Faculty opposes gay marriage ban
Ball State joins other universities against proposed amendment
Amanda Getchel
The Ball State University Faculty Council voted to oppose the proposed gay marriage amendment Senate Joint Resolution 7.
Beckie Adams, a professor in the Department of Family and Consumer Sciences, said the Faculty Council was strongly opposed to the state constitution amendment.
According to the Indiana General Assembly's Web site, SJR7 would define marriage as being only between a man and a woman. Same sex couples or heterosexual couples who are not married also could not receive the same benefits as a married couple, according to the proposed amendment.
On Tuesday the Indiana Senate voted 39-9 Tuesday in favor of the proposed amendment.
Adams, who teaches marriage and family relationships, said when she brought her resolution to the Faculty Council to oppose SJR7 there was not much debate.
"Because of the affect it'd have on the hiring of faculty, the recruitment of students and even businesses coming to Indiana, we felt it was an important thing for us to do," she said.
She said she was pleased the Faculty Council voted in opposition to the proposed amendment because it was part of the university's strategic plan to attract faculty of national prominence and increase the diversity of students. If the amendment passes, the university could not do that as well, Adams said.
Adams said Ball State was not the first university to oppose SJR7. She said faculty councils and student bodies at Indiana University, Indiana State University, DePauw University, Hanover College and Purdue University also had voiced concerns on the issue.
Beckie Adams, a professor in the Department of Family and Consumer Sciences, said the Faculty Council was strongly opposed to the state constitution amendment.
According to the Indiana General Assembly's Web site, SJR7 would define marriage as being only between a man and a woman. Same sex couples or heterosexual couples who are not married also could not receive the same benefits as a married couple, according to the proposed amendment.
On Tuesday the Indiana Senate voted 39-9 Tuesday in favor of the proposed amendment.
Adams, who teaches marriage and family relationships, said when she brought her resolution to the Faculty Council to oppose SJR7 there was not much debate.
"Because of the affect it'd have on the hiring of faculty, the recruitment of students and even businesses coming to Indiana, we felt it was an important thing for us to do," she said.
She said she was pleased the Faculty Council voted in opposition to the proposed amendment because it was part of the university's strategic plan to attract faculty of national prominence and increase the diversity of students. If the amendment passes, the university could not do that as well, Adams said.
Adams said Ball State was not the first university to oppose SJR7. She said faculty councils and student bodies at Indiana University, Indiana State University, DePauw University, Hanover College and Purdue University also had voiced concerns on the issue.
Viewing Comments 1 - 10 of 34
Charlotte
posted 2/01/08 @ 8:54 AM EST
Marriage is a basic civil right. For the truth about gay marriage check out our trailer. Produced to educate & defuse the controversy it has a way of opening closed minds & provides some sanity on the issue: www. (Continued…)
Adam
posted 2/01/08 @ 12:16 PM EST
makes me proud to go to Ball State!
Pete
posted 2/01/08 @ 3:49 PM EST
It's about the federalism folks. I don't support a constitutional marriage amendment, but it's the state that has the right to enact the law if it so pleases. (Continued…)
Tax payer
posted 2/01/08 @ 10:02 PM EST
Why should I have to pay any taxes in Indiana if I do not have equal rights that everyone else is receiving. I am gay and can not get married or leave my estate to my partner as other couples do! The Christian right need to stay out of my bedroom and give me equal rights that all tax payers have in Indiana
Kay Greenleaf
posted 2/02/08 @ 10:04 AM EST
Carry on the good and important work that you do. As a member of the clergy and an out lesbian (marrried in Canada)you make me proud to be a BSU graduate. (Continued…)
What?
posted 2/02/08 @ 8:51 PM EST
Tax Payer...if you want to leave your estate to your partner it's called a will. You write one and leave everything in your estate to your partner. If not it goes to your closest living relative. (Continued…)
Derek
posted 2/02/08 @ 11:22 PM EST
Marriage is not a right, it is a commitment that 2 members of the opposite sex people make to each other!
Everyone has the right to get married; gay or straight, it just has to be to the person of an opposite sex. (Continued…)
John
posted 2/04/08 @ 6:53 PM EST
Why recognize "marriage" at all? If it is a religious union ceremony, legal recognition constitutes a violation of church and state by granting rights to only one group of people and denying rights to others. (Continued…)
Derrick S
posted 2/04/08 @ 7:40 PM EST
John, I completely agree with you maybe marriage should not be looked at by the state at all. It is difficult to regulate a ceremony, which was created with religious intentions. (Continued…)
Cedar
posted 2/05/08 @ 2:46 PM EST
THIS IS REDICULOUS!! I thought the "gay" phase in politics was over in 2004 after everyone started pulling the plug on rosie!
nobody is gay.. its a sexual fettish, get over it people. (Continued…)
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