Louisiana College trustees have adopted a change in the faculty
hiring process designed to ensure the “Christian” character of the
school.
Louisiana College trustees have adopted a change in the faculty
hiring process designed to ensure the “Christian” character of the
school.
Trustees unanimously approved the change during a 50-minute
executive session at their scheduled meeting last week.
Trustee leaders later emphasized the change is not evidence
of dissatisfaction with the practice of current administrators and does not
affect current faculty.
Instead, it represents an effort to ensure that the Christian
worldview is shared by incoming faculty members – and is presented to students
at the Louisiana Baptist school.
“This simply represents an enhancement of the process
we already have, …” said Ed Tarpley, a member at Alpine First Baptist
Church in Pineville. “It does not change the process.”
But it does “raise the bar a little bit,” added Wayne
DuBose, pastor at First Baptist Church of Minden. He noted the change was drafted
with input from administrators and approved with the support of college President
Rory Lee.
The change was recommended by a trustee committee that included
Tarpley and DuBose and was chaired by Tommy Middleton, pastor at Woodlawn Baptist
Church in Baton Rouge. The committee also is studying faculty tenure policy.
In essence, last weeks change formalizes the role of
the trustees academic affairs committee in the hiring process.
In the past, Lee and school administrators screened and interviewed
faculty candidates. After a particular candidate was settled on, information
on the person was presented to the academic affairs committee for action. If
approved there, the candidates name went before trustees for final action.
The process still will work in that order. However, the academic
affairs now will have more information in hand to evaluate a candidate –
and will have the option of requesting a face-to-face interview with a person.
Under the new policy, a letter will be sent to prospective
faculty members, offering information on the college and asking several things.
(See box for full text of the letter)
“The college has been asking prospective faculty members
if they are able to teach in harmony with the Baptist Faith and Message for
several years,” Lee explained. “In 1997, during Dr. (Robert) Lynns
tenure (as school president), a policy entitled, Spiritual Qualities Sought
in Full-time Faculty and Professional Staff Members was developed.
“Since that time, both Dr. Lynn and I have, in accordance
with the policy, given prospective faculty members a copy of the current Baptist
Faith and Message during their campus visit and asked them if they can teach
in harmony with the statement,” Lee continued.
“The new policy calls for the Baptist Faith and Message
to be mailed to the prospective faculty member prior to a campus visit. The
prospective faculty would then be asked to provide a written yes
or no answer to three statements.”
The “yes” or “no” statements ask if a candidate:
Has read the Baptist Faith and Message.
Agrees to teach in harmony with it.
Agrees to meet with the trustees academic
affairs committee if requested by the college president, vice president of academic
affairs or the committee itself.
The letter also asks candidates to put in writing their personal
understanding of a Christian worldview, specifically detailing their view on
the sanctity of human life; the sanctity of marriage and family; and creation.
“We are a Christian liberal arts school but above everything
else, we feel it is important that Christian be clearly evident
in all aspects of our campus life, extracurricular experience, and academic
disciplines,” the approved letter reads.
“Every teacher should be able to articulate and communicate
to their students in their subject areas; but equally as well, to integrate
their faith in their discipline,” it continues. “Regardless of ones
specific area of academic study, the individual belief system affects the choice
of readings, perspective, and serves to filter and direct particular issues
and concepts in classroom lectures and research.”
Trustee leaders stressed the intent is simple – to fulfill
their responsibility in electing faculty members.
“If were going to be held responsible (for election
of faculty members), we ought to have a little more information, …” DuBose
explained. “We have the right to know what people believe before we vote
on them.”
DuBose predicted the academic affairs will request a face-to-face
interview with a candidate “very seldom ever.” Indeed, 95 percent
to 99 percent of the time, no interview will be needed, he said. “Thats
not the intent (to interview all candidates). We just want to reserve the right.”
DuBose also said the step is needed to offset the encroachment
of humanism and secularism in society. The new process does not set up a litmus
test – but it does help ensure that new faculty members are going to be
scholars who respect Baptist views and do not cause problems in that respect,
he said.
The process already is being practiced by many Christian schools,
said Fred Malone, pastor at First Baptist Church of Clinton and chair of the
trustees academic affairs committee. At Louisiana College, it will help
trustees know where faculty candidates stand on the Baptist Faith and Message,
he added.
Malone said that explains the request for a candidates
views on the sanctity of life, on marriage and the family and on creation, three
key issues in the Baptist Faith and Message.
“We must know in good conscience where (candidates) stand
on these issues, …” Malone said, noting it is the same for a church calling
a pastor. “The whole thing (were doing here) is just giving trustees
information.”
Tarpley also predicted the new policy will send a clear message
about the character of the school and about what parents can expect their children
to encounter there. “Parents are looking for a place where values are important
and there are standards, …” he said. “Parents want to know who is
teaching their child. They what to know what (that person) believes.”
Tarpley predicted the change will end up attracting more students
to the Louisiana Baptist school.
Likewise, Malone said that while the new requests may cause
some prospective faculty members to balk, they will serve to attract others
looking for a place where they can present a Christian worldview.
Still, trustee leaders acknowledged some will criticize the
recent action regarding faculty hirings.
“In light of the historical/political struggles of the
convention, there will be individuals who might read more into this policy than
is there,” DuBose noted. “We have not created a document to be used
for negative purpose but to help us get top quality people. … It would be
unfortunate for someone to take this and try to exploit it and hurt the school.”
Meanwhile, in other action during their meeting, trustees:
Learned the school had recorded a headcount enrollment
of 1,135 and a full-time equivalency enrollment of 1,045 for this fall. That
represents a slight drop from the 1,161 headcount and 1,076 full-time equivalency
enrollment of last fall. However, it still marks the seventh-highest enrollment
in school history. In addition, on-campus housing is up to the third-highest
level in school history. All in all, the headcount enrollment is up 23 percent
sine 1997. Full-time equivalency enrollment is up 20 percent – and on-campus
housing enrollment is up by 41 percent.
Heard Lee report the spiritual atmosphere at the
school is strong. He said more than 20 students have made professions of faith
in Christ since the start of school.
Re-elected Joe Nesom as board chair by acclamation.
He is pastor at First Baptist Church of Jackson. DuBose was re-elected vice
chair. Mary Moffet was elected secretary. She is a member at Pritchard Baptist
Church in Jonesville.
Heard Lee report on continued strides in quality
at the school and on the strong spiritual atmosphere on campus. The college
continues to be recognized as a top-quality school in national listings, Lee
pointed out. Also, about 60 percent of on-campus students continue to attend
Monday night worship sessions, he said. In addition, Baptist Collegiate Ministry
reports indicate more than 20 students have made professions of faith in Christ
since the start of school.
Engaged in their annual evaluation of the president,
affirming Lee and his leadership.
Approved a pair of changes to school bylaws. One makes the bylaws
consistent with the charter in granting trustees authority to hire and grant
tenure to all faculty members. The second adds the following sentence –
“Faculty will be expected to teach in accordance with and not contrary
to the Baptist Faith and Message of 2000.” Both changes were approved without
discussion or dissent.