Thank you, Dr. Downing, for this article. We need to broaden and deepen this discussion church-wide. The problems you address are systemic and likely to worsen over time unless a radical re-thinking takes place. And perhaps even then there is no way to fix this.

Although you focused mostly on higher education I suspect the overall K-12 situation is even worse. It certainly is bad in my neck of the vineyard. We have a constituency school but one church supplies most of the money while the others supply the majority of the students. Moreover, the education costs to that church constitute an inordinate percentage of its annual budget. And finally, the majority of those costs are frequently borne by a few deep-pocketed individuals.

Obviously this is not a sustainable economic model. But the costs to a local church need to also be understood from the perspective of what does not get funded because of the intense economic strain of the school.

Great post!

I have to admit- I fight my impulsive feelings against Adventist-employed parents who don't send their kids to Adventist schools alluded to in the sixth paragraph. My dad started the first minority ministry degree program within Adventist higher education at AUC and my family and I spent many Sabbaths listening to him preach (and recruit quite a few students to AUC) at Hispanic churches throughout New England so the importance of Adventist education has really been drilled into me. Then again, none of my higher degrees are from an Adventist institution so go figure... we're all full of contradictions aren't we!

The point being that yes, we all value and want to promote Adventist education (and even feel quite strongly about it) but the situation is obviously poor when church employees themselves don't buy their own product. All of this is to say- I agree!

Alex just put up a post about Neva Mason which has tidbits on the struggles and sacrifices surrounding the founding of Loma Linda Academy which my brothers and I all attended.

I agree with Rich that the situation in K-12 is quite strained also in his noting that there is often a gulf between those congregations which send the most money and students to our K-12 schools. I want to make explicit what he leaves implicit.

These congregations that send the most money are often older than the congregations which send students. They were involved in the founding of the school, likely count the individual large donors as members, and send more students to the K-12 schools than any single other church. But the other churches, which in a town like Loma Linda may be up to 10, together send more students.

So the question then becomes, who sits on the board and whom does the school serve?

It's not just Adventist Education that's changing it's also the face of Adventism. A key problem is that of ownership. Stalwart supporters of individual K-12 schools want new congregations and families to show the same level of commitment to the K-12 school as they but the politics of K-12 school governance are not so simple. Or, many good people find it easier to tell new congregations to pony up money but fight tooth and nail against the idea that board makeup's should mirror the constituent body.

The ability for Adventists of different "Adventisms", races, language groups and more to share responsibility for their schools tests our tolerance for diversity and our willingness to share ownership of schools we've sacrificed to found. These new congregations can become very enthusiastic about Adventist education, and many are.

The reaction of new congregations seems to take three shapes. They either
1) opt-out of making the K-12 school part of their appeal and don't encourage their members to send their children there (i.e. it's 'their' school not 'ours')
2) make equitable contributions to the K-12 budget by % of tithe but not overall amount to the larger congregation and actively seek greater involvement with school governance/ pta (i.e. we're committed to this school even if we're not welcomed with open arms)
3) after years of ongoing faithfulness by the part of new congregations, they are given responsibility and ownership commensurate to their commitment expressed and demonstrated.

I can't but think of the workers in the vineyard. Why should "we" let "them" have an equal share of what we worked so long to build?

In summary, Adventist Education cannot escape the changes within Adventism itself and our ability to address wider changes and challenges to our church like diversity, both intellectual and ethnic, could be said to be one underlying factor (and a root cause specifically when examining the makeup of student, faculty and board bodies).

With this in mind I could not be more pleased with the excerpt from Dr. Osborns account that Dr. Downing ended wtih- here's to "Adventist education look[ing] to the Gospel message of inclusiveness, compassion and love to find a new direction!

A very thoughtful and candid analysis and commentary. The church should close CUC and AUC and expand Kettering. PUC is on the bubble also. Walla Walla should be the focus in the North West. The career focus of the curriculum should be on education, health care, communication, and environmental sciences. Pastoring rather than evangelism should be the emphasis in the religion departments. An open rather than closed community should be encouraged. At the moment from my very distant view point, I think Walla Walla, Andrews, Loma Linda, and Kettering have the best world view. Southern is bipolar CUC, AUC, and PUC are on life support.

Tom

"If there should be a sudden economic down-turn and educational institutions are not able to generate the funds needed to meet payrolls and other expenses, the conferences would be liable for the short-falls. This could run into the millions."

We are presently in an economic downturn that we have not seen for 15-20 years, and there are no signs that it will not continue.

Adventist education was begun more than 100 years ago, but it passed its prime at least two decades ago and is floundering and fighting for life today. At one time, my small family had 4 SDA college graduates, and one who finished at Loma Linda Medical School. Three of the 4 got graduate degrees from non-SDA schools, much like the majority of professional, both ministerial and teaching, do so today.

With the poor track record of SDA college graduates maintaining ties to the church, we need to seriously ask: What is the purpose of continuing to spend million on an educational system that has long outlived its usefulness? Also, the many former graduates now prefer to have their children attend non-SDA schools for various reasons: less cost and better education.
Don't all parents wish their children to receive the highest quality educational experience available? This is no longer true when one compares the cost vs. output ratio.

Those that focus on the health professions are thriving because in our present society, health professions will always be needed, and even more as the geriatric population grows. Howevever, it would be a pity if the majority of professionals within the church are concentrated in one area, and many are not suited or inclined to desire a vocation in that area.

