board of trustees winter meeting workbook · 2018. 2. 15. · board of trustees fall meeting jan....
TRANSCRIPT
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Board of Trustees
Winter Meeting Workbook
January 28 – 30, 2016
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BOT Meeting January 28 - 30, 2016
TABLE OF CONTENTS
SECTION 1 BOARD OF TRUSTEES
Agenda Actions and Conversations Roster of Committee Members Board Minutes: Oct. 2015 Meeting Board of Trustees Directory Demographics of Board Members 2016 Board Meeting Dates Board of Trustees Travel
SECTION 2 OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT
Report of the President SECTION 3 BOARD AFFAIRS
Committee Description SECTION 4 INSTITUTIONAL RESOURCES
Committee Description Report of the Chief Financial Officer/Administration Report of the Director of Development Corporate Financial Institutions Investing in the Prison-for-Profit Industry
SECTION 5 ACADEMIC AND STUDENT LIFE
Committee Description Report of the Dean of the Seminary Report of the Dean of Students
SECTION 6 INSTITUTIONAL STRUCTURES
Committee Description NBTS Core Institutional Values Accreditation Report – Strategic Planning
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Board of Trustees Meeting
Jan. 28 - 30, 2016
SECTION 1 BOARD OF TRUSTEES
Agenda
Actions and Conversations
Roster of Committee Members
Board Minutes: Oct. 2015 Meeting
Board of Trustees Directory
Demographics of Board Members
2016 Board Meeting Dates
Board of Trustees Travel
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Board of Trustees Fall Meeting
Jan. 28-30, 2016
AGENDA
Thursday, Jan. 28, 2016
2:00 pm – 3:00 pm Board Affairs Committee – President’s Office Meeting Room
3:00 pm – 3:30 pm Board Plenary I - Room 205
3:30 pm - 4:30pm Board Committee Meetings I
Institutional Resources – Room 115
Academic & Student Life – Room 111
Institutional Structures – Room 112
4:30 pm – 5:00 pm Board Plenary II - Room 205
5:15 pm – 6:00 pm Supper – Hageman Hall
6:00 pm – 8:00 pm Workshop – Room 115
Friday, Jan. 29, 2016
8:30 am – 8:50 am Morning Prayers – Chapel
9:00 am – 5:00 pm Workshop – Room 115
Saturday, Jan. 30, 2016
8:00 am – 8:20 am Morning Prayers – Chapel
9:00 am – 3:00 pm Workshop – Room 115
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Actions & Conversations
Board of Trustees Fall Meeting
January 28 - 30, 2016
AREA TAB ACTIONS CONVERSATIONS
1. Board of Trustees Approval of minutes Oct. 2015
2. President and Moderator
3. Board Affairs What lies beyond Anti-Racism Training
4. Academic & Student Life
Report of the Dean
Report of Dean of Students
5. Institutional Resources Review of our Development efforts
Investment Screens
6. Institutional Structures
Strategic Plan Review
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Roster of Committee Membership
New Brunswick Theological Seminary
2015 • 2016
Board Affairs ~ President’s Office
Barbara Felker, Chair
Rich Glendening
Michael Bos
Anna Jackson
Bart Strong
Gregg Mast, Administration
John Coakley, Faculty
Institutional Resources ~ Room 115
Richard Glendening, Chair
Norm Aardema
Liz Hance
Cathy Lewis
Peter Henry
Evans Spagner
Sandra Timmons
Ken Termott, Administration
Cathy Proctor, Administration
Jaeseung Cha, Faculty
Virginia Wiles, Faculty
Academic and Student Life ~ Room 111
Anna Jackson, Chair
En Young Kim
Michael Beals
Danielle Brown
Carol Kuhlthau
Amaury Tanon-Santos
Diane Tice
Will Ashley, Administration
Beth Tanner, Faculty
Faye Taylor, Faculty
Institutional Structures ~ Room 112
Deb Sterken, Chair
Barbara Felker
Fernando Jensen
Bart Strong
Gay Morris
Greg Jackson
Sam Lee
Elizabeth Testa
Gregg Mast, Administration
John Coakley, Faculty
Raynard Smith, Faculty
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New Brunswick Theological Seminary
Board of Trustees Minutes
Fall Meeting
October 29, 2015
Thursday, October 29, 2015
Present: Michael Bos, Diane Tice, Anna Jackson, En Young Kim, Gregory Jackson, Poongsam
Lee, Carol Kuhlthau, Bart Strong, Richard Glendenning, Fernando Jensen, Sandra Timmons,
Elizabeth Testa, Evans Spagner, Peter Henry, Elizabeth Hance, Danielle Brown, Gay Morris,
Catherine Lewis
Excused: Barbara Felker, Norm Aardema, Michael Beals, Amaury Tanon-Santos, Deb Sterken
Staff: Will Ashley, Cathy Proctor, Ken Termott
Ex-Officio: Gregg Mast
The Meeting was called to order at 3:15PM by Moderator Michael Bos, who opened the meeting
with prayer. The President’s Report was given by Dr. Mast, and the Moderator’s Report was
given by Moderator Bos.
Meetings took place from 3:45 to 5:00, followed by supper. At 6:20, the Trustees joined Faculty,
Staff, and Students in the Mast Chapel for evening prayers led by Earl Jones. The Trustees were
dismissed at 6:40.
Friday, October 29, 2015
Present: Michael Bos, Diane Tice, Anna Jackson, En Young Kim, Gregory Jackson, Poongsam
Lee, Carol Kuhlthau, Bart Strong, Richard Glendenning, Fernando Jensen, Sandra Timmons,
Elizabeth Testa, Evans Spagner, Peter Henry, Elizabeth Hance, Danielle Brown, Gay Morris,
Catherine Lewis, Barbara Felker
Excused: Norm Aardema, Michael Beals, Amaury Tanon-Santos, Deb Sterken
Staff: Will Ashley, Cathy Proctor, Ken Termott, Joan Marshall
Ex-Officio: Gregg Mast
The day began at 8:00AM with a Prayer Service in Mast Chapel led by En Young Kim. Board
Committee Meetings followed from 8:30 to 10:30.
The Second Plenary Session was called to order by Moderator Michael Bos at 10:48.
2015-13 - Approval of the April 29 & 30, 2015 meeting minutes were moved in support
(Hance); the motion passed unanimously with no corrections.
Institutional Resources – Richard Glendenning
Action Items
2015-14 – The Committee recommended approval of the audit of October 30, 2015. The
recommendation was approved unanimously.
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Academic & Student Life Committee – Anna Jackson Action Items
2015-15 – The Committee recommended that Honorary Degrees for Doctor of Divinity be
awarded to the Rev. Soo Young Lee and to the Rev. Dr. Wilbur T. Washington. The
recommendation was approved unanimously.
Institutional Resources – Richard Glendenning
Conversations
Investment performance was reviewed and discussed.
A letter from the Head of Chaplains at the East Jersey State Prison of New Jersey requesting no
investment in corporations operating for-profit prisons was discussed. The Committee
recommended that this be discussed by the Trustees to give some direction to a smaller working
group. There was further clarification for the Trustees on socially responsible investment, and
considerable conversation on what type of investments would be counter to institutional values,
but also those which might be illustrative of institutional values.
2015-16 - It was moved (Hance) and seconded (Glendenning) that an ad hoc working committee
be formed with representatives from each of the four Board committees to investigate
and gather relevant data on socially responsible investment. The motion was passed
unanimously.
Cathy Proctor (Director of Development) gave a brief report, including an update on the $8
million campaign begun in 2014.
Academic & Student Life Committee – Anna Jackson Conversations
The enrollment over goal was commended.
The increased use and gradual commitment to distance learning, including an application for
comprehensive distance learning, was discussed along with academic relationships with Rutgers.
The committee members also took a tour of the library. It was noted that the library will give
Trustees a library card and access to the databases.
The development and implementation of an enrollment management plan was also discussed.
The meeting was adjourned for lunch with prayer by Dr. Mast at 12PM.
The meeting was called to order by Moderator Michael Bos at 1:07PM.
The working group for socially responsible investment will be comprised of Peter Henry
(Institutional Resources), Gregg Mast (Staff), Michael Bos (Board Moderator and Board
Affairs), Anna Jackson (Academic & Student Life), and Gregory Jackson (Institutional
Structures)
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Board Affairs – Barbara Felker
Conversations Anti-Racism training will be part of the January 2016 board meeting. More information will be
forwarded to the Trustees at a later date.
