At the heart of religious, secular, and spiritual identities is a long neglected area of focus: civil rights and public policy. Together, Convergence Strategies is working to fundamentally change the ways in which institutions across the United States and Canada are addressing core needs of religious minorities and non-religious identities.
In 2019, Washington State becomes the first state in the United States to pass a bill directing institutions of higher education to add religious accommodation policies to all syllabi for students attending institutions of higher learning. This bill has since become the blueprint for other states in process.
Status: Passed 2019 and Signed into Law April 2019
Following the success of Washington State, in 2020 Dr. Nielsen worked with various entities in Utah to complete the passage of SB244 which supported students in public institutions in Utah and directed the state Board of Higher Education to adopt policies which included religious accommodation policies. The bill was passed without a single dissenting vote in either the House or Senate chambers.
Status: Passed 2020 and Signed into Law 2020
The state of Ohio has long been a place in which higher education has been transformative. One of the most diverse states in the country politically, the state of Ohio is also home to a tremendous number of institutions, from flagships like Ohio State to small private institutions nearly everywhere. Since 2020, Dr. Nielsen has been working in conjunction with the state Jewish Federation to help with the passage of Ohio’s similar bill on religious accommodation. Sponsored by two republicans, the bill is currently in committee and expected to be further debated and brought to the floor for a vote in 2022.
Status: Filed, read in committee. IN PROGRESS
Massachusetts, home to more than 150 institutions of higher learning, is centralized in its institutions around the Boston metro area. Within this area known for colleges and universities, 88 institutions sit with hundreds of thousands of students who are seeking religious, secular, and spiritual equity. Since 2019, Dr. Nielsen has been working in conjunction with representative Jack Lewis. The bill is currently moving into committee, and it is expected to be discussed in 2022.
Status: Filed 2021. IN PROGRESS
If you are interested in helping to support our public policy efforts, please reach out or make a donation today in recognition of this long undervalued area of religious equity and pluralism.
