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Chapman University is committed to providing an environment which is free of any form of harassment and discrimination based upon an individual's race, color, religion, sex, gender identity, pregnancy, national origin, ancestry, citizenship status, age, marital status, physical disability, mental disability, medical condition, sexual orientation, military or veteran status, genetic information, or any other characteristic protected by applicable state or federal law, so that all members of the community are treated at all times with dignity and respect. Learn more about Chapman's Equal Opportunity Employment policy.

Chapman has a Conduct Code as well, read about the conduct code

For additional relevant Chapman policies, go to the Chapman catalog

Chapman University recognizes optimal health as including healthy spirituality, balanced with intellectual, physical, and social health.  College is a great time to explore your spiritual life and beliefs and the Interfaith Center is here to support you on that journey!  But there are big differences between healthy spiritual exploration and "high-pressure" groups. 

WHAT IS A HIGH-PRESSURE GROUP?

A high-pressure group might exhibit some or all of the following traits:

• Ask and pressures you to answer too many personal questions
• Ask you to put their group above your time and commitment to family, friends and other groups
• Initially, appears to be perfect, with everyone cheerful and getting along
• Use tactics of guilt, shame and/or fear 
• Discourages too many questions and critical thinking
• Offers "instant friendship" (when we all know real friendships take time)
• Recruiters are "too eager" to meet with you and quickly introduce you to friends and bring you along to events  before you have time to think it through

 

WHEN WILL A HIGH-PRESSURE GROUP APPROACH ME?

A high-pressure group is most likely to approach you when you are:

• Emotionally vulnerable.  For example, when you are feeling lonely, homesick or grieving someone who has left you
• Not being recruited or befriended by anyone
• Struggling with your faith and meaning in your life
• Having trouble with your family or a relationship
• Feeling stressed about grades or exams
• Worried about your future
• New to Chapman and Orange

 

HOW YOU CAN DEAL WITH HIGH PRESSURE GROUPS

• Don't give into pressure to give your personal information without sufficient information about the group first
• Get the opinion of someone you trust who is not a member of the group such as a friend, professor, parent, counselor, or religious leader
• ASK QUESTIONS and don't accept evasive answers
• Examine yourself: are you stressed or lonely or overwhelmed and vulnerable?
• Know that if you agree to go to a meeting, you may not get a clear picture of the nature of the group right away
• Learn to say 'no'
• Get involved with a healthy religious or social group 

 

RESOURCES TO HELP YOU AT CHAPMAN:

• Student Psychological Counseling Services 
• The Office of the Executive Director of the Fish Interfaith Center has staff available to talk to you and can get you in touch with many healthy spiritual and religious groups
• Office of Student Affairs