ARTS Board of Directors Annual Meeting
The 2015 annual meeting of the Board of Directors of the Association of Reformed Theological Seminaries (ARTS) was held at Greenville Presbyterian Theological Seminary on October 6, 2015.
Members present:
Glenn Waddell (Chairman) for Birmingham Theological Seminary
Andrew Zeller (Vice Chairman) for Sangre de Cristo Seminary
Chris Hanna (by videoconference) for Puritan Reformed Theological Seminary
Joey Pipa for Greenville Presbyterian Theological Seminary
Mark Allison for Geneva Reformed Seminary
John Battle for Western Theological Seminary
Mark House for New Geneva Theological Seminary via Skype
Member absent:
Dominic Aquila (New Geneva Theological Seminary)
Other individuals present were
Steve Adamson, Executive Director of the ARTS Commission on Accreditation
Thad James, chair of the ARTS Commission on Accreditation
Bob Gonzales and Nick Alford for affiliate member Reformed Baptist Seminary
John Divito and Rex Semrad for affiliate member Covenant Baptist Theological Seminary
Kenneth Talbot for affiliate member Whitefield Theological Seminary
The Chairman declared a quorum and called the meeting to order at 9:05a.m.
Joey Pipa brought a devotional from Ezra 7 andopened in prayer.
The members and guests present identified themselves and their institutional affiliation.
The Chairman presented a proposed agenda. Andrew Zeller moved to approve the agenda, and Joey Pipa seconded the motion, which was adopted unanimously.
Financial Report
Executive Director Steve Adamson presented a financial report of income and expenses compared to budget for the Board of Directors (Board) and the ARTS Commission on Accreditation (COA). Income and expenses are tracking with budget and ARTS has approximately $23,000 in unrestricted cash available in the checking account. The Executive Director also presented a proposed 2016 budget for the Board and the COA, noting that the COA had already approved its portion of that budget in its meeting on October 5, 2015. The Executive Director described the method for calculating member dues and indicated that some CHEA-related expenses would be covered out of the unrestricted cash balance. There was general discussion about increasing the Executive Director’s compensation and the compensation allocated for administrative assistance. COA Chair James indicated he would pass that idea on to the COA for consideration. The proposed 2016 Board budget was approved by unanimous consent.
Constitution and Bylaw Revisions
The Board, by email on September 21, 2015, adopted certain recommended changes to the ARTS Constitution and Bylaws. The Executive Director described those changes in more detail and responded to questions about the specific language. In general, the changes were necessary to distinguish more precisely whether references were intended to be to the Board or to the COA. It was MSA to revise the description of the public representative on the COA in Article VI, Section 1(b) of the Bylaws. The revised language reads:
one public representative who (1) is not currently associated with or employed by an ARTS member, applicant or candidate institution; (2) adheres to the Association’s Tenets of Faith; and (3) has been or now is in church leadership.
Report on COA Meeting
The Executive Director reported that the COA had elected Thad James, Vice President of Birmingham Theological Seminary, as its chair and Ben Shaw, Academic Dean of Greenville Presbyterian Theological Seminary, as its secretary/treasurer.
COA Chair James described the results of the COA meeting held on October 5, 2015. Member schools will be receiving a report from the COA with comments on their annual reports. In addition, member schools will receive samples of annual reports the COA considered exemplary. Tyndale International University has applied for affiliate status, but the COA has asked that institution to clarify certain matters before acting on that application. Metro Atlanta Seminary is completing its application to initiate the ARTS accreditation process, and it should be submitted within the next few weeks. The Executive Director expects Heidelberg Theological Seminary in Sioux Falls, South Dakota to submit an application for accreditation in 2017.
Birmingham Theological Seminary is scheduled to undergo its 10-year reaffirmation in 2016. The reaffirmation schedule for the remaining ARTS members is as follows:
2017Western Reformed Seminary
2018New Geneva Theological Seminary & Sangre de Cristo Seminary
2019Puritan Reformed Theological Seminary
2020Greenville Presbyterian Theological Seminary & Geneva Reformed Seminary
ARTS Executive Director Report
The Executive Director reported that ARTS added two affiliates in 2015 and has received an application from a third institution, for total of five affiliates. He noted that Metro Atlanta Seminary’s application for membership and accreditation should be received soon and that Heidelberg Theological Seminary plans to apply in 2017. The Executive Director stated that ARTS had received inquiries about accreditation or affiliate status from Whitefield College of the Bible in Ireland, several Bible colleges and seminaries in southern Africa, Edinburgh Theological Seminary in Scotland, Sunshine Coast Theological College in Australia and Grace Theological College in New Zealand. In addition, the Executive Director has continuing contact with house church seminaries in China, which have formed the China Association of Reformed Theological Seminaries, patterned after ARTS. He described inquiries about forming a similar association in Africa.
