Graduate School of Theology
Strategic Plan
I. PREFACE
This five-year strategic plan was formed and written by the faculty of the Graduate School of Theology (GST) at Abilene Christian University. For over a year the entire GST faculty, both in subcommittees and in meetings of the faculty-as-a-whole, discussed the future of the school, its needs, and goals. The resulting document lays out a broad vision for the GST and what the school plans to do over the next five years to accomplish it.
II. INTRODUCTION
From its establishment in 1906, Abilene Christian University has been committed to instilling Christian values in its students and helping them become faithful disciples. Moreover, from its beginning the mission of the school has focused on the importance of theological inquiry and the training of ministers for effective service and leadership in the church and throughout the world.
The original Department of Bible had a two-fold purpose: to educate the general undergraduate students and to train people for responsibilities in ministerial leadership. In the early 1950s, graduate programs were inaugurated, with the first masters degrees being conferred in 1954, and the first S.T.B. (M.Div.) graduating class receiving their diplomas in 1967. The Department of Bible became the College of Biblical Studies (CBS) in 1984 and included four departments: the Undergraduate Department of Bible and Ministry, the Graduate Department of Bible and Ministry, the Department of Missions, and the Department of Marriage and Family Therapy.
In 1998, the ACU board approved the establishment of the Graduate School of Theology within CBS, with the dean of the college also being dean of the GST. This entity brought together the traditional theological disciplinesbiblical studies, theology, history, ministry, and missionswhich had previously been housed in two departments. The remaining departments within the college continue to play a vital role and coordinate quite effectively with the work and mission of the GST. The undergraduate Department of Bible, Missions, and Ministry functions primarily as a pre-ministry program and serves as a feeder program for the GST. The Department of Marriage and Family Therapy offers therapy training within a Christian framework. Several GST students also receive the M.M.F.T. degree.
In 2002, the Graduate School of Theology became fully accredited by the Association of Theological Schools (ATS). Since receiving this accreditation, the most significant organizational shift has been in the relationship of the GST to the university Graduate School. As a professional school, the GST no longer reports directly to the Graduate Council of the university or the dean of the Graduate School concerning matters of curriculum or faculty, though it cooperates extensively with the Graduate School on matters concerning graduate education. Decisions about faculty, curriculum, new courses, student petitions, and other academic matters are made by the GST faculty and are subject to approval by the dean of the GST and the university provost. The GST associate dean sits on the Graduate Council ex officio, informing the council of developments within the GST. However, the details of registration management, such as enrollment processes, degree audits, and commencement details, continue to be handled by the university Graduate School.
Since receiving ATS accreditation, the GST remains at the heart of the College of Biblical Studies. While having a theological school housed within a college is unusual, the arrangement continues to function well within the ACU system and has proved beneficial to everyone involved. In some key ways, GST academic processes now function independently of the college. For example, new course approvals, curriculum changes, recruitment of faculty, and academic exceptions no longer are supervised by the CBS academic council but move from GST faculty to GST dean directly to the provost. In most ways, however, the faculties of the academic units within the college share common interests. The faculty of the three departments largely serve the same constituents outside the university. All provide ministry resources to churches, all help address the needs of church leaders, and all work to help churches negotiate their changing circumstances. In the present structure, the faculty are able to work together to formulate strategies for serving churches and church leaders while focusing on the unique needs of their students. The largest portion of endowment funds that have been given for ministry preparation over the past 50 years is able to be used to support the needs of the Graduate School of Theology. The GST benefits greatly from its relationship to the other academic units, both inside and outside the college, and is committed to sharing and contributing to the universitys mission and purpose.
III. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
This strategic plan begins with a vision statement that reflects bold dreams about the future of the Graduate School of Theology between 2003 and 2008. This vision calls for ministry preparation that is responsive to significant shifts in the Christian witness throughout the world and provides rigorous academic training in the theological disciplines. This vision reflects faculty commitment to rethink how teaching and learning might best be done for contemporary students in changing times. The vision grows out of the mission of the Graduate School of Theology, recently rewritten to reflect faculty commitment to be an effective theological school for the twenty-first century.
At the heart of this strategic plan are four core values related to faculty, students, curriculum (including library), and heritage. These values, implicitly or explicitly, have been anchor points for graduate theological education throughout ACUs history.
A narrative is provided for each of the four core values describing the needs and opportunities of the current situation. From this description, several goals are articulated that lead to focused strategies that, in turn, are embodied in specific initiatives. These provide concrete actions with target dates in order to help the vision become reality. Finally, assessment processes are described in each of the four areas so that progress toward thevision can be verified and so that responsible individuals can be held accountable in completing their assignments. In every instance in which additional financial support is required to meet a specific goal, contingencies are stated in case funding is not available.
The vision is ambitious, but the goals are concrete and attainable. In most instances, the work is well underway. The faculty know that more than a few obstacles stand in the way, but they are committed to being an effective theological school during challenging times and are optimistic about the future of the school and its mission.