Committee reports will be requested prior to the January meeting.
Ways to enhance the “Board experience” were discussed, including the possibility of a visit of a
number of local trustees to the St. John’s campus.
Institutional Structures – Bart Strong (for Deb Stelken)
Conversations
The Strategic Plan was discussed including the possibility of a discussion with the entire Board.
Updating core values is a work in progress – after input from the working group and the
Institutional Structures Committee, there are now 12 proposed core values. These will be
available for review by the Board at some time in the future.
The second discussion topic was assessment of the mission statement – does it accurately reflect
what the institution is doing?
The third topic centered on the ten items developed by the full-day visioning retreat held on
October 1, 2015.
The meeting was adjourned in prayer by Fernando Jensen at 1:40PM.
Respectfully submitted,
Diane G. Tice
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BOARD OF TRUSTEES 2015 • 2016
* Indicates a trustee is serving a second term Updated 01/16
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2017 (2011)* Mr. Norm Aardema 1332 Wilderness Drive Schereville, IN 46375 (H) 219.865.1261 (C) 708.935.4503 [email protected] Institutional Resources
2016 (2009) * Dr. Michael Beals 6 Alma Court Somerset, NJ 08873-7311 (H) 732.545.2321 [email protected] Institutional Structures 2017 (2011)* Moderator The Rev. Michael S. Bos 306 W. 77th Street New York, NY 10024 (O) 212.787.1566 [email protected] Board Affairs
2018 (2015) The Rev. Dr. Danielle Brown 84 Lewis St. Perth Amboy, NJ 08861 (C) 804.386.7488 [email protected] Academic & Student Life
2017 (2014) Ms. Barbara A. Felker 175 Huguenot Street, Unit 2001 New Rochelle, NY 10801-0477 (H) 718.776.1706 (O) 516.881.7090 (C) 917.881.1464 [email protected] Board Affairs, Chair Institutional Structures
2017 (2014) Mr. Richard (Rich) Glendening 22 Peace St. Pella, IA 50219 (C) 515.657.2457 [email protected] Board Affairs Institutional Resources, Chair
2017 (2010)* Mrs. Elizabeth (Liz) Hance 712 A Sussexway Monroe Township, NJ 08831 (C) 732.947.9898 [email protected] Institutional Resources 2018 (2015) Mr. Peter Henry, Esq. 15 Hunters Circle Lebanon, NJ 08833 (H) 908.287.1207 (O) 973.348.5366 [email protected] Institutional Resources 2018 (2012)* The Rev. Anna Jackson 94-79 Springfield Blvd. Queens Village, NY 11428 (C) 917.375.0837 [email protected] Academic & Student Life, Chair Board Affairs
2016 (2013) The Rev. Gregory J. Jackson 79 Allen Street Hackensack, NJ 07601 (C) 201.481.2932 [email protected] Institutional Structures
2016 (2013) The Rev. Dr. Fernando E. Jensen 3714 Marietta Way Saint Cloud, FL 34772 (C) 407.655.9385 [email protected] Institutional Structures 2017 (2014) The Rev. En Young Kim 636 Bogert Rd. River Edge, NJ 07661 (O) 201.566.4883 [email protected] Academic & Student Life 2018 (2015) Dr. Carol C. Kuhlthau 50 Allison Rd. Princeton, NJ (H) 609.497.1556 [email protected] Academic & Student Life
2016 (2013) The Rev. Poongsam (Sam) Lee 9 Clubway Circle Yonkers, NY 10710 (C) 917.270.2952 [email protected] Institutional Structures
2016 (2013) Mrs. Catherine (Cathy) A. Lewis 1164 VanCurler Avenue Schenectady, NY 12308 (H) 518.382.0579 (C) 518.428.5830 [email protected] Institutional Resources
mailto:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]
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BOARD OF TRUSTEES 2015 • 2016
* Indicates a trustee is serving a second term Updated 01/16
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2018 (2015) Mrs. Gay K. Morris 3958 Mt. Vernon Dr. Los Angeles, CA 90008 (H) 323.299.4180 (C) 323.428.6294 [email protected] Institutional Structures
2018 (2015) The Rev. Dr. Evans Spagner 5 King Richard’s Ct. Watchung, NJ 07060 (H) 908.322.5574 (C) 908.656.2325 [email protected] Institutional Resources
2017 (2011)* Mrs. Deborah P. Sterken 268 Maple Ave. Holland, MI 49423 (H) 616.392.4663 (M) 616.405.8993 [email protected] Institutional Structures, Chair
2017 (2014) Mr. Barton (Bart) Strong 6 Silverbirch Blvd. New Hope, Ontario L0R1W0 (H) 905.679.3632 (C) 905.518.5669 [email protected] Board Affairs Institutional Structures
2018 (2015) The Rev. Dr. Amaury Tanon-Santos 45R Reading Rd. Edison, NJ 08817 [email protected] Academic & Student Life 2017 (2015) Dr. Diane G. Tice 8409 Indian Hill Rd Manlius, NY 13104 (O) 315.684.6140 (H) 315.682.5439 [email protected] Academic & Student Life 2018 (2015) Ms. Sandra Timmons 170 Prospect Ave. #17K Hackensack, NJ 07601 (H) 201.489.9468 (C) 917.623.9895 [email protected] Institutional Resources
EX-OFFICIO The Rev. Dr. Gregg A. Mast 35 Seminary Place New Brunswick, NJ 08901 (O) 732.247.5241 (C) 518.859.2114 (F) 732.249.5412 [email protected] The Rev. Dr.Tom De Vries Gen. Secretary, Ref. Church in America 4500 60th Street SE Grand Rapids, MI 49512 (O) 616.698.7071 (F) 616.698.6606 [email protected] ********************************************** The Rev. Elizabeth (Liz) Testa Women’s Transformation & Leadership Reformed Church in America 35 Seminary Place New Brunswick, NJ 08901 (O) 616.541.0897 (C) 646.646-4744 [email protected] Institutional Structures
mailto:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]
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DEMOGRAPHICS OF BOARD MEMBERSHIP New Brunswick Theological Seminary
2015 • 2016
* Indicates a trustee is serving a second term. Revised 06/2015
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Male Female Clergy Ethnic/Minority Ex-Officio
Aardema* Brown Bos* Felker De Vries
Beals* Felker Brown Brown Mast
Bos* Hance* Jackson, A* Jackson, A*
Glendening Jackson, A* Jackson, G Jackson, G
Henry Kim Jensen Jensen
Jackson, G Kuhlthau Kim Kim
Jensen Lewis, C Lee Lee
Lee Morris Spagner Morris
Spagner Sterken* Tanon-Santos Spagner
Strong Tice Tanon-Santos
Tanon-Santos Timmons Timmons
NBTS Graduates Trustees from the Regional Synods, RCA
Brown 2010 RSA Lewis, C (2016)
Felker 2012 RSC Strong (2017)
Jackson, A* 1999 RSH Glendening (2017)
Jensen 1991 RSM-Am Aardema* (2017)
Kim 2001 RSFW Morris (2018)
Mast 1976 RSM-At Hance* (2017)
Tanon-Santos 2011 RSNY Jackson, A* (2017)
RSGL Sterken* (2017)
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DEMOGRAPHICS OF BOARD MEMBERSHIP New Brunswick Theological Seminary
2015 • 2016
* Indicates a trustee is serving a second term. Revised 06/2015
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Members of the RCA Members of Other Denominations
Aardema* Brown Baptist
Bos* Beals* Non-Denomination
Felker Jackson, G Baptist
Glendening Kuhlthau Methodist
Hance* Spagner Baptist
Henry Tanos-Santos PCUSA
Jackson, A* Timmons Baptist
Jensen
Kim
Lee
Lewis
Morris Sterken* Strong Tice
Class of 2016 Class of 2017 Class of 2018
Beals* Aardema* Brown
Jackson, G Bos* Henry
Jensen Felker Jackson, A*
Lee Glendening Kuhlthau
Lewis Hance* Morris
Kim Spagner
Sterken* Tanon-Santos
Strong Timmons
Tice
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New Brunswick Theological Seminary
BOT Meeting Dates
January 2016
Thursday, 28 – Saturday, 30
April 2016
Thursday, 28 – Friday, 29
October 2016
Thursday, 27 – Friday, 28
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Board of Trustees Travel
Accommodations ( New Location)
HYATT REGENCY NEW BRUNSWICK
2 Albany Street, New Brunswick, NJ 08901
Phone #: (732) 873-1234
Hotel Parking:
Self-Parking $16 per day is included in our negotiated fee.
