Presbyterian College
Office of Church Relations Annual Covenant Review (2008)
The current Covenant describing the relationship between the Synod of the South Atlantic / The Presbyteries of the Synod of the South Atlantic and Presbyterian College came into effect in July 2007. Under the terms of the Covenant the Office of Church Relations of Presbyterian College is charged to issue an annual report to the College and the Synod regarding the activities undertaken by the College and the Church towards fulfilling their portions of this important covenant relationship.
The Annual Covenant Review of 2008 is the first of these annual Reports and has been prepared in consultation with the College's Board of Church Advisors. It offers the College and the Church an assessment of the activities of this past year and seeks to identify things that have worked well and also focus some attention on areas of improvement.
ACTION BY THE CHURCHIt is the hope and intention that this Annual Covenant Review (2008) will be received into the records of the Synod of the South Atlantic and of each Presbytery within the Synod.
Each Governing body is hereby invited:
- to inform the Office of Church Relations that the Annual Covenant Review (2008) was received and that its reception was recorded as a matter of record in the Minutes;
- to send any responses to or comments upon the Annual Covenant Review (2008) to the Office of Church Relations, Presbyterian College by October 31, 2008
- to encourage all member congregations and members of congregations to be aware of and celebrate the partnership between Church and Presbyterian College.
It is the hope and intention that this Annual Covenant Review (2008) will be received into the records of the Board of Trustees of Presbyterian College and responses received from the Board or its constituent Committees will be sent to the Office of Church Relations.
The Format of this ReportThe Report follows the format of the Church-College Covenant in that there are two main sections to the Report - "What the College will do for the Church" and "What the Church will do for the College." Within each section of the Report the sections in italics are direct quotations from the Church-College Covenant document approved in 2007.
What the College Will Do for the ChurchIn order to fulfill its covenant with the Synod of South Atlantic, its presbyteries and congregations, Presbyterian College accepts and commits to the following responsibilities:
Presbyterian College seeks to help students gain a basic knowledge of the humanities, natural science and social sciences, and an ability to see these studies as part of a larger search for truth that includes the ability to think clearly and independently, to make critical judgments, and to communicate effectively.
2007- 2008 Report: During the 2007-2008 Academic year the College offered a diverse academic program, taught by our distinguished faculty. New programs instituted include Chinese Language and Studies. The partnership with Guizhou University was expanded during a visit there in the Fall of 2007, and a new partnership with the University of Havana was signed in March of 2008.A new, state-of-the-art Biology facility, Lassiter Hall, was dedicated in February 2008. To fulfill the requirements of a multi-cultural experience or workplace internship the College has been reaching out to alumni and friends of the College to identify suitable placements.
The Graduating Class of 2007 consisted of 227 students. Six months after graduation 62% of these students were employed and 29% were enrolled in Graduate School.
The Board of Trustees voted in February of 2008 to establish the Presbyterian College School of Pharmacy which will enroll its first class in 2010. This historic decision will see the College offer its very first graduate program as both an aid to and a complement towards the continuing, vibrant undergraduate educational program. The PC School of Pharmacy will reflect in its ethos the values and commitment to service that are central to the life of the entire College.
Financial resources continue to be attracted to The Promise and Challenge Campaign providing additional funds for student scholarships and the endowment of Professorships.
- Question / Suggestion for 2008-2009: How might the College best inform the Church about developing plans for the addition of the School of Pharmacy?
Presbyterian College seeks to help students attain a sense of moral and ethical commitments expressed in service to others.
2007- 2008 Report: In the fall of 2007, the college publicly announced its decision to not participate in certain elements of the rankings published by US News and World Report. Just a few days thereafter The Washington Monthly magazine ranked Presbyterian College number one in the nation among Liberal Arts schools on the basis of its contribution to "the national public interest" through service to others. While the College was pleased to receive this recognition, this commitment to serving others has been and will always be our focus. "While we live, we serve" is not just a motto on the school crest, it is expressed every day on campus by the immense contribution of student-led and staffed organizations sponsored through the largest student organization on campus - Student Volunteer Services (SVS).
