Higher education is entering a period of significant regulatory change, with new federal proposals potentially reshaping accreditation, student loans, institutional accountability, and how the value of graduate education is measured. For theological schools, those changes raise distinctive questions about religious mission, educational outcomes, and the economic realities facing graduates.
In this episode of the Good Governance Podcast, higher education consultant the Rev. David Rowe, Ph.D., and attorney and education policy expert Peter Lake, J.D., examine what the changing landscape could mean for theological education. They urge boards and senior leaders to clearly articulate their institutions’ religious identities, understand emerging regulatory pressures, and make their voices heard as policies develop.
The conversation also explores the limitations of evaluating theological education primarily through graduate earnings. While schools should demonstrate value and help graduates achieve economic sustainability, Rowe and Lake argue that theological education produces outcomes that extend beyond salary, including meaningful vocation, service, spiritual formation, and stronger communities.
They challenge theological schools to define and communicate what it means for graduates to flourish.
More information:
The federal government’s press release regarding the proposed rulemaking can be found here. You can read the proposed rule, see comments, and make comments here.
The Rev. David Rowe, Ph.D., has led schools and serves as a consultant as well as project director of the In Trust Center. He is the president and founder of WindermereConsulting. He can be reached here.
An expert in education policy and law, Peter Lake is an attorney, law professor, and consultant. He can be reached via WindermereConsulting here.
