By Ashley Coker
Staff Writer
Beginning next semester, Bryan College students will no longer be able to share sidewalks with the students of the opposite sex or go on unchaperoned dates.
The student handbook will be revised to address current issues concerning public displays of affection.
One of the guidelines in it currently reads: “In application of these [Biblical] principles on campus public display of affection, with the exception of a brief goodnight kiss and a non-prolonged embrace, should not go beyond hand-holding and taking an escort’s arm.”
The Administration said that “a brief goodnight kiss” was intended to imply a quick kiss on the hand. Since they have gotten reports of certain students taking this statement to mean that it is acceptable to kiss members of the opposite sex on the lips, they felt that rules against sharing sidewalks and going on unchaperoned dates would rid these students of any temptation.
Group dates will be included in the new rule and will require a chaperone. Any faculty or staff member, as well as any RA, will be able to act as an appropriate chaperone for students hanging out in mixed gender groups.
Upcoming seniors will have the option to apply for the right to chaperone dates.
All potential chaperones will be required to write a three page essay about why the pursuit of purity is important to them and their personal convictions regarding premarital interactions.
If their essay answers are acceptable, candidates will be able to move on to the next round of the application process: a psychological evaluation. This evaluation will ensure that the candidate is of sound mind and will be able to stick to and enforce principles of purity.
Before they can chaperone dates, approved chaperones will undergo training on what is and is not appropriate behavior between students of the opposite sex and how to respond when they observe inappropriate interactions.
They will be provided squirt guns to use if they see students getting too close.
In order to make the shift to separate sidewalks as easy as possible, there will be a new set of sidewalks running parallel to current sidewalks installed over the summer.