IV. VISION
Any theological school seeking to be effective in the twenty-first century faces considerable challenges and opportunities. Christianity in North America is changing in substantial ways among all religious communities and certainly within Churches of Christ. The centers of influence within Christianity are gradually shifting to the Southern Hemisphere. The impact of globalization, technological innovation, and increasing cultural diversity is significant. Churches throughout the world are being affected by substantial theological and sociological change. In these days, the tasks of theological education are complex, indeed.
ACUs Graduate School of Theology will continue to address the challenges and opportunities of being a theological school in this century, both in preparing students for changing circumstances and in spiritually forming them into the image of Christ. Over the next five years, the GST will seriously address its curriculum so that the content as well as context of theological inquiry and ministry preparation will better reflect the needs of contemporary students and the churches they will serve. The faculty will consider new ways of teaching and learning while still attempting to appropriate the gains and values of higher education from the last century. Teaching and learning in the GST will be more interdisciplinary in nature. Student competencies will be achieved not only through completion of classroom assignments but also through contextual learning and mentoring. The GST will provide greater opportunities for students and faculty to experience the life of the church outside the U.S. and outside the West. The curriculum will integrate research and ministry, seeing the inherent value of both. It will address, from the best ideals of the Stone-Campbell heritage, the growing impulse toward unity among believers within divided Christianity. Correspondingly, the co-curriculum will provide a framework by which students faith will be nurtured, their prayer life deepened, and their discipleship enhanced.
The GST will not only equip ministers for existing churches, but it will also train teams for church planting opportunities around the world. It will assume, at least in part, the need for a missional approach to North American church life. That is to say, the GST will provide support for churches that increasingly must work against many of the prevailing values and influences of the culture or in creative dialogue with the culture, and it will equip ministerial leaders to help transform churches into mission outposts within their North American contexts.
To achieve this vision, the GST will not only re-think its curriculum, it will work to broaden its faculty and student body, especially regarding ethnic and gender diversity, to better address this changing cultural and ecclesial situation. It will increase its commitment to global education including substantial opportunities for distance education. It will work to ensure the financial stability necessary to support not only its students and faculty but also the increased demands of teaching and learning. And it will enhance its efforts to form students not only intellectually but also spiritually as women and men faithful to their calling, to their communities of faith, and to their God.
V. MISSION
Since its founding in 1906, Abilene Christian University has attempted to prepare students for Christian service. Now almost a century later, ACU continues in its mission to educate students for Christian service and leadership throughout the world. The Graduate School of Theology builds on that commitment by offering specialized programs to train its students for the challenges of the twenty-first century. The mission of the GST is to equip men and women for effective missional leadership for ministry in all its forms and to provide strong academic foundations for theological inquiry.
VI. CORE VALUES
A. The Graduate School of Theology will employ and support faculty who exemplify the spirit of Christ in their conduct, who are devoted to both research and ministry, who are effective and creative in the classroom, who are willing to engage students meaningfully outside the classroom, and who reflect ethnic and gender diversity.
B. The Graduate School of Theology will recruit students who are committed to excellence, who are imbued with Christian qualities and values, who see scholarship as a crucial part of Christian ministry, and who reflect gender and ethnic diversity.
C. The Graduate School of Theology is committed to excellence in shaping the substance as well as structure of the curriculum, in reflecting within the curriculum awareness of current theological and cultural trends, and in providing the library tools and other resources necessary for the training of ministers and the equipping of Christian scholars.
D. The Graduate School of Theology seeks to honor the best values of the heritage of Churches of Christ while acknowledging and appreciating the broad Christian history of which this fellowship is a part.
VII. CRITICAL ISSUES TO BE ADDRESSED
A. Faculty . How can the Graduate School of Theology recruit and support faculty who embody the best ideals of the institution as Christian scholars and servants?
1. The Current Situation
The GST will continue to cultivate the academic, spiritual, personal, and professional preparation of its students by recruiting mature, highly qualified faculty. The GST, like the university as a whole, expects that its faculty will combine academic productivity (measured in peer-reviewed scholarship, skilled teaching, collegiality, service to the community, and the education of the universitys various publics) with a vigorous spiritual and congregational life. Accordingly, the GST will seek faculty members who combine high quality academic training with experience and expertise in ministry. Faculty must be able to teach in their own disciplines in ways that meet the highest standards in their respective fields, provide leadership in churches, and attend to their own spiritual health. Moreover, the faculty must continue playing a leading role in university conversations concerning teaching and learning within the context of the schools religious heritage. The role of the Center for Restoration Studies, funded by the college and directed by a GST faculty member, will play a crucial role in facilitating this discussion, especially as moneys are raised for the Center in the current Centennial Development Campaign. The GST faculty take seriously their role in helping shape the theology and practice of the university.
