Damn

February 20, 2008

To: The Seabury Community

The Board of Trustees of Seabury-Western Theological Seminary spent two days at its regular February meeting in discussion of the immediate opportunities and challenges before the seminary . . . .

We have come to the realization that we cannot continue to operate as we have in the past and that there is both loss and good news in that . . . .

The Executive Committee affirms that Seabury will no longer offer the M.Div. as a freestanding 3-year residential program. This does not preclude offering the M.Div. in other formats . . . .

The Executive Committee accepts the 3 following recommendations of the Planning Committee:

1.That Seabury will immediately suspend recruitment and admissions to all degree and certificate programs in this time of discernment.
2.That Seabury will enable all current D.Min. students to complete their programs.
3.That Seabury will assist all current M.Div., MTS, MA, and certificate students to find alternative arrangements for the completion of their programs as may be required . . . .

The full text of the letter can be found here.

SWTS was always in dire financial straits. This, in some respects, was inevitable; but still . . .

I wonder what it will be like in, oh, say 10 or 20 years when I tell someone, "I graduated from Seabury-Western," and they reply, "Oh? I've never heard of that seminary?"

Not to be too cynical, but to paraphrase someone from a long time ago, "That degree and 75 cents will get you a cup of coffee at Denny's."

Damn.