Valet Parking is an additional fee charge to the seminary.
To save on parking expenses – trustees can park their cars in the seminary lot and use
hotel shuttle service.
Shuttle Service:
For those who have requested shuttle service, please remember to cancel or
reschedule shuttle service 1 hour prior to pick-up. Call 1.800.427.3207 and give the
operator your confirmation number to reschedule or cancel. If service is not rescheduled
your reservation will be canceled and the seminary will be charged for the unused
reservation and the new reservation if service is not canceled within 1 hour prior to pick-
up.
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Board of Trustees Meeting
January 28 - 30, 2016
SECTION 2 OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT
Report of the President
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1 President Rpt. I
The President’s Report I: Some Personal Reflections
New Brunswick Theological Seminary- January, 2016
Welcome to the Winter Meeting of the Board of Trustees of New Brunswick Theological
Seminary. You may remember that I began my October report with the words that before we
took a single action that we had made history. This is the first board in the 232 year history of
this seminary that has as many women as men and as many people of color as white folk. Some
may think that this accomplishment is in service of some politically correct agenda, but it has
been an explicit goal of this sacred institution for the past decade and became an implicit vision
when in 1976, forty years ago, we changed the very DNA of our institution when the Evening
Theological Program was imagined and implemented.
Following a Lenten Wednesday evening service in the spring of 1976, Dr. Howard
Hageman, the President of NBTS sat with the evening preacher, Dr. George Weber of New York
Theological Seminary. In the strange providence of God I sat quietly at that coffee table as a
second year seminarian. The two presidents began to draw on the back of a napkin if my memory
serves me right, a way for the two seminaries to cooperate in the formation of urban pastors.
While NBTS had been quietly available for the training of pastors outside the Reformed Church
in America, from this single conversation flowed a new vision for who we were to become. This
Seminary began to understand that it was to become a unique gift from the RCA to the churches
and candidates for ministry in the Greater New York area. From this initial conversation grew
an evening program that made theological education particularly available to bi-vocational and
second career candidates. This satellite program first located at the First Reformed Church in
Queens and then at St. John’s University, became the vision that finally captured the very heart
of the main campus in New Brunswick.
As we look back four decades we can see the hand of God guiding us toward a new
future built on the core values of our first years- making theological education accessible and
contextual for American candidates in this new land. For almost two hundred years that meant
that we understood our core ministry as serving the congregations and mission of the Reformed
Church in America. On the back of a napkin, that important but narrow focus, changed to
embrace all who heard the call of God on their lives.
From 1976 to 2006, thirty years, we grew in that vision and commitment. But what we
didn’t do was to reflect deeply enough on what it meant for the leadership and curriculum of this
historic seminary. In the last days of the past administration, at a very tender and painful time,
some students banded together and challenged the Board to struggle with issues of power and
privilege at a seminary that was already as diverse as any in the country. Instead of committing a
weekend to this important task, the Board embraced a long term commitment to become an anti-
racist and far more inclusive community of faith and learning.
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2 President Rpt. I
We now stand at the mid-point of that journey- a decade into a twenty year plan. At times
it has been a painful walk and other times we have glimpsed a new and promised land that
inspires us forward. We have fully integrated our staff, our faculty and our board of trustees. We
have intentionally reflected on our curriculum and imagined a new way forward. We have asked
difficult questions of each other and have been surprised and encouraged with the responses we
have taken to heart. In this board meeting we take another step forward. In the next few days we
will intentionally talk about race in our seminary and in our lives and land. We know that this is
a topic that many in our nation yearn to have but few have built the strong and trusting
relationships to bring the issue of racism to the table. Poll after poll tell us that people of color
and white folk see issues of race in dramatically different ways. God has given us these few days
to bridge the gaps and to imagine our seminary as a holy instrument of healing in a painful time.
Allow me to remind us all that our time together will focus on racism not prejudice.
Prejudice lives in each us- it is the ways we pre-judge people who look different than ourselves.
We can be pre-judge people because of their race, but we can also pre-judge folk who are richer
than us, or poorer; thinner than us or fatter; more educated, or less so; more extroverted, or more
introverted. Racism takes prejudice and adds power and privilege and creates an uneven playing
field. Racism lives in cultures not in people, and it punishes people over and over again for the
color of their skin rather than the content of their character.
I grew up in an all-white suburban community in which none of this made much sense to
us. While Dr. Martin Luther King railed against the racism buried deep in the DNA of this
country-many white folk, including me and my family scratched our heads. And then for me the
Damascus road experience happened over a six year time period. In the fall of 1972 I lived and
worked in an all-black Lutheran congregation in South Philadelphia. One evening, Demetricus,
an eighteen year old deacon in the church, was chased into the building by a half dozen white
policeman. The former police commissioner, Frank Rizzo, had become the mayor of
Philadelphia and had inherited and nurtured a culture in which young black men were treated
with impunity. After Demitricus had been led out in handcuffs having been wrongly identified as
a street criminal, his cuffs were unlocked in the dead of night on the sidewalk in the front of the
church and he was told to run as the police officers began reaching for their service revolvers.
When I asked Demetricus the next morning what he had done, he smiled sadly at my innocence-
he simply explained that he did not move a step and asked to be re-cuffed. This event took place
43 years ago and I remember it like it was yesterday. My safe world was shattered as I
understood that evil can invade and take up residence in structures as well as people.
This lesson was brought home to me four years later when Vicki and I moved to
Johannesburg, South Africa at the height of the apartheid regime. Apartheid was a demonic
system that told people where they could live, work, marry, be educated and shop by the color of
their skin. Every minute detail of a person’s life was dictated by a system that believed that your
ethnicity dictated your future.
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3 President Rpt. I
When we returned from South Africa in 1977 I ministered in Newark and then Irvington
and discovered that the lessons of South Philadelphia and Johannesburg were not unique to
another state or land- the issue of racism was alive and well here in New Jersey, and yes I would
also discover at New Brunswick Seminary. Allow me to provide a example of what I am talking
about. When I arrived a decade ago the Board had a Board Affairs Committee that consisted of
the past and present moderators and the committee chairs. The problem was that not one person
of color had ever been invited to serve in any of these roles and the committee responsible for the
slate of new officers and new trustees had always been white. Good intentions did not translate
into new places of power and privilege. My friends, we have not been immune to the disease that
has infected the American body. We have confronted the challenge and year after year we have
built a community of trust and friendship that has allowed us now to talk about painful,
important, difficult issues. Thanks be to God!
I am grateful and proud that we have come to this moment when we will speak more
deeply and more honestly about race in our seminary community and country. I pray that the
God who has led us faithfully for so long, will continue to lead us toward a promised land where
all of God’s children are treated with justice so we can finally live in peace.
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1 President Rpt. II
The President’s Report II: PARTNERSHIPS
This list of PARTNERSHIPS between New Brunswick Theological Seminary and a
number of institutions and churches represents a dramatic increase in our cooperation
with others in our mission. The list is in no particular order and I would not be surprised if
I have missed some partnerships.
1- St. John’s University- Graduate Elective Courses in Theology for our students studying at our
St. John’s satellite campus.
2- National Baptist Convention- In 2015 NBTS was declared the “Seminary of Choice” for
National Baptist candidates. We are still exploring what this will mean for us in our
recruitment and in our programming
3 - American Baptists of NJ- In 2015 the American Baptist Churches of NJ declared that NBTS
was its “Missional Partner in NJ.”
4- RCA- We continue to celebrate the presence of the RCA Archives in Gardner Sage Library as
we are exploring a significant commitment to expand and promote them.
5- RCA- The presence of the RCA Office Suite in our Building has meant that our new building
is regularly used for conversations and conferences.
6- Annual Underwood International Symposium with Saemoonan Presbyterian Church and
Yonsei School of Theology in Seoul, Korea. In 2016, we will celebrate our 9th
Symposium
which will focus on Discipleship.
7- We have worked with Pastoral Care Department at Robert Wood Johnson Hospital in creating
our new DMin in Pastoral Care and Counseling.