With its long history of outstanding scholar-teachers, the graduate program at ACU continues to recruit professors who aspire to the above goals. The current faculty write extensively for the scholarly guild as well as the church and participate actively in professional organizations in theology, church history, biblical studies, homiletics, missions, and other theological disciplines. Collegial feeling is high, with faculty often teaching and writing together and sharing their work with each other. There is a strong sentiment that senior faculty members treat their junior colleagues with respect and provide encouragement and informal mentoring.
In order for the Graduate School of Theology to compete with other graduate programs and to excel in theological education, it must attract and retain an outstanding faculty. Part of recruiting and supporting faculty involves offering competitive salaries. Fortunately, all of the current GST faculty already meet or exceed the College and University Professional Association for Human Resources (CUPA) average for Private Masters Level 1 universities. Compared to ATS cohorts, GST faculty salaries compare slightly less well but are still competitive. ACUs generous retirement plan and Abilenes low cost of living also support the retention of GST faculty.
However, significant challenges remain. Perhaps most importantly, the faculty remains homogeneous ethnically and in gender. The GST must add female and minority faculty. Because of the ongoing needs of the university, these faculty may have to be hired as replacements. However, if open positions do not match the pool of qualified candidates, external funding will be necessary to meet this need. If such funding is not available, no additional faculty can be hired.
In addition to increasing diversity, the GST faces other challenges regarding faculty. Several retirements over the next five years will lead to a loss of experience among the faculty. Committee assignments and mentoring place heavy demands on faculty time. Although an excellent teaching and assessment tool, the case study method for M.Div. comprehensive exams is extremely time intensive. Furthermore, the demands for work on M.A. and D.Min. theses are high for some faculty. Funding remains limited for faculty reassignment or for research expenses. The addition of one or more tracks in the M.A. in Christian Ministry may require an increase of faculty over the long run. (A description of the need and strategic goals are described below under Curriculum.) If the GST adds branch campuses in Ghana and New York and/or increases its presence in Dallas, the overall faculty size will have to be expanded. The university Centennial Campaign for development includes funding for distance education faculty. (See discussion under Curriculum and in appendix 5 concerning GST distance education needs and opportunities.)
The West Texas culture and demography present challenges to the recruitment of some potential faculty members, especially women and minorities. The relationship between the GST and the College of Biblical Studies, while clarified substantially over the past two years, still needs some modification. This is especially true regarding the designation of endowments and the calculation of university financial support of programs and services. Although many challenges remain, the GST continues to build and equip a first-class faculty fully prepared for the exigencies and opportunities of the times.
2. Goals
a. To increase diversity of the GST by adding female and minority faculty members
b. To increase opportunities and expectations concerning faculty research
c. To ensure that GST faculty salaries remain competitive
d. To prepare faculty to teach effectively, especially in light of the changing cultural context and developments within the theological disciplines as well as theological education
3. Strategies
a. A female tenure-track faculty member will be hired by 2007 and a minority tenure-track faculty member by 2008. Both of these appointments will be made as replacement faculty unless external funding is available through either endowments or university budget reallocation.
b. In order to encourage faculty to engage actively in peer-reviewed scholarship, the GST will periodically offer reassignment for faculty for the purpose of research and writing.
c. The salaries of GST faculty will be re-assessed in order to remain competitive in the recruitment and retention of first-tier faculty.
d. Faculty development opportunities, both on and off campus, will be increased in order for faculty to re-tool regarding course content as well as pedagogy.
e. The GST will formulate marketing and communication initiatives to establish the distinctive identity of the theological school within the college.
4. Initiatives
a. During the 2004-2005 academic year, faculty and administrators will identify and recommend minority and women faculty to be considered as candidates for hiring.
b. Current restricted dollars (approximately $10,000 per year) will be earmarked, beginning fall 2005, to help fund key minority and female doctoral candidates. If funds are no longer available through current restricted dollars, this initiative will not be possible.
c. Beginning in the 2007-2008 academic year, in addition to regular university faculty development leaves, a one-course load reassignment (from 18 teaching hours annually to 15) will be made available to at least one GST faculty whose proposed research and writing project is judged by a faculty committee to merit institutional support. Faculty who receive reassignment for research will present their work at a GST colloquium following the completion of their work. Faculty may work creatively with the GST associate dean to move other scheduled courses to another semester or summer in order to free up more time for research. The GST associate dean will ensure sufficient faculty, including adjuncts, to cover all required courses. Applications will be available fall 2006.
d. The associate dean will collate and analyze data concerning faculty salaries each year, comparing GST mean and median salaries with those of comparable CUPA as well as ATS peer schools. The dean and associate dean will work with the university provost in keeping GST faculty salaries competitive. Comparative faculty salary data will be reported annually to the GST Governing Board and faculty beginning August 2004.
e. The Task Force on the GST as a Theological School in the Twenty-first Century will meet in retreat November 2003 to discuss, among other things, areas of faculty need regarding improving teaching and learning.
f. The associate dean will plan at least one colloquium each semester as part of faculty enrichment beginning spring 2004.
g. By spring 2004, the GST will publish its own Internet newsletter at least once each semester.
h. A GST alumni organization will be established by fall 2004 to help with ministry relations, image building, program development, and fundraising.