Where does one find the best institution for the sciences: chemistry, physics, astronautical engineering, and more? No one church can possible be equipped to be all things to all people.

The Mormons, comparable to the size of SDAs in the U.S., have wisely determined to have one excellent institution: Brigham Young University, a well-respected school that offers many more disicplines in which to study. However, the majority of Mormons do not attend this school but prefer other schools.

For a parent living in an area with several excellent universities (California has the largest university system in the nation), why would a parent or student elect to go miles from home at extra expense when he can get an excellent one and live at home.

The K-12 system is floundering, with continued calls for money. Given the tuition expense, why would a parent, unless he wanted his children thoroughly indoctrinate in Adventism, send his children there when there are plenty of private Christian, or excellent public schools?

Even SDA smaller hospitals have had to close with the decreased funding available, and for anyone with his ear tuned to the economic news, we had better prepare for worse times to come and make decisions now rather than being forced to do so later.

In addition to Loma Linda, Oakwood, and Andrews, the Adventist International Institute of Advanced Studies (AIIAS) is also a GC institution. How much or what fraction of the AIIAS budget is contributed by the NAD?

How much, or what portion, of the local congregational/ conference budget in North America funds evangelism abroad? Does it come from the Sabbath School mission offering, tithe, or other offerings?

Joselito has correctly reminded us that AIIAS is also a GC Institution. And she is correct that the GC contribution to AIIAS and the IDE ("missionary") budgets(from Tithe)does come to a large extent from NAD members. Compared with the cost of operating a University in NAD, the amount contributed by NAD members to AIIAS would be small, of course--probably within justifiable mission giving percentages.

But now we must add the Adventist University of Africa (the African AIIAS, as they say in Asia!) to the list of GC educational institutions as well......

Tom,
With its new focus on Christian Leadership and Community Engagement, AUC is indeed on the brink of greatness or implosion. I think people too readily dismiss AUC- a mistake considering the vision of its current leadership and the dedication and zeal they're applying to reinvigorating that school.

I also suggest that the Florida Hospital College of Health Sciences shares most of the strengths you attributed to the Kettering College of Medical Arts.
Thanks!

Playing devils advocate, a question:
Is our willingness to disown GC schools like AIIAS an example of NAD members not seeing themselves as part of the education ministry of the world church? In our recent past there have been experiments with congregationalism within a few Adventist conferences. The feeling being that local needs are being sacrificed for broader goals which have little discernible benefit for the local congregation. Are arguments that seek to remove NAD resources from GC schools an example of this sentiment, this inward turning, on a national scale?

Johnny

I am sorry I missed Florida and failed to comment on Oakwood.

I agree the AUC is on the brink, let us hope it goes your way. I have a lot of blood sweat, and tears invested in that place.

I wonder do they still have a Burden Hall at Loma Linda?

I know the sacrificial giving of the 30'2 through the 70's

Doctrinal games and fiduciary high jinks hasn't helped the treasury since. I gave the first $500.00 to build the current Loma Linda Church out of a salary of $8000.00. The pastor took the $500.00 and bought an artist rendering--We took a second loan on our home to buy Betty's grandparents a mobile home since their farmhouse was condemned by the county. They lived in the mobile home for over 12 years. We then sold it and paid down her parents loan and eventually into a mobile home park. All on a Loma Linda wage scale in those pre-consolidation days.

Since then, we built 30% of the the Augusta, Ga. SDA Church. Since 1991 our tithes have paid for B.S., M.S., PhD's, for our children and grandchildren. It took us a while to get our priorities in order. I hope SDA higher education survives--I owe it a lot and I have returned a lot. But that is history. Someone else will have to be the Elder Burdon of the 21st century. Maybe even someone named Davenport. Tom

....fate awaits the present group of young people as they interface with local congregations and church leaders? Will the church welcome them or will the current church leaders tell the new kids on the block that their daring ideas are unwelcome?"

IT is a real good question you raise.
Will the church welcome them? With the financial pressures people and institutions are experiencing who can say?
The number of graduates has nothing to do with church growth or the old leaders dying off. The number of graduates is simply the number of people who want to be in church leadership (Paid).

So graduation rate is not tied to need or demand. That formula is off to start. More people want Jobs than are available.

The second nuance of your question askes if new kids on the block that their daring ideas are unwelcome. This is interesting because I have been experiencing a segment of the newly graduated.

This segment didnt just decide to go to seminary because God called them like Samuel. No this segment went to seminary to have the credentials.
So your discription of "their daring ideas" is quite interesting. Its an interesting situation not unlike the spectrum community. Some here are not even sure if they believe in God, and if they do, only according to their own discription yet they are not shy about working their degrees into the conversation to give their input weight.

The higher education system iself is quite favorable to maverick professors and often chooses to see their questioning and speculation as fruit of an active mind.

However as you say, "Will the current generation of educated people demand a strict adherence to Adventist traditional views on science and creation, the age of the earth, the worldwide flood, traditional Adventist eschatology and prophetic interpretations? Will the church make room for those who hold views on sexuality and gender that do not follow traditional Adventist understandings and practice?

To the extent that these things are encouraged in higher education, educational support will dwindle or thrive. This added pressure on top of general economic pressures will help drive the equation.

