Boston
University student from freely choosing to investigate, join,
or actively participate in the religious faith and engage in the
religious activities of any sect or denomination.
This matter will be presented to the Religious Life Council for
consideration Wednesday, September 9, 1987 at 4:00 p.m. The designated
representatives of the Boston Church of Christ, if the choose
to do so, may appear before the Religious Life Council to present
any information bearing on these matters in order to assist the
Council in presenting recommendations to the Dean of the Chapel
and the Dean of Students regarding whether the facilities of the
University may be made available to your organization in the future.
Pending the outcome of that review or any change which we might
find to be appropriate, neither Mr. Brand nor other non-student
representatives of the Boston Church of Christ will be permitted
to enter any residence hall facility. Any abuse of these restrictions
may require that more severe action be taken.
If you wish to have a representative of the Boston Church of Christ
appear before the Religious Life Council in person or if you wish
to submit a written statement for the consideration of the Council,
please let us know by writing to the Dean of the Chapel. Consistent
with the privacy rights of students and others, and subject to
establishing appropriate mechanisms to insure that individuals
will not be subjected to further harassment, we will arrange to
share with the representative of your organization an outline
of the consistent pattern of violation of University policy which
we find to have been exhibited by your representatives.
We regret that this action has been found to be necessary. Boston
University has a long and proud tradition of respecting religious
diversity. But that tradition is premised on a respect for the
right of each individual to make an individual choice, free from
harassment or perceptions of intimidation. With reluctance, but
in order to protect the tradition, we have taken this unprecedented
step. We hope that more drastic action will not be required.
Sincerely,
Ronald L. Carter Robert Watts Thornburg
Dean of Students Dean of Marsh Chapel
cc: Mr. Steve Brand
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