5. Assessment
a. The dean will report to the faculty regarding the recruitment of female and minority faculty at the annual GST faculty meeting. If no candidates are identified or if no funding is available, then the GST will not be able to hire female and minority faculty per the above schedule.
b. The associate dean will provide information and applications for course reductions for the purpose of faculty research at the GST pre-session in August 2004.
c. The associate dean will give an update regarding faculty salaries, including comparisons with appropriate cohort groups, at the GST pre-session in August 2004.
d. Beginning in the 2004-2005 academic year, faculty engagement with enrichment opportunities will be considered part of the collegiality portion of the tenure and promotion process, including post-tenure review.
e. At the annual August meeting of the GST Governing Board, the dean and associate dean will present a summary of issues related to faculty hiring, development, and productivity.
B. Students . How can the Graduate School of Theology best recruit and support students who embody the best ideals of the institution as Christian scholars and ministerial leaders?
1. The Current Situation
The GST has enjoyed considerable success in recruiting new students over the past five years. The enrollment has increased from a non-duplicated headcount of 233 to 296 between 1998 and 2003, giving it the largest number of students in graduate theological education of schools affiliated with the Churches of Christ. Recent surveys of incoming students indicate that the theological perspectives and academic reputation of GST faculty are the primary motivations for students to apply.
Although GST enrollment has grown significantly in the past five years, only 29.3 % of members of Churches of Christ involved in graduate theological education in ATS schools attend the GST. (Only one other Church of Christ school is accredited with ATS, and its enrollment is somewhat smaller than the GST.) The GST should build on recent successes to provide education that reaches a wider segment of these churches. At the same time, the increased enrollment has put a strain on faculty resources. Faculty conversations have begun concerning the possibility of capping enrollment and raising academic qualifications of students admitted into the program.
The GST faces several challenges regarding its students. In 2003, the GST has only 9 % minority and 14% women in the student body. Efforts to recruit minorities, including international students, have resulted in minimal success. The enrollment of women is inhibited by the uncertainty among women and the GST faculty over the prospects for employment in ministry among Churches of Christ. The wide range of beliefs and practices among Churches of Christ also limits the capacity of the GST to serve the entire tradition. Although the GST gives competitive scholarships, students often enter graduate work with substantial indebtedness and must continue to meet living expenses not covered by the scholarships. The GST faces a limited budget and support staff for advertising and institutional advancement. With these constraints in mind, the GST plans to focus its efforts on increasing the applicant pool, retaining the students who matriculate, and enrolling greater numbers of females and minorities. In addition, the Centennial Development Campaign is including the funding of 50 full scholarships for GST students.
The GST may be reaching its potential for the number of students that it can accommodate in Abilene. While this region offers a great environment in many waysa family-oriented city with three universities, good schools, vibrant communities of faith, etc.it also has limitations. As many as one half of the students are married and need income for spouses while they are in school, but numerous professions are closed for them in this region. Furthermore, major population centers offer more potential for a diverse student body. For example, while there is a thriving Hispanic presence in Abilene, African-Americans make up only about 5% of the population. National and international responsibilities of the GST require that it plan, not only for the future of the home campus, but also for opportunities that come in urban centers in the United States and at international sites (For a description of the strategic goals regarding distance education, see below under Curriculum.)
2. Goals
a. To have a student headcount enrollment of 325 by 2006 and to assess the viability of increased admissions standards and an enrollment cap
b. To increase the enrollment of women and minorities incrementally each year and to reach 15% enrollment for minorities and international students and 20% for women by 2008
3. Strategies
a. The GST will enhance its public image through regular communication with its constituency.
b. The GST administration will plan to increase the pool of applicants.
c. The GST will implement a plan to monitor at-risk students.
d. The GST will set appropriate targets for student headcount enrollment and FTE and reassess admissions standards in light of a possible admissions cap.
e. The GST will increase enrollment of non-traditional, off-campus, and international students.
f. The GST will improve the current program to enhance enrollment of minorities and women.
4. Initiatives
a. Enhancement of the public image will occur through several means.
(1) Faculty will be involved in public service (seminars such as ElderLink workshops for elders, the annual Bible Lectureship, lectures in local venues and faculty publications). The office of Ministry Programs and Services will report each year on the contribution of GST faculty to institutional advancement beginning August 2004.