Elaine said "What is the purpose of continuing to spend million on an educational system that has long outlived its usefulness? Also, the many former graduates now prefer to have their children attend non-SDA schools for various reasons: less cost and better education.
Don't all parents wish their children to receive the highest quality educational experience available? This is no longer true when one compares the cost vs. output ratio... Given the tuition expense, why would a parent, unless he wanted his children thoroughly indoctrinate in Adventism, send his children there when there are plenty of private Christian, or excellent public schools?"

"Unless he wanted his children thoroughly indoctrinate in Adventism" -- Elaine, this is the premise that Adventism has never had to question or justify before. It has always been expected (taken for granted?) that grounding the young ones in "the truth" would be a parent's highest priority. But that's because the assumptions underneath that were not publicly questioned until maybe the 1960s or so.

As such, what your comment assumes is "high quality" is not what someone committed to EGW's Education or Fundamentals of Christian Education would perceive as "high quality" -- there are at least two conceptions of quality that are clashing there.

Now that these assumptions are being questioned, the church has more than budgets to balance: it also has to address the deeper and more difficult questions like "What is our purpose in this society as a church? What function do we want our educational system to serve given that larger purpose? How are we positioning ourselves in relation to others? Should our schools be a community outreach tool? Interior workforce training? Sleeper cell development? Closed shop? Open house?"

Until the church figures that out, I think it will continue to have the problems it has.

All of these points are good to think about. One that I did not see mentioned was the social interaction that takes place in our schools. When you move in social circles of individuals with similar beliefs, the strong possibility exists that relationships, i.e. marriages, work relationship, pesonal friendships will be established that will strengthen our church communities, our families and our christian witness.

As a former principal, some of the hardest phone calls that I had to take were from parents who's children I had attempted to recruit for academy. I was regularly rebuffed for finincial reasons, academic reasons and other ideas that seemed good at the time. The phone calls came in mid-year with a request to take their child into the school now as they had gotten involved in gangs or other life issues that were not what the patents had expected or planned on for their child/student.

These are also issues that need to be addressed. If you have followed some of the recent news accounts, you are probably aware that the Amish also have times of crisis with their youth. This is not just our problem as Adventists, but appears to be a commont theme for conservative faith group.

Perhaps we don't need the current model of academic achievement and excellence to take the place of personal spiritual growth, a vision for the future and our place in a world that doesn't accept some of the teachings and values that were origionally in place when our schools started.

I had the best of two worlds. I lived at home and attended an SDA Academy in which 80% of the teachers also taught at Emmanuel Missionary College. My children had the same priviledge while at Loma Linda, What a life! Weekends Sabbath School and Church, then a Sabbath days ride to the mountains, the desert, or the sea.

Then we made a daring movement to Augusta, Ga. The Academy was close to two hundred miles away. We arrived late in the first week of school. Except for the separatation it went smooth as silk. The next year was an entirely different story. We arrived 1 day early. We were assigned a room for a second year student. The room was filthy, trash, dust, no air conditioning, in Georgia August Air. No equipment for cleaning, even the water was not turned on until we asked. My wife, three kids, and I worked 4 hours before we could bring any bedding or clothes in. There was no place to wash up. I had to go to the senior financial officer's office to make final financial arrangements. As I entered in my dress clothes, dirty, sweaty, with my hair a mess, and my shirt wet through and through, he just sat there and laughed and laughed. Finally, he asked, "What can I do for You." "With that opening I told him is very precis terms exactly what he could do! Then I elaborated that there had been a three months lapse since the close of the last school year and the beginning of this year, yet not one thing had been done to prepare the space for student arrival athough they had scores of recruiter and pastors out all over a two state area dumming up students. I said, I am prepared to write a check for the year, but have decided to write a check for the month. If there is not a significant change in attitude upon the part of management within the month, I am taken my boy home. The boy graduated from Georgia Cumberland Academy. Years later. as he and family were traveling up I-75 he drove in to show the family where he went to school. He stopped the car at the entrance which gave an overview of the Campus. Within two minutes a quard approached the driver's side and said, without introduction: "This is private property, no strangers are allowed." My son said; "I am a graduate of 1969 and am showing my family my school." The guard said: "Do you have an appointment?" My son said. "No" The guard said: "I advise you to leave immediately!" Which of course my son did.

Later as he told me the story, he commented: "I didn't know they took the Investigative Judgment that seriously."

I hope this is helpful to any principal or what-to-be!

Tom

KM,
You said, "It has always been expected (taken for granted?) that grounding the young ones in "the truth" would be a parent's highest priority."

So how is that premise working out for the church? How do the numbers stack up? Although anecdotal, my younger daughter opted for public school while her older sister graduated from the academy. The public school educated one is now a wife of a SDA pastor with a MDIV from Andrews and the older never was baptized and is spiritually floundering.

I too taught in, and was principal of a small academy. It was my experience that the biggest problem these church schools have are the older church members who hold the purse strings and sit on the all the boards. Because enrollment was declining we did manage to open the doors a crack for non-SDAs in the community - usually kids who are square pegs in round holes in public schools. Others were there for a better student/teacher ratio.

One non-SDA kid came to the interview with a pet mouse running up and down his arms; and another, Mormon girl, showed up in grunge black from head to toe, and a week into her school experience, said to me "this is really difficult" referring to the stringent dress code - but she did stay and thanked me on graduation day. The kid with the mouse, after a really bumpy road, is now applying for law school after receiving a BA degree from a local university. A third boy came only so as to be able to have some high school credentials to enter university, having been self-taught up to the tenth grade (not homeschooled by mom). He ended up getting a full scholarship to Heidelberg University in Austria where he's studying for a doctorate in quantum physics.