The PC Honor Code continues to be the gold standard governing the ethical and practical behavior of students, faculty and staff.
- Question / Suggestion for 2008-2009: Are there ways in which the skills students gain from service to others (SVS) might be shared with and celebrated in their home congregations?
In fulfilling this covenant, Presbyterian College seeks to serve the Church in its mission to the world by promoting the spiritual lives of its students.
2007- 2008 Report: In September of 2007 Dr. Al Masters was appointed to serve as Interim Chaplain, a role to which he has brought passion, commitment and concern for reaching out across the entire student and college community. Dr. Bob Smith temporally left retirement to serve as coordinator of the Celtic Cross Leadership Development program which has offered significant opportunities to 40 PC(USA) students. Weekly prayers, monthly Worship Services as well as a wide range of Campus Ministry programs have captured the imagination of many students. The annual Winter Conference held at the Montreat Conference Center brought together a community of 150 students, faculty and staff in a weekend of workshops, learning, worship and fellowship under the title, "Time Out.".
The College received a grant through the Lily Foundation to design and implement a Globalization and Cultural Diversity Project. In this project the College will participate along with Columbia Theological Seminary (Decatur, GA), St. James Presbyterian Church (Charleston, SC), First Presbyterian Church (Spartanburg, SC) and Fourth Presbyterian Church (Greenville, SC).
Dr. Jim Simpson was appointed Director of Church Relations in October 2007, and has been working to connect College and Church with the purpose of each supporting the other in their respective and mutual ministry.
In October 2007 a symposium on sacred music brought together students and church musicians for three days of quality workshops and learning. The Board of Trustees awaits more information on the launch of the previously announced Institute for Christian Vocation and Leadership.
- Question / Suggestion for 2008-2009: In an increasingly digital, electronic and multi-media world of communication there is a real need for the College and the Church to identify simple, effective, efficient methods of communication. What can the College do to help effective communication with the Church?
In order to fulfill its covenant with Presbyterian College, the Synod of South Atlantic, its presbyteries, and congregations, accept and commit to the following responsibilities:
The Synod of South Atlantic, its presbyteries and congregations, will affirm and value the relationship between the College and Church.
2007- 2008 Report: In every congregation or church-related activity in which representatives of the College were involved across the Synod, they were warmly welcomed and affirmed. It is the aim of the College to increase and deepen such interactions to involve more congregations.
- Question / Suggestion for 2008-2009: In an increasingly digital, electronic and multi-media world of communication there is a real need for the College and the Church to identify simple, effective, efficient methods of communication. In what ways can Presbyteries and congregations enable effective communication from the College to the Church?
The Synod of South Atlantic, its presbyteries and congregations, will affirm and value the ministry we share in common.
2007- 2008 Report: Individual congregations and many Presbyteries have welcomed members of the Presbyterian College community – students, faculty and staff – to a whole variety of events, meetings, conferences, services of worship and other occasions of worship, fellowship, learning and serving.
Our President, Faculty and Staff have preached in a number of congregations and groups of students have assisted in facilitating youth retreats. Pastors, musicians and educators have been brought onto campus to lead classes, workshops and services of worship. Groups of Celtic Cross students have been assigned to and worked in their partner churches.
- Question / Suggestion for 2008-2009: Could each presbytery with a Youth Council find a way to plan for their Council members to come to campus for a visit as part of their annual program?
The Synod of South Atlantic, its presbyteries and congregations, commit to assist in the recruitment of students.
2007- 2008 Report: There are a good number of congregations who are reasonably or very aware of the qualities and opportunities open to qualified students at Presbyterian College, but it would also be true to say that each year this number declines. Quarterly Magazines are mailed to each Presbytery and congregation, and other materials are provided from time to time.