8- We have historically worked with the Bloustein School of Urban Planning at Rutgers
University with our DMin in Metro-Urban Ministry.
9- We have experienced significant new use of our building by Rutgers Schools and Departments
and other local, state and national groups. In our first full year in the building, thirty external
groups utilized our building for meetings, half of which were connected to Rutgers University.
10- We have provided free office space for the Director of the Rutgers Protestant Ministry for
one year.
11- We now have a formal partnership with DEVCO and the Construction Management
Associates New Brunswick in providing subsidized housing for our students. We receive a
subsidized rate on ten apartments annually.
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2 President Rpt. II
12- Since 1974, we have sponsored a bi-annual learning experience in the Netherlands for our
students and friends. This cooperative work is now with the International Reformed
Theological Institute in Amsterdam and the focus in July, 2016 experience is “Migration and
the Mission of the Church.”
13- In 2014 we received a $250,000 grant from the Lilly Foundation to address the concern of
debt among seminarians and pastors. We have pursued our work on this issue in cooperation
with the First Baptist Church and Dr. Buster Soaries through the dfree® program.
14- We are developing a partnership with the Al Amana Center for Christian- Muslim Dialogue
in Muscat, Oman.
15. We are continuing to develop a partnership with Payne Seminary and the First District of the
African Methodist Episcopal Church in order to provide a Clergy Self Care Day and an
Executive Certificate in Management for Congregational Leaders in cooperation with
Rutgers Graduate School of Business.
16. We have nurtured a partnership with the Magyar Reformed Church and the Reformed
Church of Hungary to identify and support a Hungarian student at NBTS pursuing an MA in
Pastoral Care and Counseling.
17. We have just been informed that a partnership with Pine Rest Hospital in Grand Rapids,
Michigan, Calvin and Western Seminaries and the RCA and CRC has been funded by a
DeVos Foundation one million dollar grant to encourage distance learning CPE training for
students and clergy.
17- All of our donors are partners in our mission.
18- Our more than hundred Field Education sites are partners in our mission.
20-We continue to nurture our community partnerships with Elijah’s Promise and Five Loaves
through Second Reformed Church.
21- We work closely with the Office of Disabilities at Rutgers University to better serve our
students.
22. All congregations and denominations who entrust us with their candidates and some of which
underwrite the tuition of their students.
23. We have just been invited to nominate one scholar (Dr. John Coakley) to work with a blue
ribbon committee at Rutgers to explore the role of slavery in establishing our two institutions
and to recommend appropriate ways to respond.
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3 President Rpt. II
PENDING PARTNERSHIPS
1- Cooperative recruitment of Methodist Candidates with Drew Seminary
2- Syrian Orthodox Church and clergy formation
3- Rutgers School of Social Work- MSW and MDiv
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Board of Trustees Meeting
January 28 - 30, 2016
SECTION 3 BOARD AFFAIRS
Committee Description
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Board Affairs Committee
Purpose: The Board Affairs Committee is responsible for strengthening and supporting Board
commitment and function.
Responsibilities: In consultation with the President and the moderator, Board Affairs is to:
1. Promote the development of the Board of Trustees as a spiritually unified and
mutually supportive body.
2. Provide orientation for new members, educational opportunities and materials to
enhance the Board’s effectiveness and awareness of its responsibilities, as
expressed in the Constitution and By-Laws and the Declaration for Board Members.
3. Ensure the continued strength of the Board by presenting the names of well-
qualified, diverse and committed nominees for the Board and the Board’s executive
offices.
4. Administer the Declaration for New Trustees and oversee orientation and training.
5. Contact members who were absent from Board meetings to communicate major
issues and decisions.
6. Keep the Board informed about issues and developments in theological education.
7. Provide evaluative materials for the board to exercise its oversight of the President
and its own work.
8. Recommend polices, procedures and by-law amendments that strengthen the
board’s commitment to the seminary’s mission.
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Board of Trustees Meeting
January 28 - 30, 2016
SECTION 4 INSTITUTIONAL RESOURCES
Committee Description
Report of the Chief Financial Officer/Administration
Report of the Director of Development
Corporate Financial Institutions Investing in the Prison-for-Profit Industry
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Institutional Resources Committee
Purpose: Institutional Resources Committee is responsible for oversight of fiscal
matters and the preservation and expansion of assets, both financial assets
and the physical plant.
Responsibilities: In consultation with administration and faculty, the Institutional Resources
Committee shall make recommendations to the Board of Trustees and
facilitate essential tasks such as the following:
Budgets
Audit
Long range financial planning
Physical property management
Invested asset management
Alumni/ae Relations
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1
Research Report for the New Brunswick Theological Seminary
Corporate Financial Institutions Investing in the Prison-for-Profit Industry
James Bojack 1/11/16
Introduction and Background
The United States of America has approximately 2.3 million people in prison and although
Americans are only 5 percent of the world’s population they represent 25 percent of the world’s
prison population according to most published research. Studies also indicate that since 1970 the
prison population in the U.S. has increased by about 700 percent, and private corporations own,
control, manage, and operate facilities that house between 12 and18 percent of all federal prison-
ers and approximately 6.7 percent of all state prisoners. Many studies report that at the end of
the first quarter of 2015 the prison-for-profit industry was worth around $70 billion and growing.
Many American citizens inadvertently invest in the industry through individual investments
made through financial institutions that specialize in 401(k) and other pension/retirement plans,
annuities, and mutual funds that are the primary sources of financial support for the prison-for-
profit industry. An investment pattern emerged among some of the larger investment, banking,
insurance companies, and Real Estate Investment Trusts (REIT) as institutional shareholders of
the top two “prison corporations,” Corrections Corporation of America (CCA) and the GEO
Group who are the powerhouses in the prison-industrial complex in the same way that Home
Depot and Lowes are the corporate giants of the home-improvement/hardware industry. The
purpose of this study is to distill as much relevant and recent information from primary sources
like the New York Stock Exchange without diluting it and to provide some directional markers
or navigation aids for sound, ethical investing in, or divesting from, this complex and often mis-
leading industrial and financial wilderness.
Method and Sources
Most of the research for this study was done using on-line sources and great care was exercised
in order to discern which websites were the most reliable and accurate. There are countless web-
sites that are accessible for research in this area and many are self-serving, subjective, inaccurate,
and/or outdated. Some of the sites are repetitions of material published on other sites, and many
offer information published by a company or organization that may be misleading, skewed, or
distorted. Corporate websites were treated in the same way; they can be very useful for obtaining
relevant information but they are often not 100 percent transparent and may omit or whitewash
certain facts for the benefit of the corporation publishing the material. Every effort was made to
obtain and discern what was the most up-to-date and accurate statistics and financial information
while attempting to maintain the objectivity necessary for honesty, integrity, and fairness.
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Major Corporate Entities Profiting from the Prison-Industrial Complex
The following corporations are publicly traded companies that rely on the prison industry to gen-
erate profits for their shareholders, at least 93 percent of whom are institutional shareholders. A
brief description of each company has been provided in order to illustrate the size and scale of
their activity in the prison-industrial complex as well as to better identify the major financial in-
stitutions that invest in them.
1. Corrections Corp Of America (NYSE: CXW): In January 1983 CCA was founded as the
first major private corporation to design, build, manage, and operate corrections facilities and
detention centers on behalf of the Federal Bureau of Prisons, Immigration and Customs En-
forcement, The United States Marshals Service, almost half of the US states, and nearly a dozen
of counties throughout the country. As of January 1, 2014 CCA owned or managed 67 correc-
tional facilities with a total of 92,500 beds in twenty states and the District of Columbia, making
it the fifth largest prison operator in the United States—only the federal government and three
states are larger.
As of December 31, 2013 CCA’s net income averaged approximately $162.5 million, its report-
ed revenues were around $1.7 billion, and it boasted $300 million in profits, 100 percent of
which came from U.S. taxpayers through government contracts.1
At the beginning of January
2016 CCA’s total value of holdings was $3,182 billion, listing 294 institutional holders and
114,972,840 total shares held; The Vanguard Group, Inc. is CCA’s top institutional holder with
16,435,233 shares held.2
2. The GEO Group (NYSE: GEO): The Wackenhut Corrections Corporation WCC) was
founded in 1984 as a division of The Wackenhut Corporation (TWC); it was acquired by Group
4 Falck (now G4S) when that company merged with TWC in 2002; in 2003 WCC was repur-
chased from G4S, became a fully independent company and changed its name to The Geo
Group, Inc. 3
As the nation’s second-largest correctional and detention organization behind
CCA, GEO Group’s reported revenues were around $1.69 billion, with a reported net profit of
$143.84 million in 2014.