Throughout my experience with these kids, I had to do battle with the school board, the church board, some of the teachers, and every other SDA fundie in order not to loose them along the way.

This isn't our grandparents world any more; but SDA church schools, in my neck of the woods, are still operating as if it were. And that is because all the influential members are over 50 and seeped in the 1950's brand of Adventism.

Sirje

You are lucky. In this part of the woods, Principals act as if the were Hospital Administrations. Tom

This month's Ministry magazine has an article "Reaching Out: Making a Difference with Young Adults" which tells much of the story of what is happening now.

"The median age for the SDA community in North America, including the un-baptized children in church families, is 58. The median ages of the U.S. and Canada respectively--is 36 and 37."

The writer also reminds of us the ages of the pioneers in Adventism: Ellen Harmon White, John Loughborough, etc., who were very "young, vibrant and on fire for God." J.N. Andrews was 22 when he started the publishing work, Uriah Smith and James White were both 21."

The significance, unmentioned, was that they were young and INITIATED the movement, not joined an older denomination. Look at the innovators that have rocked the world: Bill Gates, the founders of Google and Face Book and most of the well-known entrepreneurs were very young but they started out on their own, not joined an established organization. Should we not see the relationship there?

What if, a group of people as young as the SDA pioneers struck out on their own with a new religious movement more in tune with the world's contemporary problems and less ensconced in the traditional doctrines of the IJ, Sabbath, Sanctuary, etc.? How would the Adventist church relate to that?

Hey Sirje -- I think the article and most of our comments suggest that the premise isn't working out too well at all! No, this definitely isn't my grandparent's world, and so maybe someone needs to let the administrating grandparents know? :-)

For too long we've been hearing a correlation between "environment" and "life-long character formation" as if it were sacrosanct. Adventist education does have its advantages like any small, private, religious system, but it isn't a wax-on-wax-off certainty that if you immerse a soul in Adventist education and also pretend there's not much to learn outside that sphere, the soul will emerge Adventist. Yet we act as if it is certain. Hence the parents who still often send their kids from a North American or European division "back home" to an Adventist college to get straightened out... Personally I didn't get sent(enced); I chose to go. I did profited some, grew up, and was happy to leave when I did.

Your anecdotes bear this out. I have comparable anecdotes re. the folks I went to school with. From the outside an Adventist college looks like a pristine haven, and in some regards it can be. I think it's dangerous, though, to assume that's the entire picture. It is not. Just as it can be a protective zone, it can also be a corral for horses who know where the Heineken is, how to get it, how to hide it, and how to leave the jockeys none the wiser. Amongst other things.

Elaine -- you make a good point there. My own experience with suggesting change has not been good, and I'm by no means a rabble-rouser.

But let's describe it as it is: a human problem. Back in their time, Jesus' disciples had the same trouble getting over their gut response ("Competition! Destroy!"), and Paul had to field similar issues among the apostles and evangelists. As I read both Jesus and Paul, I sense the infighting is a waste of time. But forgetting that we are one, we oh so easily cannibalize. Human problem.

"What if, a group of people as young as the SDA pioneers struck out on their own with a new religious movement more in tune with the world's contemporary problems and less ensconced in the traditional doctrines of the IJ, Sabbath, Sanctuary, etc.? How would the Adventist church relate to that?"

I think they would relate well to it. Those that leave should then choose a name that will not be confused with Seventh Day Adventist.
The problem has been people who reject 90% of the church and still stay and agitate with the misguided belief they are going to make the church do a 180 on every issue from the sabbath to homosexual lifestyle.
I would love to see how that experiment turns out.

Let us remember that Jesus established a church, not denominations! His church is built upon the Rock of His Salvation not 28 fundamental beliefs. I pray to Jesus as my Lord and Master and attempt to live in gratitude and genersoity as he demonstrated while on earth. That means that I give the SDA denomination all the freedom it needs to "sell" its views. But I don't believe membership and change from inside as several Union Conference Officers have suggested to me is right, fair, or honest. I do feel I have the right to express my views in open forum in a candid forthright fashion within the bounds of civility. At times, as human I have been prevoked beyond rational civil discourse for which I believe I have both acknowledged and apologized.

Candidly, I sometimes think the issues raised are peripheral to the main issues facing the Church. Never-the-less, I enjoy the opportunity to enter the discussion freely without fear of retaliation. Thank you Alex et al. Tom

I read what Sirje said with interest. The first "SDA" school I taught in actually had 70% non-SDA attendance. It was really an awesome place to teach--I loved it--but, at the same time, it was very difficult for one reason--a divided board. Two constituent churches--one an ultra-conservative that always wanted the school to go back to a 2-room, SDA only school and wrung their hands at our mission statement (which was to meet the needs of children "in our area" regardless of religion, etc). The other was probably a middle of the road but very accepting church that warmly welcomed the non-SDA kids who would show up to church in their (SDA)inappropriate garb, and srongly supported the teachers in our mission orientation.

There are many NAD SDA teachers who are very uncomfortable teaching non-SDA kids because they have no idea how to relate to them (many of these teachers never having been non-SDA or having gone to a non-SDA school, etc). The SPD is doing a much better job at addressing the needs of non-SDA (and non-Christian) students with their curriculum, while the NAD ed dept in many ways is stuck in an earlier time.

