Indiana Universities Go On Record Against Same-Sex Marriage Ban

Ball State University joined several other schools in Indiana to go on record against a constitutional ban on same-sex marriage.

If Indiana's legislature passes House Joint Resolution 6, voters would cast a ballot in November 2014 to determine whether to add a state constitutional amendment setting marriage to be between one man and one woman. Ball State's Senate, comprised of faculty, staff and students, overwhelmingly approved a resolution Thursday with university president's support urging state legislators to abandon the proposal.

Indiana lawmakers have debated this sort of ban every year since 2004, Al Jazeera reports, but now they do so with three nearby Midwestern states where same-sex marriage is legalized, and after the U.S. Supreme Court struck down the federal Defense of Marriage Act.

Ball State's recent announcement puts them arm-in-arm with Indiana University, DePauw University and Wabash College. Purdue University could soon join that list as well stating opposition to H.R. 6.

Purdue professors will consider their own resolution to show opposition to the ban at a faculty senate meeting Monday.

DePauw University and Wabash College joined the coalition earlier this month opposing a constitutional ban on marriage equality. A joint statement from DePauw President Brian W. Casey and Wabash President Gregory D. Hess said "attracting talented faculty and staff" would be more difficult under the ban, the Indianapolis Star reports.

As ThinkProgress noted, the the Indianapolis City Council and Chamber of Commerce are also on record against the gay marriage ban, as are Eli Lilly and Co. and Cummins, what the Star described as "corporate heavyweights" in the state.

The Indiana legislature will begin debating the proposed amendment in January.

UPDATE, Nov. 19: The Purdue Senate approved a resolution opposing the same-sex marriage ban.