Meeting of the Board of Regents | December 2008

SUMMARY

Issue for Decision (Consent Agenda)

Should the Board of Regents renew and amend the permission of Westminster Theological Seminary (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania) to offer a portion of two of its programs in New York State?

Reason(s) for Consideration

Required by State statute and Regents Rules.

Proposed Handling

This question will come before the Higher Education Committee at its December 2008 meeting where it will be voted on and action taken. It will then come before the full Board at its December 2008 meeting for final action.

Procedural History

At its November 1996 meeting, the Board of Regents granted Westminster Theological Seminary permission to offer courses from its Master of Divinity program at the Redeemer Presbyterian Church in New York City. This permission was renewed and amended by action of the Board of Regents at its February 2002 meeting to include the Master of Divinity and the Master of Arts in Urban Mission program at the Redeemer Presbyterian Church as well as the New Life Church in Queens. The institution has requested a renewal of that permission.

Background Information

Westminster Theological Seminary (“Westminster”), an institution located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania that offers graduate-level theological education, is seeking to renew and amend its permission to operate in New York State. Last renewed by the Board of Regents in February 2002, the permission to operate would be extended and amended to substitute City Seminary of New York (2204 Frederick Douglass Boulevard, New York City), for the New Life Church (Queens) location. The change in location strengthens Westminster’s continuing relationship with the City Seminary, which is also closer than the New Life Church to the existing Redeemer Presbyterian Church location. The latter location will continue to be used and was approved in previous permissions.

The structure of the program offerings is identical to that which was in place when the Regents last granted permission to operate, in 2002: up to six credits are offered in New York City each semester, and students may complete up to 50 percent of their required coursework in the institution’s 92-credit Master of Divinity or 50-credit Master of Arts in Urban Mission programs in New York City before completing their degrees in Philadelphia at Westminster. The institution reports that New York enrollments in a given semester range from 20 to 30 students. Since the renewed permission to operate in 2002, 16 students who have participated in the New York City option have graduated.

The institution is accredited by the Middle States Association Commission on Higher Education and the Association of Theological Schools.

Recommendation

It is recommended that the Board of Regents renew the permission of Westminster Theological Seminary to offer courses from its Master of Divinity program and from its Master of Arts in Urban Mission program at Redeemer Presbyterian Church (New York City) and City Seminary of New York (New York City), for a period beginning immediately and ending December 15, 2013.