Ellen White said that our schools should be part of our evangelism and outreach, but it appears that the same thing has happened with the schools as with the mainstream evangelism--they are, in many ways, unable to change to meet the needs of a new generation.

I wonder how many independent "SDA" schools will come to be (I'm talking primary and secondary) in order to be more open to non-SDA and other students.

M

Keep up the good work M. Our small church school in PTC, Ga. was always open to non SDA's when my children were growing up.

State the mission, state the rules...and all who want to come and take part, great!

pat

The ..end of days..are upon us. Our schools and churches should be a beacon to the fallen world. Far, far too many adventists have gone out into the fallen world and for decades have returned dragging the evils (yes call it what it is), of the world in with them. This has been going on for decades now. The mess is huge. Is it reversible, I do not know. Many of high intellect cannot give answers to these problems we face. I wonder why. Some say..we cannot go back to the old ways...sorry but we threw those out a long time ago. A person commented ..where are the new young Uriah Smith's. Could it be we put our thumbs on them? As long as the mind of liberalism is allowed to overwhelm our churches and schools, we will not solve these issues. I'm NOT talking politics folks, nor do I care what your politics is. I am talking about the great "I will crowd" overwhelming the smaller "Thy Will crowd. I will change the church...I will make it better...I will bring it into the modern world...I will bring in better music...I will start a better newer adventist church...I will, I will all day long. Liberalism was used to infect the angels and satan is doing a good job infecting humans. If you drink too much poison, you may become as Ellen White describes as ...being incurable. ......A group of adventist pastors went to a third world country recently to see how it was that our church is growing soooo fast. When they met the person responsible, they were amazed at what they saw on his desk. A bible and several books by Ellen White. When asked, what is your formula, he simply pointed to his desk and said, these are my formula. He also told the pastors, you could have saved your money to get here and you could have called me and I would have told you my formula. ..... The simplicity of that mans formula could very well be our formula too, but most of you will balk at such a simple answer. No wonder we will have a shaking. ......Another person said Jesus started a church, not a denomination. Never gave 28 fundamental beliefs. I say where is your faith? Where do you think those beliefs came from?...hello...is there anybody in there? Often God provides simple answers to even the biggest problems. The problem I see is we never stop asking the same old question long enough to see the simple answer. .....Someone else commented about your fire going out, its simple, go back to what started that fire and don't stop. I read and study as much as I MAKE possible, my fire has not gone out since I became an adventist over 25 years ago. Read and study, read and study, its that simple. Getting back to the simple purity our church and schools once had can be achieved, if we make it simple and pure again. I fear that may be too difficult because of the overwhelming mind set we have allowed to infect that purity. And for those of you still flustered by the ..liberalism comment..I don't know what else to call something I have been studying for over 15 years now other than what it is, liberalism. Let me clarify it this way to you...Satan is liberal, Jesus is not. Or consider this...God kicked liberalism out of heaven a long time ago, and He is not going to let you bring it back in. And may God have mercy on us all. Your brother in Christ. Pray, pray and pray...and when you think you have prayed enough...you have just started.

Thy will be done on earth....

I gather that you don't like liberalism!

Please don't be shocked when you discover the God who is himself liberal. The giver of every good and perfect gift, the cattle on a thousand hills and the one who finally gave his only begotten Son so that 'whoever' believes might be saved. The same one who came not to condemn the world....

I pray that it doesn't take 25 years more to discover the calm inclusiveness of God's grace...... as it is in heaven.

Since my presentation is the focus of Larry Downing's article which I felt he very fairly dealt with, you might want to read the first draft of the presentation at --

http://www.avln.org/site/1/docs/FacingOurChallenges.pdf .

Since that initial presentation, I have given the paper eight times and made many revisions with updated figures.

I could make many comments but will refrain with a couple of exceptions in order to let this conversation flow.

I did want to comment on Tom Zwemer's comments that PUC is on
life support. I'm not aware that he has any inside knowlege of our enrollment or finances. To be honest, everyone of our colleges is on "life support" with low endowments and fragile finances that could easily be confronted with a down turn in the economy or a terrorist attack that would limit air travel in our country and the world. Our enrollment was stable this last year with a higher EFTE enrollment in the winter quarter than the fall quarter substantially over what we budgeted. In the last few years, our increase in net assets has been substantial but like all Adventist colleges, we're on a very tight margin addressed in the paper. The paper gives specific endowment figures illustrating this point. Fortunately PUC is sitting on 2,000 acres of land which can be turned into a substantial endowment either from our proposed eco village or other possible developments in the future--an asset in a very high cost area that no other college has available except La Sierra which has done a beautiful job turning their vacant lands into an endowment which may grow to $70+ million.

It has been my observation, which is made in the paper, that except for our three health care institutions -- LLU, KCMA, and FHCHS (all in very hot health care majors which are currently popular in our country)-- the only institutions with stable or growing enrollments are those that are almost exclusively one race -- Oakwood, Union, and Walla Walla -- or Southern which is more multi-ethinic than people realize but still has a predominantly white image. The Seventh-day Adventist Church has problems dealing with diversity in its K-12 schools and higher education. It's much easier to run a single ethnic institution with a power structure centered around that ethnic group than a campus with wide diversity in students and employees. When I hear students talk about other campuses feeling so much like "family," I know what that probably means. None of these institutions are racist in anyway. In the case of Union and Walla Walla, they represent the largely Anglo base of their membership but draw students from other areas because of that base of ethnic unity. At least, that's what we're told at PUC by some in our constituency when they tell us very openly that we have too many Asians and Hispanics in contrast to our neighboring school. WWU has recently appointed an Assistant to the President to deal with this issue but unless they begin to attract a lot of ethnic groups from out of their union it will be a challenge for them to become more multi ethnic. Oakwood has many cultures but is an Historically Black College as defined in the United States. It's much more difficult to create a feeling of "family" on a multi ethnic campus than one representing one race but we're proud that we "look a lot like Heaven" in giving students a taste not of the racial divisions in our society but who we will be living with in the real world and in Heaven.

