Reprimands at Liberty University

[Boogalou]

I just finnished reading The Unlikely Disciple: A Sinner's Semester at America's Holiest University (a good book, btw) by Kevin Roose (he is the person who interned/slaved for AJ Jacobs in his book The Year of Living Biblically). In it he transfers from Brown to Liberty for a semester, pretending to be a born again conservative Christian, then writes about it. It's a great book and I would love to discuss it if anyone else has read it. If not, I will just get down to my question:

They have many rules and when they are broken people are given a number of reprimands and a monetary fine. He never explains what exactly reprimands are though. I kind of get the feeling they are like demerit points but I am not sure and the internet is not proving to be especially helpful. Has anyone here attended Liberty or known someone who has gone there who can fill me in?

Edited to close brackets

[treemom]

I did. But more than a decade before Roose.

And yes that is what they are. I think I have a copy of my early 90s The Liberty Way if yoy want me to try and find it and scan it.

The LU roose went to was way, way more liberal than when iwas there.

[bbfreethinker]

I have that book on my nook wishlist. Maybe I'll make it my next purchase. I'm currently reading a similar book called In the Land of Believers by Gina Welch. She goes undercover in Jerry Falwell's church.

[Shina]

Huh, now that's just funny Boogalou. I JUST finished The Unlikely Disciple too.

What did you think of Kevin's super creepy roomie?

[Guest Anonymous]

I went to Liberty actually, I started the year I got married and DH went too. That was 6 years ago, we graduated 2 years ago (But from a different secular university we transferred our last year).

I too have read the book, it is funny and takes on whole new meaning after going there. We did have a bit of a different situation since we went in married.

[treemom]

I went to Liberty actually, I started the year I got married and DH went too. That was 6 years ago, we graduated 2 years ago (But from a different secular university we transferred our last year).

I too have read the book, it is funny and takes on whole new meaning after going there. We did have a bit of a different situation since we went in married.

Yeah I was there back in the no pants, no tv, no music no newspaper days

[Guest Anonymous]

I just finished my freshman year of college and Liberty was on the short list of Universities I had looked at. Glad I never even visited.

[Dev83]

This is one of my FAV books of all time. I read it just as I was getting into Fundies and it mesmerized me.

[themadapple]

I read the book last year and enjoyed it immensely. I have to say, I was a bit jealous of the guy. I wish I had undertaken a big undercover project such as that in college (and, of course, written a book about my experiences afterwards).

[alphaeta08]

I read that book last summer and really enjoyed it! I also would've liked to do something like that, but there's no way in hell I'd be taking a soul-winning Spring Break trip. I might just reread it this summer!

[brigita]

I just put this on hold at my library -- it looks so interesting! I can't wait to read it.

[tehgoobster]

Huh, now that's just funny Boogalou. I JUST finished The Unlikely Disciple too.

What did you think of Kevin's super creepy roomie?

I just finished this book, too! I really enjoyed it. One of my favorite parts was when he went to Daytona Beach to evangelize using the Ray Comfort/Kirk Cameron method.

But yeah, his roommate, Henry, was a huge douche! I suspect that he's gay 'cause he seemed a little too preoccupied with homosexuality.

[Annette]

I went to Liberty and currently work there. You have to be logged in on the website to see the Liberty Way and reps. Here is the rep breakdown:

Reprimands and Consequences

1 Reprimand

* Late for curfew (1 additional reprimand for each 30 minutes late)

* Late to Convocation (1 additional reprimand for each 15 minutes late)

4 Reprimands + $10.00 Fine

* Absence from required meeting (Convocation, etc.)

* Disturbance/non-participation during Convocation

* Dress/hair code violation (male or female)

* Failure to respond to official call slip within 48 hours (for Student Affairs use only)

* Horseplay (plus financial restitution)

* Improper personal contact (anything beyond hand-holding) / Improper social behavior

* Improper sign out

* Music code violation

* Out of the residence halls after curfew

6 Reprimands + $25.00 Fine

* Possession and/or use of tobacco

* Direct disobedience/disrespect

* Gambling

* Attendance at a dance

* Unauthorized borrowing

12 Reprimands + $50.00 Fine

* Attendance at, possession or viewing of an “Râ€-rated movie

* Deception

* Malicious horseplay/behavior (plus financial restitution)

* Participation in an unauthorized petition or demonstration

* Possession of a school key without authorization

* Students of the opposite sex visiting alone at an off-campus residence

* Entering residence hallway, quad or on-campus apartment of the opposite sex or allowing the same

