News & Insights
Resource Round-Up: Shared Governance Resources
Here are a few resources to help your institution define and discuss shared governance and ensure that everyone has a clear role in stewarding the institution.
News & Insights
Legal issues and theological schools
Theological school boards can - and should - spend time preparing policies and procedures that prepare for potential legal actions. Find out more here.
News & Insights
A board member reflects on the closure of his school
In January of this year, theBaptist Theological Seminary at Richmond (BTSR) closed its doors for good. Mike Clingenpeel, a BTSR board member, wrote an article for the school's website reflecting on the closure, and his article was reprinted in the Summer 2019 issue of In Trust. Clingenpeel's honest reflections offerrare insight into the painful realities of closing a seminary.
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The leader you need now, at this moment
If your school is in transition now, or if you've recently completed a leadership change – or even if you are not even considering one – the issue of leadership transition ought to be a part of regular board discussions. Organizationalsuccession planning is the board's work.
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Resource roundup: Succession planning
Succession planning isn't just for a school's presiding officer. Having a plan for transitionand succession that applies to the entire institution can reduce stress and avert ad hoc emergency decision making when change inevitably occurs.
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The value of interim presidents
The Autumn 2018issue of In Trust magazine includes an interview with William Crothers, interim president at Ashland Theological Seminary. Crothers has served as an interim CEO five times since he retired in 2002 as ninth president of Roberts Wesleyan College. He was happy to share with In Trust readers some of the wisdom that he's gleaned over the years.
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Understanding the (stained) glass cliff
After a female faculty member was promoted into seminary leadership, a colleague stopped by her office to congratulate her. But he also asked, "Does this mean the school is in trouble?" It didn't — but the colleague was assuming the theory of the so-called "glass cliff" might be at play.
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Strategic planning = spiritual discernment
Leaders of theological schools routinely navigate the nuances of Torah law; Trinitarian controversies; the oeuvre of Rahner, Barth, and Marion; not to mention the subtleties of shared governance. Yet we can still be intimidated by the occult mysteries of strategic planning — not just planning, mind you, butstrategic planning.
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The value of successful interim presidencies
According to a 2014 In Trust article by Heidi Schlumpf, "...interim or 'acting' presidents...can be valuable to a seminary, offering stability and continuity, achieving specific – often financial – goals, and providing time to reexamine mission and vision while searching for the most appropriate permanent leader."
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A good example of a presidential search update letter
When a school is looking for a new president, rumors fly and questions abound. The search process takes many months, and often confidentiality is paramount.
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Do you need a search firm to find your next president? Maybe not
What's your process for hiring a new president?Many boards these days rely on consultants or executive search firms to identify candidates, vet their qualifications, gauge their interest, and make recommendations.
News & Insights
Assumptions underlying board culture
The latest issue ofTrusteeshipmagazine features an article by Richard Chait on the topic of board culture and how it affects board efficacy. In the article, "The Bedrock of Board Culture," Chait argues that, too often, boards do not examine the underlying assumptions that define their board's culture.