The growth of the very multi-ethnic and international Andrews can't be described as typical since most of their increase has taken place in the Seminary with nearly 900 students out of 3,200. In fact, their undergraduate enrollment has been under 1,000 meaning that if they didn't have the Seminary or graduate programs they would be a smaller college than most any in the system except for AUC, CUC, and Canadian University College. In one recent year when PUC had 400 new Freshmen, they had 295, illustrating that their growth has been largely centered in their world wide graduate programs and the Seminary. They are focused on increasing their undergraduate enrollment with some success but the academies in the Lake Union have low enrollments which poses a problem for a strong undergraduate enrollment meaning that unless they draw from other unions because of the strength of being a graduate school or from offering significant tuition discounts that many of us can't match, it will be a struggle. Along with LLU, they also receive substantial G.C. subsidies and a subsidy from the Lake Union totaling much more than any other non health-care institution but they also have much higher expenses in maintaining a graduate program and numerous overseas obligations.

There is also an assumption that we basically all charge the same tuition which is a fallacy illustrated in my paper. The three West Coast colleges (LSU, PUC, and WWU) all charge about $6,500 more a year than the less expensive institutions in our system located in low cost areas.

The question of subsidies for AIIAS has come up. I just returned on Thursday from an accreditation visit to this G.C. institution located in the Philippines. The G.C. supplies them with $800,000 in subsidy which is about 40% of their budget. Other divisions subsidize their students to attend this graduate school meaning that very little of their income is dervied from tuition since most of the students are sponsored. I was told that you can get the M.B.A. degree at AIIAS in 1 1/2 years for a total of $5 - 6,000 including living expenses with similar costs for other of their programs. Costs are much lower in that part of the world but they still struggle with their finances on one of the most beautiful campuses I have ever visited.

If any of you want to dialogue further about questions in my paper, feel free to write me directly at:

rosborn@puc.edu .

I'd rather not get into responding to various issues since my paper speaks for itself.

Dick

I did a no no, I repeated a comment of some PUC retired faculty who live in the area without confirming the statement.

The statement was to the effect that enrollment was down,
that chapel was dead, that church attendance was less than a fifth of usual. I will never, write without confirmation again. To save further embarrassment I will not identify my source--although it has been reliable in the past. Age I guess influences one abut the good old days. Next to old E.M.C. I love P.U.C. the best. Now our third generation seems to prefer Walla Walla. Tom

Dick Osborn,
Thank you for that excellent comment!

More about the Adventist International Institute of Advanced Studies (AIIAS)

TOTAL APPROX. EXPENSES FOR A YEAR (MA LEVEL) $6,745
MBA - 46 UNITS (2 yrs) $12,159

http://www.aiias.edu/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=119&It...

Tom,

If your facts are wrong, why repeat them on a blog?

Our EFTE's were higher this year than last year. None of the West Coast colleges have had signficant enrollment increases with LSU's being down quite a bit over the last two years, WWU being very static with very small increases, and PUC being down from past years but up this year in EFTEs which is what matters in a budget. Much of WWU's enrollment growth over the last few years has been in their largely non-Adventist MSW program in Billings, MT so I'm baffled by your statement that "our third generation's" preference is WWU. I'm gathering from your last name that you are Anglo. Both LSU and PUC have noticed that for some Anglo students and parents in Northern and Southern California, a primarily Anglo campus is attractive to them. The reality is that neither LSU nor PUC has a majority population which makes some uncomfortable.

For years PUC has struggled with the music wars in church. Over a decade ago, they split with the students meeting in a contemporary service in Dauphinee Chapel and the older church members remaining in the church similar to what has been happening at SAU for years. (Until John Nixon came to the Collegedale Church, student attendance was very low but high at alternative conservative and contemproary student services held around campus.) A few years ago at PUC they were put back together with the students given control over the second service with a contemproary service. For the last six or seven years until this year, the church was trying blended service with no one happy so Pastor Tim Mitchell along with the church Board decided to go with two completely different services so you would know what you were getting. This has made some uncomfortable possibly including your friend. What used to be the early service is now called The Majestic Service and starts at 10:00 AM. Attendance to this earlier service is way up from an average of 50 to well into the hundreds. This service is what you would call "high church" with very classical music (choirs, organ, orchestra) and liturgy. Sabbath School is at 11:00 AM and the cafeteria opens at that time so students who sleep in can catch a bit to eat. The Gathering which is a contemporary service begins at 12:10 and features highly contemproary music and a sermon ending at 1:00 PM with the cafeteria remaining open until 2:00 PM. The overall average numbers are a little lower than earlier years but the early service is dramatically up in attendance.

The Adventist population of this area is dramatically changing. It used to be that Adventists would move to this area so their kids could go from elementary school through college. With the median price of a home in Angwin costing $742,000 and $1.2 million in St. Helena, we have observed that very few Adventists can move into this area who don't work for the college, hospital, or conference. When an Adventist sells a home, it's rarely bought by an Adventist as in earlier years which means that our church membership is increasingly based on the number of church and hospital employees who live in the area so all of the area churches will see declining membership and attendance.

