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[PCUSA NEWS <pcusa.news@ecunet.org>]

GA99004    GAC Hears New Revisions in Mission Strategy  
                    for Racial/Ethnic Schools  
 
FORT WORTH   The National Ministries Division (NMD) is changing with the 
times by redefining its mission strategy to more accurately describe the 
current relationship between the church and its eight racial ethnic schools 
and colleges. 
 
     The changes, reviewed here by the General Assembly Council June 17, 
call for the institutions to go from being classified as "mission schools" 
to being in "partnership" with the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.). The 
changes come after the NMD adopted the mission strategy as a "document in 
process" during a February meeting in Louisville, Ky. The division in its 
report said the mission school title is "partially condescending" and 
"patronizing in character" and no longer remains accurate. 
 
     "The better paradigm is that of partnership," the NMD's report to the 
GAC said. "Two bodies which work together on a common mission with each 
committed to enhancing the mission of the other." 
 
     Over the years the PC(USA) has been committed to racial ethnic 
education. That commitment, strong as ever, has taken different directions 
during various eras, according to the report.  Each era has required a 
"contextual strategy," one that's "appropriate for particular circumstances 
of the institutions, the people being served and the priorities of the 
church." 
 
     New terminology was also necessary since the church has seen its 
membership rolls and resources decline in recent years.  The GAC  "seeking 
to find a clear identity and directions for the 21st century, seeks 
partners with strength and character and views the racial ethnic 
institutions as such partners."  
 
     The division cautioned that there are still a wide range of factors 
which need to be studied in order to address this issue.  For example, it 
is not always possible to predict the performance of the stock market and 
its effects on the endowments, or know for sure what level of federal and 
state financial aid will be available or the kinds of crises the schools 
will face in a given year.  
 
     Among other tasks are finding appropriate ways to finance and carry 
out the mission strategy, determining the percentage of Christmas Joy 
Offering funds which are available for emergency needs for the institutions 
and proposing guidelines for access to Christmas Joy Offering funds. 
 
     These and other circumstances have spawned the development of a 
mission strategy with five primary concepts. 
 
          1) the GAC and PC(USA) will assist these institutions in 
achieving "stable and 
     progressive 
 governance" by assisting the schools in strengthening their boards of 
trustees, providing resources for professional development of presidents 
and staff members, providing consultation for key officers and providing 
consultation for search committees at the schools. 
 
 
     2) The GAC and PC(USA) will assist the schools in achieving "long-term 
financial stability" by continuing to make financial resources available to 
the institutions through the Christmas Joy Offering and several endowments. 
 
     3) The church will work with the institutions in achieving the 
"highest quality educational program for their students" by assisting the 
schools in achieving the highest standards among teachers, students, 
administrators, chaplains, campus ministers and "all who engage in the 
educational mission of the institution."  The church will also provide 
resources for faculty development, curriculum revision and the formation of 
new academic programs which will address the issues of a rapidly changing 
world; facilitate conferences, consultations and visits with other PC(USA) 
institutions; assist the institutions in developing programs in 
international education, collaborating and experiential learning modes and 
service and distance learning. 
 
     4) The church will "encourage increased and appropriate enrollment and 
retention in the institutions," being especially "sensitive" to the needs 
of potential students who, for a variety of reasons, may not otherwise have 
the opportunity to pursue an education. 
 
     5) The church will assist the institutions in being "faithful in all 
aspects of their common life to the Christian faith and as appropriate to 
the Reformed and Presbyterian tradition" by facilitating appropriate 
Presbyterian representation on the boards of trustees and assisting in the 
development of programs of spiritual nurture and service on the campuses of 
the institutions. 
 
Evan Silverstein 

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