The company operates a total of 73 facilities worldwide with approximately 81,000 beds and it
operates 66 facilities with approximately 73,400 beds in the United States.4 At the beginning of
January 2016 GEO Group’s total value of holdings was $2,069 billion, listing 268 institutional
shareholders and 72,025,146 total shares held; The Vanguard Group, Inc. is GEO’s top institu-
tional holder with 11,237,233 total shares held.5
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3. Aramark (NYSE: ARMK): This company provides facilities management, uniforms for a
variety of industries worldwide, and its food service provides 380 million meals to prisons across
the U.S. every year. Aramark has been the subject of criticism throughout its existence and the
issues over the quality of the food it provides as well as its ability to meet other service require-
ments continue. At the beginning of January 2016 Aramark’s total value of holdings was $7,232
billion and the company listed 272 institutional shareholders and 226,709,838 shares held; The
Vanguard Group, Inc. is the third largest institutional holder with 14,440,202 shares held.6
4. G4S PLC (LSE: G4S.CO): A global integrated security company based in Great Britain,
G4S entered the corrections industry with its acquisition of The Wackenhut Corporation (TWC)
in 2002, a company that was the second-largest security services company at that time. This
company specializes in security services and solutions and has a secondary stock exchange list-
ing in Copenhagen.
5. Avalon Correctional Services, Inc. (PINK: CITY): is a developer and manager of private
community correctional facilities and alternative correctional programming managing clients in
10 facilities in the states of Oklahoma, Texas, and Wyoming. Avalon Correctional Services, Inc.
was acquired by Corrections Corporation of America in November 2015 and may no longer be
trading as an independent company.
In 2013 CCA and the GEO Group converted into real estate investment trusts (REITs), which
helps them avoid paying income taxes because “as long as REITs pay out at least 90% of their
earnings in the form of dividends the companies are not required to pay income taxes. Generally
REITs can be divided into two categories: equity (which own physical properties) and mortgag-
es (which invest in mortgages).”7 As of the beginning of January 2016 CCA and GEO ranked
56th
and83rd
respectively among the “Top 221 REITs.”8
Financing the Prison-for-Profit Industry
1. The Vanguard Group, Inc.: Founded in 1975, The Vanguard Group is the largest mutual
fund provider in the world and the second largest financial institution in exchange-traded funds
(ETFs). It is the top institutional shareholder in both CCA, owning 16,435,233 shares (14 per-
cent) and the GEO Group, owning11,237,233 shares (15 percent). The Vanguard Group is the
third largest institutional shareholder in Aramark (owning 6 percent of all shares) and is the third
largest institutional shareholder (owning 6,823,624 shares) in BlackRock, Inc., a financial in-
vestment manager that has large institutional holdings by almost every financial institution asso-
ciated with investing in the private prison industry.9
2. FMR LLC (Fidelity Management & Research or Fidelity Investments): Established in
1946, this company is the second largest mutual fund and financial services group in the world; it
is also the fourth largest institutional shareholder in the GEO Group, owning 4,724,450 shares
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(6.5 percent) and 1,846,312 shares of CCA, and is the fourth largest institutional shareholder in
BlackRock, Inc. (owning 5,747,217 shares).
These two companies are two of the biggest investors in the prison industry and they are also the
nation’s top two 401(k) providers. Together they own 18,281,545 shares (15.9 percent) of CCA
and 15,961,683 shares (22 percent of GEO), which means that anybody with a 401(k), pension,
or other type of retirement nest egg may be an unwitting financial supporter of the private prison-
for-profit business. They stand together at the top of this list for this reason.
Financial Institutions Owning 1 Million Shares or More in Both CCA and GEO10
3. BlackRock Fund Advisors: Founded in 1998 BlackRock is an investment manager and is
currently the top company in exchange-traded funds (ETFs).11
They own 4,243,237 shares of
CCA, 4,807,033 shares of GEO, and 1,725,349 shares of Aramark.
4. Invesco Ltd: Invesco Ltd owns 3,703,689 shares of CCA and 1,805,386 shares of GEO.
5. State Street Corp.: Ranked number three in ETFs, State Street Corp. owns 2,967,100 shares
of CCA, 1,511,289 shares of GEO, and 3,274,962 shares of Aramark.
6. Bank of New York Mellon Corp.: This company owns 2,436,277 shares of CCA and is close
enough for this million shares club with 993,143 shares of GEO and 999,842 shares of Aramark.
7. Shinko Asset Management Co., Ltd.: Formed in Tokyo, Japan in June 1961, Shinko Asset
Management Co., Ltd is a relative newcomer to the U.S. prison-industrial complex. This com-
pany owns 2,002,500 shares of CCA stock and. 1,024,400 shares of GEO Group stock.
8. BlackRock Institutional Trust Company: Another new entry into this market, BlackRock
Institutional Trust Company was formed in 1971 and is based in San Francisco. This company is
an investment manager operationg as a subsidiary of BlackRock Delaware Holdings, Inc. The
firm owns 3,889,868 shares of CCA and 2,113,491 shares of the GEO Group.12
These six financial institutions combined own 16.7 percent of CCA and 17 percent of the GEO
Group. When the shares of these four are combined with the shares owned by the Vanguard
Group and FMR LLC, the results are that these eight financial corporations own 32.6 percent
of CCA and 39 percent of the GEO Group.
Financial Institutions That Own 3 Million or More Shares of CCA
1. The Vanguard Group: 16,435,233 shares.
2. Bank of America: 7,560,407 shares.
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3. Managed Account Advisors LLC: 6,945,739 shares.
4. Epoch Investment Partners, Inc.: 6,623,545 shares.
5. London Co. of Virginia: 6,517,781 shares.
6. Lazard Asset Management LLC: 6,332, 026 shares.
7. American Century Companies, Inc.: 4,345,718 shares.
8. BlackRock Fund Advisors: 4,243,237 shares.
9. BlackRock Institutional Trust Company: 3,889,868 shares.
10. New South Capital Management: 3,820,749 shares.
11. Invesco Ltd.: 3,703,689 shares.
Financial Institutions that Own 1.8 to 3 Million Shares of CCA
12. State Street Corp.: 2,967,100 shares.
13. Bank of New York Mellon Corp.: 2,436,277 shares.
14. Shinko Asset Management Co., Ltd.: 2,002,500 shares.
15. Northern Trust Corporation: 1,938,471 shares.
16. FMR LLC: 1,846,312 shares.
The first eleven financial institutions own 58 percent of CCA and together all sixteen companies
own 71 percent of the largest private prison owner/operator/manager in the United States.
Financial Institutions That Own 3 Million or More Shares of GEO Group
1. The Vanguard Group: 11,237,233 shares.
2. Eagle Asset Management, Inc.: 4,858,190 shares.
3. BlackRock Fund Advisors: 4,807,033 shares.
4. FMR LLC: 4,724,450 shares.
5. Hotchkis & Wiley Capital Management LLC: 3,868,651 shares.
6. River Road Asset Management, LLC: 3,454,505 shares.
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Financial Institutions that Own 1 to 3 Million Shares of GEO Group
7. Cramer, Rosenthal, McGlynn LLC: 2,264,335 shares.
8. Northern Trust Corp.: 2,132,588 shares.
9. BlackRock Institutional Trust Company, N.A.: 2,113,491 shares.
10. Jennison Associates LLC: 2,066,037 shares.
11. Invesco Ltd: 1,805,386 shares.
12. State Street Corp.: 1,511,289 shares.
13. Shinko Asset Management Co., Ltd.: 1,024,400 shares.
14. Hodges Capital Management, Inc.: 1,005,041 shares.
15. Bank of New York Mellon Corp.: 993,143 shares.
These fifteen financial institutions own 66 percent of the second largest private prison own-
er/operator/manager in the United States.