We are finding that attendance by young adults at church services throughout North America is virtually non-existent in most churches with a few exceptions. They are simply not going to church. We're trying to experiment with different ways to bring them back, not only at PUC but should in the church.

Chapel is dead? It depends on your definition and the particular program being referenced. We've had some of the most incredible programs you can imagine this year and others that are very routine. For example, one of our students after listening to the morning Chapel which we call Colloquy and an evening Longo Lecture by David Batstone on slavery in the world prayed that she could find a solution. The result? A sale of items valued by students one evening with a fashion show and poetry reading that resulted in over $10,000 being raised to help fund a shelter for children in slavery in Lima, Peru--the result of one student's prayers to find a solution and her fellow student's generosity.

The next time you hear someting negative about a K-12 school or Adventist college/university, ask what it's really like to live with these wonderful students on a daily basis. I attended a wedding of two of our students on Friday. At the reception, the parent of a former student came over and said, "You must be so proud to be here tonight looking around this room filled with such great young people!" And I was!!

Next time before you perpetuate false facts, please check but don't repeat them again in public forums because it hurts all of us. Sorry for a little reprimand here.

Dick

Please, get off my back. I thought I gave you a straight forward apology. I said I did a no no, I took as truth the comments of a retired faculty member of PUC who still lives in the area and attends the PUC church and occasionally chapel. I didn't confirm the comments. I didn't in the first comment refer to the basis of my obserevation. In my apology, I explained the source, the lack of confirmation, and gave the alleged facts in order for you to know the basis of my observation and for you to either confirm or correct those facts.

I certainly didn't expect to get a lecture. The next time you get an apology from me either accept it, reject it, or correct it. Be sure that I will confirm any allegation prior to comment in the future--particularly from K-12. even College. I live within blocks of a K-10 and have as personal friends who are members of the board. They send their grandchildren there. They seem quite pleased with their grandchildren's progress and with the total school enviornment.

However, my niece attends a SDA grade school in the Redlands area in which, (confirmed) she says the teacher begins the day with the SIN of the day. She then makes worship a detailed description of that sin and its terrible consequences in the now and the here after. Sorry about that.

I hope you have a good year at PUC. It is one of God's wonder spots in the NorthWest.

But I suggest you take a nice long walk before you hit a keyboard again. One wouldn't want to demonstrate the lack of presidential restrain too often. Tom

Thank you, Tom. I hope this exchange does not discourage those from PUC in particular to air their personal observations and concerns.

About AIIAS, allow me to share my own thoughts for the sake of visiting educators/accreditors like Dr Osborne, as well as the author of the above piece, who may have seen things differently than I.

To my knowledge AIIAS students, and/or family members, are mostly sponsored by their respective sending organization. Sponsored students, needless to say, are expected to resume their service to the church upon completion of studies. For the rare unsponsored student, their future employment with the church is not guaranteed. The fact of being a school of, for, and by denominational employees may be one good reason AIIAS officials don't seek official government approval for each of the programs they offer.

http://www.ched.gov.ph/hei_dir/2005HEIsMasterlist/Region04a.pdf

AIIAS Board of Trustees

Vice-President, General Conference of SDAs (chairman)
President, North Philippine Union Mission (secretary)
President, Northern Asia-Pacific Division
President, Southern Asia-Pacific Division
Director of Education, General Conference of SDAs
President, Central Philippine Union Conference
President, South Philippine Union Conference
President, AIIAS
Additional Layperson from the Philippines

AIIAS Management Committee

President, Bangladesh Union Mission
President, Chinese Union Mission
President, East Indonesia Union Mission
President, Myanmar Union Mission
President, North Philippine Union Mission
President, Southeast Asia Union Mission
President, West Indonesia Union Mission
Laypersons, Northern Asia-Pacific Division (2)
Laypersons, Southern Asia-Pacific Division (2)

http://www.aiias.edu/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=64&Ite...

I welcome anyone to give their concerns and joys about PUC or any other college or K-12 school in our church but to be careful that your facts are correct or try to verify them before publishing them in public. As some say in regard to those who violate policies, "It's better to give an apology than ask for permission." Bad news usually travels faster than good news.

In regard to AIIAS, I checked your first link and they seem to list in the government report all the programs being offered at AIIAS. Which did they miss?

AIIAS has attempted to get all of the possible accreditations from various higher education agencies within the Philippines, in Asia, and are now actively exploring accreditation by WASC, the regional accrediting association in the United States for the Western region. They want to be sure that their degrees are recognized as legitimate beyond the Philippines which is a concern we heard from their students, especially those from Europe.

It's always a challenge for unsponsored students to get work in or out of the church. A lot of students at the SDA Theological Seminary at Andrews University are unsponsored who attempt to get pastoral positions upon graduation since they didn't get sponsorships after graduating from their undrgraduate programs. In talking to one of those this last April, they told me that since conferences aren't hiring many new pastors in North America not many of them were getting offers this year which has been discouraging. At AIIAS, I talked to one of the few American students there finishing his M.Div. and have already contacted one NAD conference president about his availability.

