AKMA’s Random Thoughts

How It Is

David wondered why no one’s talking about matters at Seabury — a reasonable enough question, although it’s not precisely accurate (with comments on Ryan’s Haloscan pop-up, and a follow-up here).

By way of overview:

• James Lemler, the Dean/President is taking a job at Episcopal Church HQ


• John Dreibelbis, Professor of Christian Ministries, is retiring at the end of the calendar year


• The Visiting Instructor of Theology and Ethics (my brother Trevor) is leaving for a tenure-track appointment at Bluffton College


• Bob Finster, Director of Music/Lecturer in Liturgical Music, is retiring at the end of the academic year


• Meredith Potter, Lecturer in Congregational Studies and Director of Extension, is retiring at the end of the academic year


• Susan Barfield, the Associate Dean for Academic Operations and Registrar, is leaving at the end of the academic year


• David Gortner, Lecturer in Young Adult Ministries, is leaving for a full-time tenure-track position at Church Divinity School of the Pacific

A number of these were predictable retirements, concealed from no one; one retirement came sooner than Seabury anticipated; Trevor’s departure after not even being interviewed for continuation in his full-time position could be no surprise; we’ve known for a long time that Susan would leave when her husband graduated. So the big shocker here is the Dean & President’s departure, and even that has been the topic of speculation since his name wafted through several searches for Bishop of various dioceses.

One of those positions has been filled — the one Trevor’s vacating — with Ellen Wondra, a theologian well-known in Episcopal Church circles. The rest have been or are being addressed by action of higher authorities than the general faculty; I gather that deliberations are underway to replace Susan and Bob.

Seabury’s financial condition is a mystery to me. We’ve been told that we’re on the verge of breaking even every year since I arrived, but things seem to happen every time, and last year we heard a dramatic change in the description of our finances between late fall 2002 and spring 2003. I think the place is fundamentally in adequate shape, and has been improving pretty steadily (granted the exigencies of an unstable national economy). I believe our present financial director will continue a pattern of strong recuperative measures, and should see us to a secure standing. So far as I can tell, no one ever lied to us about finances; things were in a confusing mess, and we were given the most positive take on finances at every point, but our problems involved hidden problems and over-optimistic assessments of where things stood.

So although there’ll be a lot of turnover — I’m still hoping that’ll include me, though there’s no positive evidence that the single remaining opportunity will pan out — and though our finances aren’t what they might be, we don’t face an immediate crisis. If I were called to another position this year, it wouldn’t throw off the Seabury ecology too much, which is a large part of why I’m looking.

All that being said, I wish Seabury were approaching this institutional moment with more strength, with more clarity of vision, with a different pattern of practices, communication, and administration. It could very well be an exciting stage in Seabury’s growth from a cozy, small seminary to larger institution with (sound) ambitions toward effecting a revitalization of ministry in the Episcopal Church, and with candor, determination, generous support, and commitment from students and alums, that positive outcome might just come off.

Posted by AKMA at May 5, 2004 10:54 AM | TrackBack