wfn.org | In 6-5 vote commission asks for seminary president's resignation

[NewsDesk <NewsDesk@UMCOM.UMC.ORG>]

May 21, 1998	Contact: Thomas S. McAnally*(615)742-5470*Nashville,
Tenn. {313}

By United Methodist News Service

In a 6-to-5 vote, members of a diversity commission have called for the
resignation of  the Rev. Donald Messer, president of Iliff School of
Theology in Denver.

Messer has been president of the United Methodist-related school for 17
years.

Near the close of a May 18 meeting, a student representing the Iliff
Student Intergroup Coalition (ISIC) introduced a motion expressing lack
of faith in Messer's leadership and calling for his resignation. Members
present when the vote was taken included seven students, two faculty
members, a trustee and a staff member. Six students voted in favor of
the motion.   Messer and  Dean Delwin Brown, who have voice but no vote
on the commission, were also present.

Iliff trustees, in a statement released the next day, expressed
disappointment in the student's actions and affirmed their confidence in
Messer's leadership.

"We regret that a few students feel that while progress is being made
toward a more diverse and inclusive community, that the progress is not
being made quickly enough," said Chairperson J. Robert Young.  Six of
the 28 trustees are people of color.

Messer said he has the support of the faculty, administration and
trustees and has no plans to resign.

"Iliff will continue to move forward to create a diverse school which
seeks to prepare persons for excellence in Christian ministry," he told
United Methodist News Service.  "My commitment is to have a diverse
faculty, administration, student body and board of trustees. To those
ends we continue to move.  I am confident we will achieve our goals."

The Commission on Diversity, an advisory group to the Board of Trustee's
Academic Affairs Committee, was created following a controversy last
spring, when representatives of Students of Color (SOC) and ISIC held a
month-long hunger strike demanding reform at the United Methodist
seminary. Demands included the employment of a senior administrator of
color.

Young said the board is committed to the administrative position "once
the job description has been developed justifying the institutional and
academic desirability and financial feasibility of such a position." 

The commission, established by the trustees in June, has met regularly
with 20 members elected from representative bodies within the school. At
the request of the SOC and ISIC representatives, a mediation group was
also brought to campus for sessions beginning last fall. Participating
in the meeting with mediators were trustees, administrators, faculty and
students. SOC and ISIC representatives walked out of the most recent
meeting, May 13, saying administration representatives were unable or
unwilling to take action regarding their demands.

"Normally when people talk about mediation, it only makes sense if the
people who come to the table are authorized to make decisions," said
Marie Vandenbark, a doctoral student. "If no one has the power to do
anything, then what is the point?"

Joretta Marshall, a faculty member on the Commission on Diversity, said,
"I hope that the school will continue to engage in conversations about
how to foster diversity rather than be distracted by the recent vote of
the commission."

Iliff, one of 13 U.S. seminaries related to the United Methodist Church,
has 21 regular faculty members, five of whom are people of color. Three
of the white faculty members also carry administrative responsibilities
(president, dean and librarian). The school has 326 students.
.

United Methodist News Service
(615)742-5470
Releases and photos also available at
http://www.umc.org/umns/