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2008-2009 Limited Course Schedule Announced

Acadmic Dean Ruth Meyers Shares Details with Students

February 28, 2008

Dear students,

As the board-faculty planning committee began its work this month, provisions for our continuing students was one of their first concerns. What follows is a kind of baseline, that is, the minimum that we can promise at this time. In 2008-2009, Seabury will offer a limited course schedule, to include at least:

Five courses in Anglican history, theology, polity, and liturgy; 2008-2009

One semester-long course in congregational leadership;

Two January-term intensive courses, at least one of which will be in the area of congregational leadership.

Practice of Ministry in both the fall and the spring. Students who have begun their placements in spring 2008 will be able to continue as planned in the same setting.

I expect that a detailed course schedule will be available in late April. In addition to the Seabury course offerings, students may, as usual, cross-register for courses through ACTS. Students who complete their programs and graduate in spring 2009 will earn a Seabury-Western degree.

We do not yet know whether Seabury (in some reorganized status) will offer any instruction on our Evanston campus in the 2009-2010 academic year. We are negotiating the details of a "teach-out" agreement with Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary to enable students to complete their studies. I am working with staff at our accrediting agencies, including legal counsel, to determine whether this is better done by having students transfer formally to Garrett-Evangelical or through continuing enrollment at Seabury. Components of this agreement will include:

Seabury students will continue to follow Seabury's degree requirements, including field-education requirements.

Seabury students may be required to complete Garrett-Evangelical's application form (giving them basic information). Garrett-Evangelical will waive their application fee of $70 and will make staff available to assist Seabury students with the transfer process.

Garrett-Evangelical will conduct a criminal background check at their expense. This is their protocol for all admissions.

Garrett-Evangelical will not require recommendation letters, only a letter from the Seabury Dean with the request/recommendation that the person be admitted as s/he is a student in good standing at Seabury.

Garrett-Evangelical will work with Seabury's international transfers to secure appropriate visa change status to Garrett.

Garrett-Evangelical will offer special orientation that will incorporate the Seabury transfers into the student body with hospitality.

Seabury-Western will arrange Episcopal formation opportunities for students in this special program.

Students who in this way complete one year of study at Garrett-Evangelical will earn a Seabury-Western degree.

In the weeks ahead, I will work with each continuing student and his/her advisor to determine each student's remaining requirements and develop a plan to satisfy those requirements.

With a much smaller student body in 2008-2009, worship and community life will change. I will ask a committee of students, faculty, and staff to make recommendations to the faculty and Administrative Committee for worship patterns and community life. For 2009-2010, we will work with students and faculty in spring 2009 to plan for suitable Episcopal formation.

As the planning committee proceeds with its work and we get a clearer sense of the long-term future of Seabury, we will share further details as they emerge. At this time I can assure you that Seabury will offer some instruction in 2008-2009, that all students in the nine-month residential program who complete their degree requirements in spring 2009 or 2010 will earn a Seabury degree, and that we will plan for worship and community life appropriate to a smaller student body.

In the weeks ahead, I will work with the Dean to keep you apprised of developments that affect your educational program. I continue to welcome your questions and concerns as we discern the future of Seabury.

Ruth A. Meyers
Academic Dean