The Eight Largest Financial Supporters of Prisons-for-Profit to Avoid
1. The Vanguard Group, Inc.
2. FMR LLC (Fidelity Management & Research or Fidelity Investments).
3. BlackRock Fund Advisors.
4. Invesco Ltd.
5. State Street Corp.
6. Bank of New York Mellon Corp.
7. Shinko Asset Management Co., Ltd.
8. BlackRock Institutional Trust Company, N.A.
Additional Major Financial Supporters of Prisons-for-Profit to Avoid
1. Bank of America.
2. Managed Account Advisors LLC.
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3. Epoch Investment Partners, Inc.
4. London Co. of Virginia.
5. Lazard Asset Management LLC.
6. American Century Companies, Inc.
7. Northern Trust Corp.
8. New South Capital Management.
9. Wells Fargo & Company.
10. Neuberger Berman Group LLC.
11. Eagle Asset Management, Inc.
12. River Road Asset Management, LLC.
13. Cramer, Rosenthal, McGlynn LLC.
14. Jennison Associates LLC.
Conclusion
Because of increased pressure from civil rights groups like Color of Change and the National
People’s Action Campaign several financial institutions are in the process of divesting from both
CCA and the GEO Group, such as Wells Fargo & Company. Other large institutional investors
have divested completely, such as DSM North America and Scopia Capital, both of whom were
large investors in CCA and the GEO Group. Between August 2013 and June 2014 the lists of the
major investment companies fluctuated between 36 and 27, depending on the criteria being used.
The list that emerged from this research contains 22 financial institutions that aggressively invest
in the private prison-for-profit business.
This industry must be explored in greater depth in order to end the exploitation of prison inmate
labor, end the lobbying for tougher criminal laws at every level of government, and aid the dis-
proportionate number of disadvantaged people who are trapped by a legal system that appears to
be designed to cycle them from despair to hopelessness and back. Building, operating, manag-
ing, and maintaining private prisons-for-profit is a complicated, complex, dirty, and dark world
where bottom line profits matter more than justice, where dividends have more value than digni-
ty, and where the value of a human life is measured by the length of their prison sentence.
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Notes
1. Source Watch, “Corrections Corporation of America,” Source Watch, March 9, 2015,
http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/correction-corporation-of-America (accessed December 1, 2015).
2. Nasdaq Website, “Corrections Corporation of America Institutional Ownership,” January
6, 2016, http://www.nasdaq.com/symbol/cxw/institutional-holdings? (accessed January 6, 2016).
3. The Geo Group, “Historic Milestones,” The Geo Group Corporate Website,
http://www.geogroup.com/history 2014, (accessed December 1, 2015).
4. Source Watch, “GEO Group,” Source Watch, August 24, 2015,
http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/geo-group (accessed December 1, 2015).
5. Nasdaq Website, “Geo Group (The) Institutional Ownership,” January 6, 2016,
http://www.nasdaq.com/symbol/geo/institutional-holdings? (accessed January 6, 2016).
6. Nasdaq Website, “Aramark Institutional Ownership,” January 6, 2016,
http://www.nasdaq.com/symbol/geo/institutional-holdings? (accessed January 6, 2016).
7. Dividend.com, “Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs),” January 10, 2016,
http://www.dividend.com/dividen-stocks/reits-dividend-stocks.php (accessed January 10,
2016).
8. Ibid. For the CCA and GEO Group conversions into REITs, see Corrections Corporation of
America, “The CCA Story: Our Company History,” Corrections Corporation of America Corporate Web-
site, http://www.cca.com/our-story (accessed December 21, 2015), and The Geo Group, “Historic Mile-
stones,” The Geo Group Corporate Website, http://www.geogroup.com/history 2014, (accessed December
21, 2015).
9. Nasdaq Website, “BlackRock Inc., Institutional Ownership,” January 6, 2016,
http://www.nasdaq.com/symbol/blk/institutional-holdings? (accessed January 6,2016).
10. For all statistics, see Nasdaq Website, “Corrections Corporation of America Institutional Owner-
ship,” January 6, 2016; Nasdaq Website, “Geo Group (The) Institutional Ownership,” January 6, 2016;
and Nasdaq Website, “Aramark Institutional Ownership,” January 6, 2016.
11. Victor Reklaitis, “Vanguard Becomes Number 2 U.S. ETF Provider: Topping State Street,” Mar-
ket Watch, January 21, 2015, http://www.marketwatch.com/story/vangurd-becomes-no-2-us-etf-
provider-topping-state-street-2015-01-21 (accessed January 9, 2016).
12. Bloomberg.com, “Capital Markets: Company Overview of BlackRock Institutional Trust Compa-
ny, N.A.,” January 11, 2016,
http://www.bloomberg.com/research/stocks/private/snapshot.asp?privcapid=2131587 (accessed January
11, 2016).
http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/correction-corporation-of-Americahttp://www.nasdaq.com/symbol/cxw/institutional-holdingshttp://www.geogroup.com/history%202014http://www.nasdaq.com/symbol/geo/institutional-holdingshttp://www.nasdaq.com/symbol/geo/institutional-holdingshttp://www.dividend.com/dividen-stocks/reits-dividend-stocks.phphttp://www.cca.com/our-storyhttp://www.geogroup.com/history%202014http://www.nasdaq.com/symbol/blk/institutional-holdingshttp://www.marketwatch.com/story/vangurd-becomes-no-2-us-etf-provider-topping-state-street-2015-01-21http://www.marketwatch.com/story/vangurd-becomes-no-2-us-etf-provider-topping-state-street-2015-01-21http://www.bloomberg.com/research/stocks/private/snapshot.asp?privcapid=2131587
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Board of Trustees Meeting
January 28 - 30, 2016
SECTION 5 ACADEMIC AND STUDENT LIFE
Committee Description
Report of the Dean of the Seminary
Report of the Dean of Students
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Academic and Student Life Committee
Purpose: The Academic and Student Life Committee is responsible to attend to the academic
structure, policies and programs of the Seminary, as well as student issues and concerns to
ensure that the stated educational philosophy, aims, and purposes of the Seminary are
accomplished in accord with the mission of NBTS.
Responsibilities:
1. Ensure that all academic activities are carried out within the mission of NBTS.
2. Be familiar with the academic structure, curricula, admission, and graduation
requirements of the Seminary; and review recruitment, retention, and placement data to ensure it meets strategic objectives.
3. Ensure that the Seminary provides an academic program characterized by excellence
in teaching, scholarship, and intellectual climate, and that it nurtures the formation of
degrees, certificates, and dispensations. This includes ensuring that the excellence of
the academic program is maintained through consistent and rigorous use of assessment
and documentation, and a review of academic policies and programs.
4. Review and address the needs in the lives of students, for example, assessing
communal and individual student life, ensuring that the worship and spiritual life of
students are attended to, assessing housing needs, and advocating for financial
resources for students.
5. Make recommendations to the Board of Trustees on matters concerning academic
policies to be added to the Faculty Handbook, the approval of new degree programs,
the granting of degrees to appropriate candidates, the granting of certificates of fitness
for ministry to RCA candidates and the approval of alternate means for satisfying
theological requirements for RCA candidates.
6. Make recommendations regarding searches, tenure, promotion, leave, and other faculty
policies to the Board of Trustees.
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NEW BRUNSWICK THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY NEW BRUNSWICK, NEW JERSEY
The Reverend Willard W C Ashley, Sr., MDIV, DMIN, DH Dean of the Seminary – Associate Professor, Practical Theology
Board Report for January 2016
January 5, 2016 1.3
We celebrate the completion of our first semester living into our new MDIV Curriculum. Dr. Terry
Smith will guide our faculty through a process to assess if and how we met our learning
objectives and outcomes. Additionally, Dr. Terry Smith is pioneering our efforts to move into the
world of e-portfolios. We know to be a leader in theological education we must be poised to be
nimble, relevant and creative with attention to diversity at multiple levels. We await news from
the Association of Theological Schools (ATS) as to the status of our application for offering a
thirty-nine (39) credit MA in Ministry and Community Leadership. Continue to keep us in prayer.
We congratulate Doctors Jeff Pettis and Raynard Smith for the publication of their new books. We
stand proud of Professors, Terry Smith, Beth Tanner, Raynard Smith and Myounghun Yu for their
presentations at the Society of Biblical Literature and the American Academy of Religion.