(2) The GST will begin a biennial electronic newsletter in spring 2004 for alumni, church leaders, and key supporters.
b. The GST will cooperate with the ACU admissions and graduate recruitment offices as well as the university Graduate Students Association to increase the database of potential applicants. The director of Graduate Student Services will include the results of this initiative in his annual report beginning fall 2003.
c. Beginning spring 2004, the associate dean of GST will ask faculty in the first few weeks of the semester to indicate signs of academically at-risk students.
(1) Graduate assistants will be designated to help students who need special assistance with languages.
(2) The associate dean will advise students about the availability of the ACU Writing Center.
d. Beginning fall 2004, the GST faculty will examine admission standards, progress of students toward graduation, trends in course enrollment, and other data, and will benchmark enrollment and faculty size in comparable ATS schools. By fall 2006, the GST faculty will determine the advisability of raising admissions standards and/or set an enrollment cap.
e. The GST will make a concerted effort to expand offerings beyond traditional residential students.
(1) More creative scheduling (weekend offerings, non-traditional course formats) will provide opportunities for nontraditional students beginning fall 2004.
(2) Beginning fall 2005, the increased availability of Internet offerings will provide opportunities to students around the world, allowing them to reduce the time of residency in Abilene. Internet enrollment, now at maximum capacity, will be increased incrementally from 2004 to 2008 to meet current demand.
(3) With additional funding, GST will employ one faculty member in the Dallas-Fort Worth area by fall 2008. Without a significant increase in funding, the GST will offer additional courses in that area taught by residential faculty. From 2004 to 2007, two courses will be taught in the area each semester.
(4) With increased funding, GST will pursue other initiatives for a national and international presence. For example, conversations are under way concerning the possibility of offering graduate courses and eventually branch campuses in Accra, Ghana, and New York City.
(5) The universitys Centennial Campaign calls for funding initiatives in the area of distance education. If sufficient funds are not raised in this campaign, the GST will work to identify donors who have an interest in supporting the international effort in Africa and in New York. If there is no increase in funding, no new initiatives will be taken.
f. The GST will attempt to enhance recruitment of minorities and international students.
(1) Beginning spring 2004, the minority student task force will report to the faculty each semester after the twelve-day count on the results of the initiatives with minorities.
(2) Scholarships will be offered to outstanding minority and international students (fall 2003).
(3) The director of Graduate Student Services (DGSS) in the GST will develop a list of possible internal and external funding sources for additional financial aid for minorities.
(4) The GST will seek funding for needs-based grants that will reduce the gap between academic scholarships and unmet needs. Study of the average amount of unmet financial needs will be developed by the DGSS and coordinated with the Office of Student Financial Services. The DGSS annual report will describe progress in this area.
(5) The DGSS will develop peer-marketing opportunities using current minority students and ACU alumni.
(6) The GST will seek input from non-traditional sources. The DGSS and minority recruiting task force will meet with ACU undergraduate minority student groups such as Essence of Ebony, Hispanos Unidos, and International Student Association during the spring semester to initiate dialogue that will aid in understanding issues and develop a continuing network of career change prospects. Progress in these areas will be included in the DGSS annual report.
g. New certificates and degree programs in childrens ministry and youth ministry will expand the services of GST and benefit the recruitment of women. (The timeline for this initiative is discussed under Curriculum below.)
h. Beginning immediately, the dean of GST will work with the Office of Development to make the Students Associates Fund, whose purpose is to help defray educational expenses for financially at-risk students, a priority in GST annual giving. Substantial increases in this fund should be in place by fall 2006. The dean will also work to help raise support for 50 full-time GST scholarships (which is included in the ACU Centennial Campaign).
5. Assessments
a. The director of Graduate Student Services will file a comprehensive report to the dean and associate dean after the twelfth-day count in the fall of each year beginning fall 2003.
b. The associate dean will include the results in the annual assessment of goals that he provides for the Office of Institutional Research and Assessment beginning fall 2004.
c. The associate dean will give a comprehensive enrollment and recruiting report at the August pre-session GST faculty meetings beginning 2004.
d. The dean and associate dean will present a comprehensive enrollment and recruiting report to the Governing Board each August beginning 2004.
C. Curriculum. How can the curriculum within the Graduate School of Theology best be formed in order to equip students for ministry and provide rigorous training in the theological disciplines? How can the library function as a substantial resource for the GST?
1. The Current Situation
CURRICULUM. Since 1990, the GST has substantially revised the curriculum of every program. Most degrees, in fact, have been revised twice during that period. These changes were made for several reasons. First, in the early 1990s, the faculty became more purposive in functioning as a seminary. That is, the curriculum and co-curriculum began to reflect the schools primary purpose to train ministers. Second, program curricula became more competency based. Competencies and assessment processes were formulated for each degree, which, in turn, significantly affected the curricula. Third, faculty and advisors gave more thought to the importance of sequencing, which not only improved faculty advising but also allowed faculty to better conceive courses within the degree plan.
