Complex sentence: Mercer's decision to become an independent Baptist university contrasts with other universities that became secular after severing ties with their state conventions; such universities include Furman University, Stetson University, the University of Richmond, and Wake Forest University.
Split into simpler sentences: Mercer's decision to become an independent Baptist university contrasts with other universities that became secular after severing ties with their state conventions. Such universities include Furman University, Stetson University, the University of Richmond, and Wake Forest University.