The number of students nominated for the Outstanding Church Youth Leader Award (OCYLA) has for the past two years been relatively small. It is the College's hope that the re-institution of the PC Church Youth Day on Saturday, November 15, 2008, will bring more church youth onto campus and encourage more congregations to use the nomination forms to recognize their outstanding youth leaders - all of whom for being nominated, receive additional scholarship assistance if they choose to attend Presbyterian College. The one nominee honored as the overall winner receives a scholarship of $10,000 over four years if they attend Presbyterian College.
The Admissions Staff of the College would willingly accept all offers of help by and through congregations to contact youth, their parents and high school faculty and counselors.
- Question / Suggestion for 2008-2009: Would Presbyteries encourage congregations to send the names and contact information of all 9th-11th grade youth to the Admissions Office of the College?
The Synod of South Atlantic, its presbyteries and congregations, will offer financial support to the College.
2007- 2008 Report: The Promise and Challenge Church campaign reached an important milestone in the last year, passing the $100 million mark, towards the final goal of $160 million. The church phase of the campaign continues towards the $10 million Synod-approved goal. Two significant gifts, each of $1.5 million, were received to endow and establish a chair of World Religions and to establish and endow a Chair to direct the Institute for Christian Vocation and Leadership.
The key priorities of the Church phase of the Campaign continue to address the following needs of the Church and College:
- Endowing Celtic Cross, a nationally recognized program that directly addresses the Church leadership crisis. (Goal $1million)
- Strengthening existing Church scholarships and creating new ones
- Creating partnerships with local congregations to support the program of Campus Ministry directed through the Chaplain's office. (Goal $2 million)
The "Campaign to date" total for the Church priorities has passed the $6 million mark toward the $10 million goal. A Church Commission was formed to address the fund raising plan, and is chaired by Dr. G. Daniel McCall.
- Question / Suggestion for 2008-2009: While individual letters of acknowledgement are sent to congregations who send donations to Presbyterian College, is there any additional information about the Capital Campaign that Presbyteries would like to receive?
The Synod of South Atlantic, its presbyteries and congregations, agree to provide institutional support.
2007- 2008 Report: The Board of Church Advisors serve as one of the College's advisory boards and is charged to participate in the annual review of the Church-College Covenant. The Board meets on campus twice per year and currently has about thirty-six active members from across the sixteen presbyteries. There are some presbyteries with either no members or very few members. The Director of Church Relations would value assistance from those presbyteries with only limited or no representation on the Board of Church Advisors.
- Question / Suggestion for 2008-2009: Would presbyteries be willing to invite their Nomination Committee, or agree on some other method, to identify, on an annual basis, a minimum number of representatives (say two) to serve on the Board of Church Advisors?
Presbyterian College and the Synod of South Atlantic, its presbyteries, and congregations, will share in the affirmation of the covenant with an annual report and a comprehensive review and renewal of the covenant every five years.
The covenant between the Synod and the College is a living document. The College's Office of Church Relations will issue an annual report to the College and the Synod of the activities the College and Church undertake to fulfill their portions of the covenant. These reports will be part of the covenant renewal materials. Every five years at the instruction of the president, the College will engage in the covenant renewal process. The Board of Church Visitors and its related Presbytery Advisory Councils will play a significant role in reviewing, renewing, and promoting the covenant. As a response to the annual College report, the Board of Church Visitors will report to the College and the Church on activities both organizations undertake to fulfill the covenant. The Synod and the College recognize the advantages of working relationships between the College and other church bodies consistent with this Covenant. Such relationships with presbyteries, sessions, and other institutions of the Church allow for mutual responsibilities and resources to be identified and exercised at every level, and the College may have Statements of Understanding to implement relationships with other church governing bodies.
This Report issued by Dr. Jim Simpson in the Office of Church Relations on July 1, 2008, was reviewed by the Board of Church Advisors on April 12, 2008.
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