In addition to these factors, during the late 1990s the faculty began to discuss all curricula in light of the merging of the Department of Missions into the Graduate School of Theology. Faculty discussed various theological issues from global and multicultural contexts. They worked to clarify the relationship between the training of missionaries and the training of ministers for existing churches in North America. Faculty attempted to determine what kind of ministers the GST should equip for what kinds of churches. Out of that discussion, in 2001 the mission of the GST was changed to reflect missional concerns, though discussions are ongoing among faculty as to whether the current mission statement reflects well the essential tasks of the school. This discussion has fueled interest in revisiting the curricula of several programs. In addition, the curriculum of the D.Min. degree was modified in 2002 to reflect missional perspectives.
Other factors have contributed to the faculty desire to rethink the curriculum throughout the GST. For example, the institutional leadership of GST in the Association for Case Teaching has contributed to an interest in continually rethinking teaching and learning. While the current curriculum reflects, in many ways, the desire for transformational, reflective, interdisciplinary teaching and learning, as is characteristic of case teaching and other problem-based learning approaches, the faculty is aware that more progress can be made in helping students learn.
Additionally, faculty are quite aware that most GST students spend their lives on American soil and are engaged in church life in familiar ministry environments. Faculty are concerned that students should experience church life away from their First World contexts. The curriculum should reflect such interests including, among other initiatives, internships outside the U.S. Moreover, because of the changing needs of churches and students, because of limitations of theological education in a mid-sized West Texas city in the context of rapid worldwide urbanization, and because of specific opportunities in Ghana and New York as well as ongoing success in Dallas, curriculum should include significant coursework via distance education. Such initiatives will require, in the long run, an increase in faculty. If moneys do not become available through development efforts in the Centennial Campaign, these initiatives cannot be taken.
Finally, as faculty anticipate changing curricula within the GST, at least two issues must be addressed that have not yet received ample attention. First, as the faculty restructured the curriculum and co-curriculum to reflect a seminary model, insufficient consideration was given to the place and prominence of research. All the faculty believe that research, not only for themselves but for students, is essential for the tasks of education in a theological school as well as for life in ministry. Discussion is needed concerning the relationship between research and ministry.
Second, as both theological education and ministry within churches change, credentialed faculty must be hired to cover areas of growing need, especially within the area of practical theology. Faculty to teach youth ministry and childrens ministry, to name two, will be needed as churches demand more highly trained ministers to nurture and equip their children and adolescents. But competent programs with terminal degrees in these areas are uncommon. Serious consideration must be given to prepare ministers for these and other roles in the coming years. Because of the challenges of competing needs, faculty for these specialty ministry tracks must be provided initially without increasing faculty size. Modest programs may be offered with strategic use of adjunct and current faculty and/or through replacement faculty with expertise in these areas. In the long run, if large enrollments continue and demand from churches increases, these ministry specializations will require growth in the size of the full-time faculty by one or two. Without additional funding, either through endowment or university budget reallocation, this increase in faculty will not occur.
For all of these reasons, the GST has begun scrutinizing the academic philosophy and curriculum of each program. In April 2003, the faculty chose from their midst eight professors, representing diverse training and theological interests, to serve as a Task Force on the GST as a Theological School in the Twenty-first Century. This task force has met twice, is preparing for an all-day retreat in November 2003, and is anticipating producing white papers in coming months to address the various issues. The task force will examine not only curricular issues but also ways to improve the co-curriculum, including re-thinking mentoring and graduate chapel. It will consider GST student housing needs with implications for the building of a greater sense of community within the theological school, and it will look for opportunities for greater student and faculty spiritual formation. The faculty are enthusiastic about this project and committed to its fruitful completion.
Discussion about curriculum, pedagogy, and the future of theological education takes place in the best possible environment. The GST is privileged to be in a university that contains one of the premier academic support programs in the country. The Adams Center for Teaching Excellence (CTE) provides expertise and support for creative teaching, course design, syllabus construction, curriculum development, and technological innovation. It also houses distance education classrooms and provides extensive support for web-based courses. The CTE provides an ideal partner for these important GST faculty conversations.
LIBRARY. The Brown Library serves an important role in preparing GST students for scholarship and ministry. In seeking to maximize the usefulness of the library for the research of graduate students and the basic needs of faculty research, ACU has made significant strides in recent years. In 1997, $1,000,000 of the substantial Woodward endowment was set aside to fund the theological collection. Of the three academic units within the college, the GST benefits most substantially from this endowment. Marriage and Family Therapy uses a relatively small portion of this endowment for its annual library budget allocation, though all of these acquisitions have direct or indirect impact on ministry preparation for GST students. The remainder is designated for the GST. The library needs of (undergraduate) Department of Bible, Missions, and Ministry are quite adequately provided for by expenditures for the GST. Other endowments and library resources provide additional funding for GST acquisitions. The theological librarian has carefully improved the collection, with strong faculty support. Since the university is part of a consortium of libraries in Abilene, the theological collection also benefits from the growth of the collection of Hardin-Simmons University. At the same time, owing to previous years of neglect, the theological collection still needs improvement in all of the theological and related areas. Some gaps, particularly in older journals and books, remain. Thus it will be important to continue growing the library.
