WFU Faculty Senate adopts resolution against HB2

The Faculty Senate of Wake Forest University has voted to adopt the following resolution relating to House Bill 2 (HB2):

“The Faculty Senate of Wake Forest University opposes North Carolina House Bill 2, enacted on March 23, 2016, which is contrary to our University-wide commitment to diversity and inclusion. The law specifically prevents cities from legally protecting sexual and gender minorities from discrimination, while also preventing transgender people from accessing public restrooms safely. The Senate believes that the bill will negatively affect our current LGBTQ faculty, administrators, staff and students and their friends and family and may negatively affect recruitment of faculty, administrators, staff and students. In addition, as the law prohibits K-12 public schools and publicly-funded universities and colleges in North Carolina from having multi-stall, multi-sex bathrooms, it could jeopardize federal funding for the schools attended by many of our family members, friends and neighbors. Thus, we urge our local government officials to take an active stand against the law, and we urge the North Carolina General Assembly and the Governor to repeal House Bill 2.”

The Faculty Senate represents faculty from the entire University: the undergraduate College, the School of Business, the School of Law, the School of Medicine, the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, the School of Divinity and the Z. Smith Reynolds Library.

The resolution is one of many efforts, including a similar resolution passed by faculty in the undergraduate College last month, to underscore inclusive values at Wake Forest.