Community Agreements
The University has chosen to set a standard of behavior for all students, faculty and staff. The following behavioral expectations apply to all members of the Biola University community:
Those acts which are expressly forbidden in Scripture, including: premarital/ extramarital sex, homosexuality, drunkenness, theft, profanity, occult practices and dishonesty will not be practiced by members of this community.
Other areas the community is expected to avoid are known as "sins of the spirit" and "sins of the tongue." These include such sins as covetousness, jealousy, pride, lust, envy, immodesty, impatience, backbiting, enmity, strife, outbursts of anger, factions, bitterness, an unforgiving spirit, slander, discrimination and prejudice (Jeremiah 9:3-9, Mark 7:20-23, Galatians 5:19-21). Although these issues are more difficult to discern, they can be destructive to the healthy functioning of the community.
Recognizing the Christian obligation to submit to the governing authorities (Romans 13:1, 1 Peter 2:13), individuals related to Biola University are expected to uphold the laws of the local community, the state and the nation.
In addition to those behaviors and attitudes which the Scriptures specifically praise or condemn, the Board of Trustees has adopted the following statement of community agreements which are a requirement for membership of the Biola community.
Biola University is a community of Christians committed to the principles of Christian living found in the Bible and holds that these biblical standards are vital to our individual and corporate relationships. Maintaining these standards contributes to the kind of atmosphere in which quality Christian education and spiritual nurture can best occur, and strengthens the testimony of Biola within both Christian and secular communities. In this light, and given the clear biblical imperative for spiritual self-discipline, the University has established these "standards of conduct" to be observed and upheld, by all members of the Biola community.
Consistent with the example and command of Jesus Christ, we believe that life within a Christian community must be lived to the glory of God, with love for God and for our neighbors. Being indwelt by the Holy Spirit, we strive to walk by the Spirit, "crucifying the flesh with its passions and desires" (Galatians 5:24). To this end, members of the Biola community are not to engage in activities which Scripture forbids. Such activities include, but are not limited to, dishonesty, thievery, fornication, adultery, homosexual practice, drunkenness and unscriptural divorce. Scripture also condemns other "deeds of the flesh" such as covetousness, jealousy, pride and lust — sins which the maturing Christian should put off, and replace with "fruit of the spirit": love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control (e.g., Luke 10:27; Galatians 2:20, 5:14-24; Ephesians 2:3; 1Corinthians 6:9-10).
As a Christian educational institution, Biola also recognizes the responsibility of its board of trustees, faculty and staff to provide examples of maturing Christian character conduct to its students and the community at large. To this end, participation in certain practices has been traditionally held by the University to be inappropriate for members of the Biola community. Such practices relate to areas of personal discipline and are in keeping with the biblical admonition that Christians glorify God in their physical bodies as "the temple of the Holy Spirit" (1Corinthians 6:19-20), and that their freedom in Christ must not cause a brother or sister in Christ to stumble (1Corinthians 8:7-13; 10:23-33). Members of the Biola community are expected to refrain from the use of alcoholic beverages and tobacco in any form, and from gambling. Also, Biola does not allow social dancing at university-related or sponsored activities (that is, at any activity that involves any identifiable university group, is publicized on-campus, and/or has the appearance of being university-related, whether held on or off campus). Furthermore, discernment must be exercised in avoiding all activities which may be spiritually or morally harmful. Individual decisions regarding movies, television programs, all form of electronic media and other activities are expected to reflect this moral commitment. Biola University does not presume to be a censoring agency for all activities; it does, however, expect tangible evidence of maturing Christian convictions and discerning judgment.
In addition, members of the Biola community will observe Sunday as the Lord's Day and give primary attention to worship, rest, Christian fellowship and recreation, and service.
These standards apply to the student while enrolled in any of the schools or programs of the University on and off campus. In addition, these standards apply to the board members during their term of service on the Biola University Board of Trustees, and to faculty and staff during their term of employment with Biola University. Biola therefore reserves the right to discipline or dismiss any student or employee who, in its judgment, does not conform to these conduct standards or to other expressed principles, policies, programs and expectations of the university governing employee conduct.