It will come as a surprise to no one who has been paying attention that this school year has been a tough one for LGBTQ+ and allied faculty, staff, students, and alumni at Seattle Pacific University. Student and alumni groups have spent the better part of the end of the school year fighting to overturn two school policies and make SPU a safer place for members of the Queer community.
The first policy states, "We believe it is in the context of the covenant of marriage between a man and a woman that the full expression of sexuality is to be experienced and celebrated and that such a commitment is part of God's plan for human flourishing. Within the teaching of our religious tradition, we affirm that sexual experience is intended between a man and a woman" (para. 5). It faced huge scrutiny this year due to a recent lawsuit filed by Jéaux Rinedahl, who was a Gay part-time professor who claims he was denied a full-time position in SPU's nursing program last summer.
The second policy can be found on SPU's list of "Employee Lifestyle Expectations," which views sexual behavior that is not consistent with biblical standards as immoral.
The discrimination lawsuit filed by Rinedahl is not the only lawsuit SPU is currently dealing with. SPU alum Spencer Vigil has recently joined a nationwide class-action lawsuit by the Religious Exemption Accountability Project, which aims to hold accountable those religious institutions that receive federal funding but deny LGBTQ+ individuals Title IX rights.
To voice their frustration and anger, faculty, staff, students, and alumni have held multiple events. Some have been somber and heartfelt; others have been passionate and angry. The most recent event, GrAdvocacy, was demonstrative and celebratory.
The purpose of the event, held on June 6 was to celebrate current LGBTQ+ graduates and to continue advocating for current and future Queer SPU students. Organizers hope it will help get alumni and young graduates involved.
The event was attended by people from the graduating class of 2021, the alumni class of 2020, and supportive SPU faculty and staff. To make it a reality, current student advocates teamed up with the Alumni Coalition, which provided rainbow tassels and stoles to graduates who reserved them.
Kat Wynn, Alumni Coalition coordinator and 2017 SPU graduate said, "When I graduated from SPU, I became disconnected. I think this is an opportunity to say, 'Here is a community if you want it.'" In a message to current students and graduates, Wynn said, "We want to support you."
The event began with a peaceful demonstration at SPU's Tiffany Loop, a location not new to demonstrations. At noon, there was a commissioning of the graduates, a blessing of the stoles by Queer clergy members, and a talk about a commitment to continued action. At 12:30, the event closed out with graduation photos and festivities in the Loop.
Next steps
The Alumni Coalition had pressured the Board of Trustees to remove SPU's Statement on Human Sexuality by May 1, but after the board's decision to keep the statement, advocates have been planning their next move.
Originally, the Alumni Coalition was planning on encouraging alumni and community networks to withhold financial contributions to the university and to not recommend SPU to future students through a campaign to discourage enrollment. An Alumni Coalition coordinator, who would rather remain anonymous, said, "If we push for defunding, that could happen very quickly. We could make that happen in a week."
But upon further reflection, the Alumni Coalition is not sure what steps to take next.
Wynn said, "We want to be heard, but we don't want to harm." Alumni advocates are afraid that working to deter enrollment might end up hurting students, instead of inspiring change from the board. They are worried that departments would lose money for program funding, which will inevitably hurt current faculty and students.
Not only have alumni activists struggled to find a workable solution that will impact but not hurt the current SPU community but the lack of leadership stemming from the sudden resignation of SPU President Daniel J. Martin has made matters worse.
President Martin announced his resignation on March 30, effective April 5. There has been speculation as to the motive for his sudden resignation, and activists wonder whether it might have something to do with a year full of tough decision-making.
At this point, alumni advocates might be unsure of their next move, but they are not losing steam. Said Wynn, "All of us think SPU can be better. It can be better if all voices are heard."