Over the past 12 weeks, we have looked at operational models and student educational debt at seminaries within the Association of Theological Schools (ATS). The impetus of this conversation was a research project that I co-led alongside Dr. Harriet Rojas of Indiana Wesleyan University. Sioux Falls Seminary, Northern Seminary, and Indiana Wesleyan University worked together…
In a recent research project, Dr. Harriet Rojas and I looked at various operational models across higher education. After looking over our research, talking with more individuals, and reviewing the efforts that some schools have made to address the issue of the rising cost of theological education, we have come to the conclusion that schools…
Today, we are going to look at some inferences that we might be able to make as a result of our research into operational models and student educational debt at seminaries within the Association of Theological Schools (ATS). Sioux Falls Seminary, Northern Seminary, and Indiana Wesleyan University worked together on a project with the goal…
Today, we continue a series on operational models and student educational debt at seminaries within the Association of Theological Schools (ATS). Over the last few weeks, we looked at why we care about this topic. Today, we are going to share a little more about what we know to be true regarding operational models and…
Often times, the challenges we face and the opportunities they create are multifaceted. The fact that large numbers of seminarians are taking significant amounts of educational debt with them when they graduate is no exception. In a recent research project that was part of the Lilly Endowment’s Economic Challenges Facing Future Ministers initiative, Dr. Harriet…
This will be a different post than you might usually find me writing. However, I think it is important given the landscape of … (Read more…)
A quick review of taglines for seminaries across North America will reveal a smattering of phrases that use terms like equipping, training, teaching, educating, or transforming. For instance, we see taglines that look something like this, “ABC Seminary: Equipping leaders for service in the Church.” Sioux Falls Seminary is no different. Our current “mission statement”…
For (what seems to be) the first time in a long time, there is a lot of change occurring within schools across ATS. In a recent conversation with an individual from ATS I learned that number of applications for changes that have been submitted to the Board of Commissioners has increased quite significantly. More schools…
Financial support is an important aspect of institutional support. While is not a dominant revenue source at most institutions, it is vital to the work we do. In many ways, it bridges the gap and enables institutions to pursue their missions. In addition, it is a great way for people to participate in the work…
We are facing unprecedented change in theological education. Enrollment is declining, financial models are being challenged, and longtime assumptions are no longer true. Students, accreditors, the federal government, and local ministries are all demanding more from seminaries and the system of theological education. What are we to do? I say it is time to learn…