NEW ORLEANS – Trustees at New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary set a course for the seminary’s future by establishing two degree-granting extension centers, restructuring undergraduate and church music degrees and launching new doctoral specializations during their spring meeting.
By Gary D. Myers
New Orleans Seminary Public Relations
NEW ORLEANS – Trustees at New Orleans Baptist
Theological Seminary set a course for the seminary’s future by
establishing two degree-granting extension centers, restructuring
undergraduate and church music degrees and launching new doctoral
specializations during their spring meeting.
The meeting opened with an encouraging report from
NOBTS President Chuck Kelley. In his remarks, Kelley presented a
positive picture of the seminary’s recovery and future. He called
attention to the assistance of Southern Baptists in the seminary’s
recovery process.
“We are very grateful for the difference the
Cooperative Program made in the New Orleans Seminary Hurricane Katrina
experience,” Kelley said. “Southern Baptists kept a challenge from
becoming a crisis. We are no longer in survival mode. We are in growth
and opportunity mode. The SBC threw its full weight into giving us a
future; we must give back a world class seminary.”
New faculty
Trustees elected six professors to the faculty,
promoted three faculty members and granted tenure to four professors
during their April 12 meeting.
Benjamin Harlan was elected professor of church
music. Preston Nix was elected to serve as associate professor of
preaching and evangelism. Nix also oversees the supervised ministry
program.
Trustees also elected Trish Hawley as associate
professor of women’s ministry. She also serves as women’s ministry
coordinator for the dean of students office.
Campus restoration
Thanks to seminary contractor Mike Moskau and his
workers, along with close to 1,000 Southern Baptist volunteers, the
campus transformation has been dramatic. These volunteers have saved
the seminary up to $3 million in labor costs, Moskau said.
While Moskau’s crews have gutted and reconstructed
the flooded first floors of seminary housing and repaired roofs
throughout campus, volunteers have cleaned and restored second and
third floor apartments, and laid sod.
The front block, which includes the seminary’s main
academic buildings, has been open since January. New landscaping and
grass have since been installed on the front block, giving it a
finished look. The first round of repairs to Leavell Chapel will be
complete by spring graduation service on May 13.
Buildings on the second block of campus have been
completely restored. The first ten faculty homes located along Seminary
Place, the Manor Apartments, Courtyard Apartments and Staff Village are
also nearing completion.
The remaining faculty homes and student apartments
are on schedule to open at various times during the summer. The campus
will be fully operational by August.