The Board has previously decided ARTS should apply for CHEA recognition with a scope limited to US-based graduate seminaries. It was the consensus of the Board that ARTS should obtain CHEA recognition before considering any expansion of scope to include international institutions. Until then, ARTS will provide encouragement and advice to international schools and associations. It was recognized that affiliate status is open to undergraduate institutions and to international institutions, so long as they satisfy the criteria ARTS has established for affiliates. ARTS membership is currently not open to individuals, associations or organizations other than educational institutions.
The Executive Director described his conclusions about the size of the “ARTS universe,” including Bible colleges and seminaries in the U.S. and internationally. He had previously presented a list of U.S. seminaries which might consider applying to be an ARTS affiliate member. There was general discussion about that list and individual Board members volunteered to contact certain schools. The Executive Director is to send out a list of undergraduate institutions which might also consider affiliate status with ARTS.
There was general discussion about the possibility of ARTS applying for 501(c)(3) status with the IRS. The consensus of the Board was that there was no pressing need for ARTS to pursue 501(c)(3) status.
The Board meeting recessed for lunch at 12:00 p.m. and reconvened at 1:00 p.m.
Mark House for New Geneva Theological Seminary joined the meeting by videoconference.
The Executive Director described the status of efforts to obtain CHEA recognition. He had previously submitted a draft application to the CHEA vice president for recognition. Ensuing discussions led to the constitution and bylaw changes described above. The Executive Director will soon submit a second draft of that application and will meet with that CHEA vice president at the CHEA annual meeting in January to discuss. CHEA may insist that ARTS, before applying for recognition, take two schools through the accreditation or reaffirmation process under its new accreditation standards. If so, we will not file the CHEA recognition application until after Birmingham Theological Seminary’s accreditation is reaffirmed and Metro Atlanta Seminary completes the application process – i.e., in the fall of 2016. If CHEA does not insist on ARTS having taken two schools through the new accreditation standards, then ARTS will submit is application in January of 2016 for review by CHEA in March or July. After CHEA grants eligibility, ARTS undergoes a self-study and site visit, and could be recognized by CHEA in 2017 or 2018.
The Chairman asked whether the Board desired an update of the state-by-state research on distance education limitations last prepared in 2010. He estimated that the update would cost approximately $1,000. Dr. Talbot volunteered to have attorneys connected with Whitefield Theological Seminary review and update this research at no cost.
The Executive Director provided an update on efforts to reauthorize the federal Higher Education Act and other legislative initiatives being considered by Congress. There was general discussion of this information.
The Chairman pointed out that accreditation and related activities previously performed by the Board are now under the authority of the COA. The Board then considered the question of what activities the Board might undertake to serve its members and affiliates, as well as to promote the mission of ARTS. The affiliate members present expressed appreciation for the work of ARTS and the opportunity to learn from the member institutions’ experience and expertise. Specific ideas generated from this discussion included a group insurance program, allowing affiliate students to take live classes at member schools, development of student registration and enrollment software, and a conference on pedagogy before, during or after the ARTS Board meeting. It was MSA that the Executive Committee explore the conference idea in connection with the next ARTS Board meeting, scheduled for October 18.
Andrew Zeller moved that the Executive Director’s contract be amended to state that it will renew automatically upon expiration, terminable upon 30 days-notice by either party.
Election of Officers (two-year term)
It was MSA that the following be elected to the Board office indicated:
Chairman—Andrew Zeller
Vice Chairman— Joey Pipa
Secretary/Treasurer— Chris Hanna
Trends in Theological Education Discussion
The Chairman led the Board through a discussion of selected quotes from Transforming Theological Education by Perry Shaw, centering on ways to promote learning and criticisms of traditional approaches to theological education. This led to spirited and helpful discussion, including several suggestions on ways to promote practical application of material taught in the classroom.
Joey Pipa moved to adjourn the meeting. Andrew Zeller seconded the motion, which was adopted unanimously.
John Battle closed the meeting in prayer at 3:15 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Andrew Zeller, Acting Secretary