Return to Quakerism
Photo by Billie Throm
Article by Madeline Teeter
NEWBERG, Ore. – George Fox University (GFU) will be instituting new policies beginning in the 2026-2027 academic school year. The goal of these policies is to return to the Quaker roots of the university.
These new policies were inspired by an article from last semester about whether GFU is still Quaker. The office of the President read the article and decided that while Quakerism lies at the heart of the university, they needed to take things a step further.
One upcoming change is that all of the chapel services will now be Quaker silent worship and waiting. Students will still be required to earn 15 chapel credits, although online credits will no longer be offered.
Classes on Quakerism will be required for all students, along with the other general education requirements. The classes will cover many topics, such as the history of Quakerism, Quaker beliefs and good Quaker practice.
While students and staff have been encouraged to call one another by their first names at the university, it will now be required. Anyone who does not follow this rule will face scrutiny.
In a similar vein, all people on campus will be required to address others using “thee” and “thou.” This was a Quaker tradition, as “you” was considered a formal method of address and implied a higher status.
If someone is caught saying “you,” they will be fined. The first fine will be five dollars and will increase by five dollars for every usage of “you.”
A dress code will also become mandated. Students will wear plain dress, with men wearing wide brimmed hats and women wearing bonnets. The wider the brim of the hat and the squarer the bonnet, the better.
Several activities will also be banned on campus. All forms of dancing will be prohibited. Card games will also be forbidden and works of literature that are not considered edifying will be removed from the library.
Any musical instruments found on campus will be confiscated and burned on the quad. This act is inspired by Solomon Eccles, a musician who burned all of his instruments once he embraced Quakerism.
The position of “president” will be replaced by a committee and everyone on the committee must be a professing Quaker. Students of any background and belief are still welcome to the university and will experience living a rigorous Quaker lifestyle during their time at GFU.
Next fall will see these changes put into practice, so students are encouraged to acquire appropriate plain dress and begin adjusting to “thee” and "thou” over the summer to avoid slip-ups. A formal statement will soon be released about these policies.