2. Goals
a. To revise and improve the curricula of the Master of Divinity, Master of Arts in Missions, and Master of Arts in Christian Ministry for two primary purposes: 1) to prepare graduates better for the changing world and churches and 2) to integrate a missional mindset throughout the curriculum, equipping students for the practice of effective ministry in both domestic and foreign contexts
b. To enrich current off-campus programs and develop new programs in which students earn academic credit in locations other than Abilene
c. To strengthen the research element within the GST in two ways: 1) through examining and perhaps revising the research M.A. degrees and 2) by increasing opportunities for faculty to mentor students in research and publication
d. To maximize the usefulness of the Brown Library for the research of masters level students and the needs of faculty for teaching and research
3. Strategies
a. The curriculum of the Master of Divinity, Master of Arts in Missions, and Master of Arts in Christian Ministry degrees will be reconceived, not merely to add or eliminate courses but in structure and methodology in order to provide an improved educational context for students to acquire the skills needed to minister in the emerging world.
b. Courses and emphases will be established to support work for students preparing for careers in youth ministry, childrens ministry, worship ministry, campus ministry and urban ministry.
c. GST faculty will better clarify the meaning of missional in its mission statement and discuss ways to integrate a missional ideal throughout the curriculum.
d. The GST will examine course offerings in its Dallas program in order to match course content with student need.
e. The GST will consider changing the Dallas extension site to a branch campus and will complete feasibility studies for branch campuses in New York City and Accra, Ghana.
f. The curriculum of the GST research M.A. degrees will be reviewed and perhaps revised by GST faculty.
g. Faculty will provide colloquia and mentoring to students interested in research and publication.
h. The GST library committee will work with the theological librarian to define areas of need in both acquisitions and support.
4. Initiatives
a. The Task Force on the GST as a Theological School in the Twenty-first Century will meet in retreat November 2003, prepare white papers to be presented to the GST faculty fall 2004, and facilitate discussion of major curriculum changes to be decided by the faculty in the 2005-2006 school year, implemented fall 2007.
b. By April 2004, the associate dean of the GST will present to the faculty proposals for tracks or emphases in youth, childrens, worship, campus, and urban ministries. A proposed childrens ministry program, presented to the GST faculty fall 2003, will be implemented in fall 2005. A proposed youth ministry program will be presented to the faculty fall 2008 and implemented in 2009. Proposals for other emphases will be made between 2005 and 2008. Substantial increases in course offerings would require enhancement of faculty size by one or two faculty, which, in turn, is dependent upon available funding.
c. By April 2004, faculty conversation will be devoted to whether a missional mindset will be integrated throughout the curriculum.
d. By fall 2004, the associate dean of the GST will present a proposal to the GST faculty concerning expanding courses in Dallas and converting the Dallas extension site to a branch campus. During the 2003-2004 school year, a feasibility study will be conducted regarding a branch campus in New York. During the 2005-2006 school year, a feasibility study will be conducted regarding a branch campus in Accra, Ghana. Increased faculty for distance education are included in the university Centennial Campaign.
e. Faculty advisors and professors of the research M.A. degrees (New Testament, Old Testament, history and theology) will serve as an ad hoc committee during the 2004-2005 academic year to propose ways to strengthen the research element of the GST. Their tasks should include: 1) establishing regular colloquia for faculty and students, 2) establishing mentoring opportunities for students inclined towards research, publication, and/or research doctorates, and 3) determining whether the curriculum of the research M.A. degrees should be revised. These faculty will report their findings during a spring 2004 faculty meeting.
f. In cooperation with the GST faculty library committee, the theological librarian will report to the faculty the current state of the theological library at the August GST pre-session faculty meeting, beginning 2004, and will continue to identify outdated materials, redundancies, and gaps in the theological holdings. This report will also be included in the annual deans report to the Governing Board beginning August 2004.
5. Assessment
a. At the annual August pre-session GST faculty meeting, beginning August 2004, the GST dean and associate dean will ensure that reports will be provided for the following areas: the status of curriculum revisions, the status of GST off-campus initiatives, the place of research in the GST, the need for curriculum revisions within the research M.A. degrees, and an update on the theological library holdings.
b. The dean and associate dean of the GST will provide an update to the GST Governing Board concerning progress in these areas at the annual meeting each August.
D. Heritage . How can the GST best train ministers and scholars within the context of the history and ideals of Churches of Christ?
1. The Current Situation
As an institution affiliated with, and supported by, Churches of Christ, the GST bears a responsibility to form leaders in ministry in all its forms, primarily within this fellowship. The graduate faculty of ACU has a long history of supporting this mission. Among Churches of Christ, the school has been the leading center of research and teaching for those studying the Stone-Campbell Restoration Movement.
