George Fox University

George Fox University is in Newberg, Oregon.

(Andrew Theen/The Oregonian)

Two of Oregon's private Christian universities were included in a list of the "absolute worst campuses" for LGBTQ students.

Campus Pride, a nonprofit organization that keeps tabs on how colleges and universities address gay, lesbian and transgender issues on campuses, released an updated list Monday of the 102 schools it says openly discriminate against LGBTQ students.

George Fox, the Newberg-based university affiliated with the Quaker church, appeared on the list. Multnomah University, a private Christian school in Portland, also made the cut.

"Most people are shocked when they learn that there are college campuses still today that openly discriminate against LGBTQ youth.," Shane Windmeyer, Campus Pride's executive director said in a statement. "It is an unspoken secret in higher education, how they use religion as a tool for cowardice and discrimination."

Campus Pride used two criteria to compile the list. Schools must have either received or applied for an exemption to the federal Title IX regulations, which prohibit schools that receive federal dollars from discrimination on the basis of sex. The organization also considered schools with "past history and track record of anti-LGBTQ actions, programs and practices."

Windmeyer said he first published a list of 57 schools in Dec., 2015 that had received or requested Title IX waivers. Earlier this year, the Department of Education released more information on campuses that had requested waivers. Windmeyer said the new "Shame List" publicized Monday includes dozens of additional schools that have documented anti-LGBTQ policies.

Read: See the full list

Multnomah University applied for a Title IX waiver in 2015 on religious grounds but has not been approved. The school did not respond to a request for comment.

George Fox received an exemption from Title IX requirements in 2014, allowing the school to prevent a transgender student from living in male student housing. The university's exemption applies to housing and bathrooms.

A university spokesman didn't originally comment on the list, but referred to a website explaining the exemption and the school's policy on transgender students.

George Fox "affirms the dignity of all people," the statement reads, "and is called to treat all people as Christ did, with compassion and respect."

Nearly two weeks after the story first ran, George Fox spokesman Rob Felton issued a new statement. "Based upon their tax documents, Campus Pride is a three-employee LGBTQ advocacy group based in North Carolina," Felton said in an email. "We'd question what these three activists living nearly 3,000 miles away really know about George Fox or any of the 102 schools they've 'shamed.'"

Elsewhere on its website, George Fox said it addresses transgender students' needs "on a case-by-case basis, prioritizing the well-being of the individual and community alike."

"As an example, care is thus given to ensure that gender-neutral bathrooms are provided in academic and other facilities when possible," the school says.

Last week, Campus Pride released its top LGBTQ-friendly campuses. Southern Oregon and Portland State universities were named to that list.

UPDATE: This story was updated Sept. 9 with a new statement from George Fox.



-- Andrew Theen

atheen@oregonian.com

503-294-4026

@andrewtheen