18 Reprimands + $250.00 + 18 Hours Disciplinary Community Service

* Association with those consuming alcohol

* Commission of a misdemeanor

* Obscene, profane or abusive language or behavior

* Possession and/or viewing of sexually-explicit material or movies (“X†or NC-17â€)

* Entering the bedroom of the opposite sex on or off campus or allowing the same

* Failure to properly identify oneself

* Falsification of information on an official document (including sign-out sheet)

* Racial harassment

* Sexual harassment (i.e., unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors or other conduct or comments of a sexual nature)

* Sexual misconduct and/or any state of undress

* Threat to do bodily harm

* Two or more individuals of the opposite sex together in motel room without proper permission

* Vandalism (plus financial restitution)

30 Reprimands + $500 Fine

+ 30 hours Disciplinary Community Service + possible Administrative Withdrawal.

NOTE: For each accumulation of six or more reprimands after 30, an additional $150 fine will be assessed.

* Abortion

* Assault/sexual assault (minimum two semesters out)

* Commission/conviction of any felony

* Illegal drugs-association/possession, use/distribution (minimum two semesters out)

* Immorality

* Involvement with witchcraft, séances or other satanic or demonic activity

* Life-threatening behavior or language to others or oneself (immediate removal/exclusion from campus and a minimum of two semesters out)

* Non-participation/disruption/non-compliance (possible removal/exclusion from campus)

* Possession or consumption of alcoholic beverages

* Refusal to submit to an Alco-Sensor test and/or drug test as specified by the administration

* Spending the night with a person of the opposite sex

* Stealing or possession of stolen property (plus financial restitution; minimum two semesters out)

* Unauthorized possession/use of weapons

NOTE: As the semester comes to a close, there may not be time for the student to complete his/her DCS. In that case, fines will be issued in lieu of DCS as follows: 18 hours = $100 fine; 30 hours = $150. Any student who violates disciplinary probation may not be allowed to return for the following semester.

[Annette]

If they knew half of what I did there, I would have owed them thousands of dollars and hundreds of hours of service. :)

ETA: I can copy anything else here that you're curious about in the Liberty Way.

[Cordial]

Unauthorized borrowing?

[Boogalou]

I originally thought that maybe his roommate was also an undercover writer and was saying those things to get everyone elses reactions, but apparently not. Once I finnished reading my new theory was that he was kind of crazy and had been put in prison (probably for something related to his gay bashing) and that is why he was in university so late in life.

Treemom and the poster who worked at Liberty: Do you get kicked out of the school if you reach a certain number of reprimands?

Treemom and the poster who had liberty on their short list of schools: why did each of you decide and not decide to go there? If this is too nosy, plaese ignore, I am just curious.

[Shirley MacLaine]

Possession of booze is up there with abortion?

[Annette]

Yes, you can get kicked out for a large accumulation of reps, or for just one "big" violation:

Retention/Non-Return

Enrollment at Liberty University does not guarantee continuance. Any student who accumulates 30+ reprimands for two consecutive semesters may be asked not to return to school the following semester. In addition, any student who commits a 30-reprimand offense may not be allowed to return the following semester. A student will not be permitted to participate in modulars or summer school during the time of their non-return.

[contrary]

i cannot imagine going straight from brown to liberty.

nevertheless, i've added this book (and the welch one) to my kindle wish list!

[Ralar]

Unauthorized borrowing?

Involvement with witchcraft, séances or other satanic or demonic activity

[Cordial]

This makes me the saddest:

* Life-threatening behavior or language to others or oneself (immediate removal/exclusion from campus and a minimum of two semesters out)

So if I'm reading right, if you say something that indicates you might be suicidal, you get... kicked out of school? I mean, not that I imagine Liberty would be a good place to get counseling anyway, but damn. Way to be compassionate, folks.

[Burris]

Possession of booze is up there with abortion?

...and sexual assault!

[Shirley MacLaine]

So many of these say 'opposite sex.' I almost feel like it would be easier to fly under the radar at LU as a gay couple.

[contrary]

i heard a story on NPR a couple of weeks ago (i think it was the 'secret lives of girls' series) about a lesbian couple in saudi arabia, saying that it was VERY easy to stay under the radar as a gay couple there. far easier than trying to date heterosexually.

[ukjingernut]

So why is drinking alcohol as serious as sexual assaulting someone?