The Office of the Dean Accomplishments/Plans Since the October 2015 Board Meeting
1. Submitted ATS Petition for MA in Ministry & Community Leadership.
2. Submitted a Letter of Interest to start the process for Regional Middle States Accreditation
3. Hired a new Director of the Gardner Sage Library, Mr. Tracey Joel Hunter Hayes.
4. Increased Certificate Program Participation with Aggressive Outreach and Offerings in Spanish
and Korean. Offering Certificate in Expository Preaching – Offering in the spring of 2016
American Red Cross (ARC) Spiritual Care Certification and CPR Training for Staff and Faculty
5. Scheduled Part II of My Sabbatical (Mid May, June, & July 2016): Lecture/Develop
Relationships in Cuba and Spanish Speaking Communities – Release Revised Version of My
First Book, Disaster Spiritual Care, Skylight Paths Publishing; Attend Harvard Seminar on
Urban Education (June 2016). REST.
6. Attend ATS Financial Literacy Forum in March 2016.
7. Co-Lead a Presentation to ATS African-American Presidents and Deans with Dr. Michael Brown
Interim President and Dean of Payne Theological Seminary.
8. Develop with Rutgers University and Payne Theological Seminary a Certificate in Executive
Leadership for Clergy
9. Continue Difficult Conversations with Faculty About Topics that are Important to NBTS
10. Work with Dr. Raynard Smith and Payne Seminary on a Self Care Conference
11. Bring Gospel Music Artists to NBTS for Teaching and Concerts
12. Co-Lead with Dr. John Coakley a NBTS Research Project on Slavery and Justice. Dr. Coakley
Joins a Blue Ribbon Team of Rutgers University Senior Administration and Faculty on the Topic.
Respectfully submitted,
Willard W C Ashley, Sr.
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OFFICE OF STUDENT AFFAIRS
Joan Marshall - Dean of Students
Report to Board of Trustees - January 2016
Admissions
While there is an expectation of 12 new students for the Spring 2016 semester, FTEs
are not as high as usual due to the change in the new curriculum credit requirements.
This dip is expected to be temporary.
A new initiative is being explored to reach out to prospective international students via a
company called KeyStone. KeyStone is web based and will translate NBTS recruitment
information into over 50 languages. Additionally, they will vet responding prospects
according to NBTS admissions criteria. We anticipate that this will be an effective tool in
bringing more international students to the Seminary.
Experience Seminary 2016- (ES2016)
In response to the Strategic Planning outcomes and at the initiative of Dr. Mast, the
Student Services team is engaged in a project led by Jeff Rogers to host a dozen
Millennials at NBTS March 5 – 10. These young people (between the ages of 22 and
28)will attend classes, visit and worship in two area churches, experience the excitement
and adventure of the region, lend a hand in a local community ministry setting, and
develop friendships. This will be a learning opportunity for both the Millennials and the
Seminary. The students are required to submit $100 if their application is accepted.
Travel and lodging expenses are underwritten by a generous donor who responded to
the President’s request.
Community Partners
One of NBTS’s community partners is the Office of Disabilities of Rutgers University. In
the role of consultant the NBTS disability policy was reviewed.
A second anticipated partner is the Office of International Students at Rutgers. With
increased global students, this consultation partner will assist us in adequately preparing
for their arrival.
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Board of Trustees Meeting
January 28 - 30, 2016
SECTION 6 INSTITUTIONAL STRUCTURES
Committee Description
NBTS Core Instructional Values
Accreditation Report – Strategic Planning
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Institutional Structures Committee
Purpose: The Institutional Structures Committee is responsible for Strategic
Planning. This is to be accomplished through the constant survey and
evaluation of the external and internal environment in order to identify
threats and opportunities to the institution based on the mission statement
and on an assessment of the Institution’s strengths and weaknesses. This
committee is to help the Institution define a vision, clarify its mission, and
establish a plan on which to base wise choices which serve that mission.
Responsibilities: The responsibilities of the Committee include the following:
1. To be keen and constant observers of those realities in the external
environment which are impacting or may impact, the Seminary and its
mission and programs.
2. To inform and engage the Board of Trustees concerning the Strategic
Planning process and to enlist the assistance of all Board members in
observing, discussing and assessing the external and internal
environment with possible implications for the Seminary.
3. To recommend to the Board of Trustees policies and processes which
are inclusive of all Seminary constituencies for strategic planning.
4. To monitor and coordinate Strategic Planning processes and reports
from the Seminary’s constituencies, i.e., Board of Trustees, faculty,
administration, etc.
5. To develop and recommend to the Board of Trustees a strategic plan,
which includes a clear and compelling vision and priorities that will
guide the work of the Seminary.
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New Brunswick Theological Seminary Core Institutional Values
Draft – Dec. 1, 2015 1. New Brunswick Theological Seminary values the Bible as the authoritative witness to God's
self-revelation and definitive guide for Christian faith and practice.
2. New Brunswick Theological Seminary values the community that exists on each of its campuses and the conversations that occur within and between the communities.
3. New Brunswick Theological Seminary values a theology of ministry requiring scholarship,
critical discernment and intentional conversations as the basis for ministerial vocation guided by the principle of faith seeking understanding.
4. New Brunswick Theological Seminary values the spiritual formation of the whole person in the
image of God in Christ.
5. New Brunswick Theological Seminary values the diversity of its students and faculty in terms of tradition, race, ethnicity, gender, sexual identity, and life experience.
6. New Brunswick Theological Seminary values its roots in the Reformed tradition, centered in its
trust of God’s sovereignty and grace, as an inter-cultural, ecumenical school of Christian faith, learning, and scholarship.
7. New Brunswick Theological Seminary values preparing men and women for ministries that are
prophetic, pastoral and transformational. 8. New Brunswick Theological Seminary values providing accessible theological education,
especially to those for whom theological education would be otherwise unavailable. 9. New Brunswick Theological Seminary values that we are shaped by the resources and
challenges of the metro-urban church and its global context. 10. New Brunswick Theological Seminary values diverse partnerships and collaborative
approaches to education.
11. New Brunswick Theological Seminary values the particular call that God has placed individually on the lives of its students, faculty, staff and trustees, and the process whereby they discover and respond to that call.
12. New Brunswick Theological Seminary values itself as an anti-racist community of faith and learning and partners with those who endeavor to eliminate structures of oppression
13. New Brunswick Theological Seminary values high ethical, legal, environmental and
professional standards in the management of the resources entrusted to it. Within this context, the seminary shall invest in goods and services in a socially responsible, open, fair and transparent manner.
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Accreditation Report - Strategic Planning
New Brunswick Theological Seminary embarked on a new Strategic Planning process
at its Jan. 30, 2015 board of trustees meeting. At that time a process was approved and
adopted by the Institutional Structures committee that would bring together learning
outcomes assessments and institutional financial planning with a traditional strategic
planning process that establishes mission, vision, core values and goals/action plans
(process chart 1). At that meeting the committee also developed a list of stakeholders
for inclusion in a future Visioning Retreat and set up a steering committee to plan the
retreat.
The Strategic Planning steering committee mentioned above, met by conference call 3
times from April 2 to April 15 to finalize the details of the Visioning retreat. The
committee also determined that the recently revised purpose statement was still
relevant and would be used to move the plan forward (addendum 1), however the Core
Values of the institution which were developed approx. 15 years ago needed updating.
This would be initiated at the next board meeting.
At the April 24 board meeting a service strategy was developed by the Institutional
Structures committee to augment the purpose and mission of the seminary. This
strategy asked the question, “How do we live that out on a day-to-day basis” for each of
the key elements of the Purpose statement (addendum 2). An indirect assessment
would be developed at a later date to determine how well we are accomplishing our
stated purpose and mission. A working lunch with the faculty and board members
reviewed the Core Values of the seminary using small table groups to assess each of
the current values and suggest keeping, updating or deleting. New values were also
discussed.
From September 8 to September 24 a small group met by conference call to review
the data from the Core Values working groups and draft an updated set of Core Values.
The finalized Core Values would be measured against each segment of the strategic
plan to ensure the values of the institution are not compromised in any way.
On October 1 a Visioning retreat was held at the seminary. The invited participants
included 18 stakeholders from faculty, staff, administration and representatives of
partner denominations, clergy and community organizations. The day was comprised of
doing an internal and external environmental scan to determine what priorities should
be evident that will fulfill and energize our mission, meet the changing needs of students
and leave us well positioned for the future. The data from the retreat was collated into
10 themes (addendum 4). These themes have been sent electronically to the
participants in the form of a survey to set priorities for a future seminary vision
statement. The survey will also be sent to faculty, staff and Board of Trustee members.