Faculty actively worship and serve in local Churches of Christ and travel widely as lecturers in churches and colleges and as board members of parachurch organizations. GST faculty are devoted to Scripture as the authoritative word of God and nurture this commitment in their students. The faculty teach and model key values of their heritage such as a high view of church, a legacy of reason over personal experience, a strong sacramental theology as seen in the practices of believer baptism and weekly Lords Supper, a passion for missions and evangelism, and a history of excellence in preaching. These ideals are visible in both the curriculum and co-curriculum. More broadly, the GST is committed to nurturing an atmosphere of honor and respect for all students, regardless of their religious heritage.
Since Churches of Christ constitute an international movement with more members outside the United States than within, the GST must continue, and indeed expand, its role beyond the borders of this country. Faculty members continue to teach abroad and via the Internet, to speak in international venues, to encourage the recruitment and training of missionaries and indigenous church leaders, and to plan for international education.
These ongoing activities and expanding roles present significant challenges for the future. Declining cohesiveness (brand loyalty) among Churches of Christ adversely affects the GSTs ability to serve the entire fellowship. Furthermore, the expansion of churches into the developing countries expands the schools constituency and creates new challenges. Inasmuch as the churches now lack the relative doctrinal uniformity that they had in previous generations, ministry to all of the Churches of Christ has become increasingly difficult. The polarization of churches has a negative effect on the ability of the GST to recruit students and maintain close relationships with significant portions of the Churches of Christ. This changing situation requires that the GST assess the demographic, sociological, and theological changes that are taking place within Churches of Christ around the world and respond to them. The purpose of this study is to ensure that the GSTs ministry reaches beyond a narrow segment of Churches of Christ. This assessment must be considered as the GST shapes the curriculum to serve its constituency and attempts to lead and to serve.
2. Goals
a. To equip students for ministry in Churches of Christ around the world
b. To lead and serve Churches of Christ in a time of transition
3. Strategies
a. The GST curriculum will be assessed and revised if necessary to prepare students better for the changing climate in Churches of Christ.
b. The GST will continue to provide intellectual resources through ministry programs and services as well as seminars and publications in order to help equip church leaders to meet their challenges.
4. Initiatives
a. Faculty colloquies in 2004-2005 will initiate conversation on the integration of scholarly disciplines within the heritage of Churches of Christ.
b. A faculty colloquy in spring 2004 will discuss the possible impact of recent studies of Churches of Christ on the GST curriculum.
c. Faculty mentors will give specific attention to the readiness of students to serve in Churches of Christ and report to the director of Supervised Practice of Ministry (SPM) on each student beginning 2003-2004.
d. By fall 2004, the curriculum committee will present to the faculty its assessment of the integration of the heritage of Churches of Christ in the GST curriculum and will recommend specific measures.
5. Assessment
a. Graduates will be surveyed every five years concerning, among other things, the preparation they received to engage in effective ministry in Churches of Christ. The next survey is scheduled for 2005.
b. A survey of church leaders where GST graduates serve will be conducted concurrently with the survey of alumni.
c. The associate dean for Ministry Programs Services and the director of SPM will present a report to the faculty after the surveys are completed and will make recommendations.
d. The dean will report findings to the Governing Board at the annual meeting.
VIII. CONCLUSION
The goals, strategies, and initiatives of this strategic plan call for response not only by the GST but also by the university. This plan has been reviewed by the GST Governing Board, the University Planning Committee, the university president and provost, and the presidents cabinet. The university Office of Institutional Effectiveness will work in partnership with the GST each year to see that the initiatives have been acted upon, assessed, and reported.
The Graduate School of Theology is well positioned to achieve these strategic goals and this vision. The combination of creative faculty and motivated students makes the accomplishment of these plans likely. These faculty and students believe God is at work among them and place their confidence in his leading. Certainly, circumstances will change and unanticipated roadblocks are likely. Nevertheless, the institutional commitment is high. The Graduate School of Theology will continue to function at the heart of the university and, with the completion of these plans, will serve with greater effectiveness both its students and its constituency.
IX. APPENDICES
1. Goals and Priorities
2. Strategic Initiatives
3. Funding Needs and Contingencies
4. Annual Report to the GST Governing Board and GST Faculty
5. Off-campus Degree Programs
Appendix 1
Goals and Priorities
The following is a summary of goals included in the Strategic Plan. The GST faculty and administration have ranked each goal according to the following priorities:
A = Essential to the future of the GSTif goal is not met, the schools strategic vision cannot be accomplished or the effectiveness of programs will be diminished.
B = Important but not essentialif goal is not met, the school can function at least as well as it is now.
C = Helpful if budget and faculty resources are availablea worthwhile goal but not essential to the overall functioning of the school.
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GOALS |
PRIORITY |
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FACULTY
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A |
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B |
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B |