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At the October 30 Board of Trustees meeting, the Institutional Structures committee
reviewed and approved the new Core values document as well as an assessment tool
to evaluate “how well we are doing what we say we are doing” in our mission and
service strategy statements. The updated core values were then presented to the
faculty council for final critique and tweaking before coming back to Institutional
Structures on January 28 for final reading and implementation (addendum 3). The vision
statement will be drafted from the stakeholder surveys by an institutional structures sub-
committee and will then go through a thorough stakeholder review process before being
implemented. The implementation will include the development of goals, objectives and
action plans that specifically spell out those who will be involved, resources required,
the financial implications for budgeting purposes and the timelines for completion. A
separate metrics chart will accompany each goal with associated benchmarks and
timelines.
Strategic Planning Process Chart 1
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Strategic Planning Process Chart 2 – Goal Development
Financial Planning
A multi-year financial plan is currently being developed with a budget line responding to
strategic planning initiatives. Every goal within the plan will have resource and financial
allocation lines. The 2016-2017 budget allocation is $50,000 in anticipation of action
plans related to mission, vision and assessment goals being adopted half way through
the fiscal year. The 2017-2018 budget allocation is $100,000 to assist in underwriting
strategies to move the institution toward its five year strategic plan.
Assessment Strategies
A 3 year cycle of learning outcome assessments which will be faculty driven and
mission service strategy assessments which are Board driven, will have strategic
planning goals outlining, who is responsible, how often they will be done and what
resources are required. These parameters, including changes made as a result of the
assessments, will be reported to the board on an annual basis for information and
compliance with accreditation guidelines on board responsibilities. (process chart 2)
• Who is to be responsible • Time Lines • Resource Allocations • Financial Implications and budget • Development • Metrics
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Moving Forward
February 2016 through December 2016 will see much work being done on acquiring
feedback and collaboration on the NBTS draft vision followed by smaller groups
developing goals, objectives and action steps. The metrics associated with each goal
will be developed in tandem with the goals themselves, along with a financial analysis of
the cost to implement each goal. The Institutional Structures committee of the board will
be responsible for developing a plan to ensure buy-in from all stakeholders plus a solid
communications plan to keep stakeholders informed of the plan and it’s progress.
New Brunswick Theological Seminary
Purpose Statement
(Addendum 1)
Called by Jesus Christ, empowered by the Holy Spirit, New Brunswick Theological
Seminary participates in God’s own laboring to fulfill God’s reign on earth.
Rooted in the Reformed tradition and centered in its trust of God’s sovereignty and
grace, the Seminary is an inter-cultural, ecumenical school of Christian faith, learning,
and scholarship committed to its metro-urban and global contexts.
Our mission is to educate persons and strengthen communities for transformational,
public ministries in church and society. We fulfill this mission through creative,
contextual, and critical engagement with texts, traditions, and practices.
(Addendum 2)
NBTS accomplishes this mission by: (new)
• providing graduate level degrees and certificate programs that prepare students
for ministry and leadership in diverse social and cultural settings.
• nurturing, promoting and encouraging faith, learning and scholarship.
• committing to metro urban ministry formation and long term collaboration with
global partners.
• being an active resource and heart of the communities in which God has placed
us, providing a safe space and a center for community collaboration.
• living out our reformed roots in an inter-cultural and ecumenical learning
environment.
• recognizing and supporting commonality, the benefits of mutual exchange and
support and appreciation of the individual.
• identifying and ardently responding to the varied needs and gifts of students in
our seminary community.
• establishing relationships with adult learners that are accepting, affirming and
recognize that we can learn from each other.
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New Brunswick Theological Seminary Core Institutional Values (new)
Draft – Dec. 1, 2015
(Addendum 3)
New Brunswick Theological Seminary values the Bible as the authoritative witness to God's self-revelation and definitive guide for Christian faith and practice.
New Brunswick Theological Seminary values the community that exists on each of its campuses and the conversations that occur within and between the communities.
New Brunswick Theological Seminary values a theology of ministry requiring scholarship, critical discernment and intentional conversations as the basis for ministerial vocation guided by the principle of faith seeking understanding.
New Brunswick Theological Seminary values the spiritual formation of the whole person in the image of God in Christ.
New Brunswick Theological Seminary values the diversity of its students and faculty in terms of tradition, race, ethnicity, gender, sexual identity, and life experience.
New Brunswick Theological Seminary values its roots in the Reformed tradition, centered in its trust of God’s sovereignty and grace, as an inter-cultural, ecumenical school of Christian faith, learning, and scholarship.
New Brunswick Theological Seminary values preparing men and women for ministries that are prophetic, pastoral and transformational.
New Brunswick Theological Seminary values providing accessible theological education, especially to those for whom theological education would be otherwise unavailable.
New Brunswick Theological Seminary values that we are shaped by the resources and challenges of the metro-urban church and its global context.
New Brunswick Theological Seminary values diverse partnerships and collaborative approaches to education.
New Brunswick Theological Seminary values the particular call that God has placed individually on the lives of its students, faculty, staff and trustees, and the process whereby they discover and respond to that call.
New Brunswick Theological Seminary values itself as an anti-racist community of faith and learning and partners with those who endeavor to eliminate structures of oppression
New Brunswick Theological Seminary values high ethical, legal, environmental and professional standards in the management of the resources entrusted to it. Within this context, the seminary shall invest in goods and services in a socially responsible, open, fair and transparent manner.
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(Addendum 4)
NBTS Vision Themes
(To be prioritized for Vision statement)
1. We envision a seminary where millennials find relevance in the church and an
anchor in solid theological teaching that addresses the needs of a postmodern
world.
2. The seminary needs to become more agile in response to the ever changing
needs and complexity of urban life and ministry.
3. NBTS will enrich the local, regional and ecumenical communities through
partnerships that address community needs; acting as a resource center,
gathering place and forum for community leaders, local clergy and educational
events.
4. NBTS will increase its partnerships with Rutgers University, exploring combined
degree programs, university elective offerings and resource sharing. We will
vigorously market our story, our resources and our programs to the university
community.
5. We need to find ways to enhance intergenerational learning with particular
concern for those not looking to be ordained in congregational ministry and those
seeking leadership training. More doors to seminary training are needed.
6. The seminary will make it a priority to attract Hispanic students and recruit
Hispanic faculty in response to changing demographic diversity and the
experience of how diversity enriches the seminary experience.
7. NBTS will become a seminary known for producing effective leaders who put
their faith into action, engage in theological reflection, confront conflict in healthy
ways, participate in holistic, innovative ministry and continue to grow in their faith.
8. Our students are our greatest resource yet feel disengaged. Most are bi-
vocational mature students who can and should be utilized by the seminary as
ambassadors to bear witness to the excellent education, faculty, resources and
space that NBTS can offer.
9. NBTS will look for additional ways to partner with the RCA to enhance the image
and sustainability of the denomination, become more visible to RCA ministerial
candidates across the denomination and provide forums for denominational
conversations. We will creatively turn the tension between Reformed and
Ecumenical into a positive experience.
10. NBTS will build on and expand its successful Metro Urban program, exploring the
addition of distance learning and satellite components that make it a sought after
experience for ministerial formation in the eastern United States.
Jan-wb-coverJan_16-tocJan_16-sec1Agenda -Jan2016Actions_n_Conversations-Jan2016Roster-Board committees-2015-16NBTS Oct 2015-BOT MinsBoard Dir_2015-16board demographics-2015-2016BOTMeeting Dates_2015-16Board of Trustees Travel-2015-16Jan_16-sec2President's Report- IPresident's Report- PARTNERSHIPS (1)Jan_16-sec3Board Affairs CommitteeJan_16-sec4Institutional Resources CommitteeCFO Rpt_Jan2016Dev Rpt-Jan2016Research Report for the New Brunswick Theological SeminaryJan_16-sec5Academic Student -n-Life CommitteeNBTS.Ashley.Board Report.03.2016BOT OFFICE OF STUDENT AFFAIRS 1-2016Jan_16-sec6Institutional StructureCommitteeCore Values Dec 1 Draft (1)#2 Accreditation Report Feb. 1