The Board structure you referenced from the official AIIAS web site doesn't reflect the reality of how this functions at AIIAS. The listed Board (which is part of the corporate requirements of the Philippines) and the Management Committee form together one committee called the Management Committee. The latter functions more as a Board in a combined sense but the problem is that they only meet twice a year -- once at the G.C. Annual Council amidst the busy schedule of numerous committees wherever it is held for a relatively short meeting and once more on campus before graduation. This doesn't enable them to really develop any Board/Management Committee accountability or strategic planning emphases. We recommended that they consider adding more lay representation and have Board training to increase the Board's effectiveness. The problem is that AIIAS functions over such a wide geographical area that getting the Board together more frequently or having a Board Executive Committee truly representative of the areas being served is difficult.

The costs I gave earlier were given me by the former Chair of the Business Department who continues as a professor. Given the challenges of the declining value of the U.S. dollar related to the peso, AIIAS which receives its major subsidy from the General Conference has experienced some currency evaluation challenges.

On pages 12 and 16 of the link to the government agency I submitted are listed AIIAS and the Adventist University of the Philippines (formerly Phil Union College). Look at the descriptions under column heading: Government Permit No. (Date) //Government Recognition No. (Date) Thanks!

http://www.ched.gov.ph/hei_dir/2005HEIsMasterlist/Region04a.pdf

On page 12

Adventist International Institute of Advanced Studies
As of January 2006

Status : CO - Currently Offered; NO - Not Offered
DO - Discontinued Operation; PO - Phased Out

P r o g r a m M a j o r // S t a t u s // Government Permit No.// Government Recognition No.// Program Duration (yrs.)

Ph.D. in Education Religious Education CO NA, NA NA, NA 4
Ph.D. in Religion CO NA, NA NA, NA 4
Doctor of Ministry CO NA, NA NA, NA 3
Ph.D. in Education Educational Administration CO NA, NA NA, NA 4
Ph.D. in Education Curriculum and Instruction CO NA, NA NA, NA 4
Education Specialist Curriculum and Instruction CO NA, NA NA, NA 2
Master of Business Administration Finance CO NA, NA NA, NA 1.5
Master of Business Administration Management Information
Systems CO NA, NA NA, NA 1.5
Education Specialist Religious Education CO NA, NA NA, NA 2
Master of Business Administration Business Management CO NA, NA NA, NA 1.5
M.A. in Education Religious Education CO NA, NA NA, NA 1.5
M.A. in Education Library Administration CO NA, NA NA, NA 1.5
M.A. in Education Leadership (only graduate
program only) CO NA, NA NA, NA 1.5
M.A. in Education Educational Administration CO NA, NA NA, NA 1.5
M.A. in Education Curriculum and Instruction CO NA, NA NA, NA 1.5
Post-Master's Certificate in Education CO NA, NA NA, NA 1
Master of Ministry CO NA, NA NA, NA 1.5
Master of Arts in Religion CO NA, NA NA, NA 2
* * *

On page 16

ADVENTIST UNIVERSITY OF THE PHILIPPINES

Master of Arts in Education CO 350, 1957 2
Master of Science in Biology CO 004, 1993 004, 1993 2
Master of Science in Nursing CO 134, 1985 134, 1985 2
Master in Public Health CO 107, 1983 107, 1983 2
Master of Arts in Education Administration & Supervision CO 350, 1957 350, 1957 2
Master of Arts in Education English CO 350, 1957 350, 1957 2
Master of Arts in Education Elementary Education CO 350, 1957 350, 1957 2
Master in Business Administration CO 024, 1994 024, 1994 2
Bachelor of Science in Office Administration Secretarial Education CO 644, 1953 644, 1953 4
Bachelor of Arts in Digital Fine Arts CO 033, 1991 033, 1991 4
Bachelor of Arts Philosophy of Education CO 702, 1955 4
Bachelor of Arts History CO 702, 1955 702, 1955 4
Bachelor of Arts English CO 702, 1955 702, 1955 4
Bachelor of Secondary Education Music CO 701, 1955 701, 1955 4
Bachelor of Science Agricultural Technology CO 012, 1953 646, 1953 4
Bachelor of Library and Information Science CO 702, 1955 702, 1955 4
Bachelor of Science in Office Administration Computer CO 644, 1953 4
Doctor of Dental Medicine CO I - TP 353, 2003
-, - 4

I would just like to note that it is possible for a multi-ethnic Adventist campus to feel like family; I had this experience at Canadian University College. Although there were situations that demonstrated cultural and racial tensions, for the most part the different ethnicities represented on campus got along well. Perhaps it's because CaUC is such a small campus that people have to get along. I was very culturally enriched for having went to school there.

Dick

Being president is an honor and a great responsibility. Glad you have a good support team--success. Tom

Joselito

I have visited PUC many times dating back to 1944. I have sent one of my children to college at PUC. He loved it.
I have several very fond teachers "stolen" from E.M.C. who completed their academic service at PUC. I have had 4 close family members on the faculty and staff at PUC.

Some of my best dental students did their pre-dental education at PUC. I carry no ill will toward PUC or anyone associated with the University. The issues I raised were brought to my attention by a retired faculty member and confirmed by a resident in the local community. Dr. Osburn in taking umbrage conceded much of what I conveyed. I do agree with him that it is cost/plus the times we live it.

My point was simply. If one cannot state the problem one cannot address a rational solution. An aggressive defense is no solution. Few places on earth are as blessed as PUC. The problems are of human origin. I merely suggest that human effort be directed toward the solution. I am reassured that Dr. osburn's statement of the problem will be an excellent starting point for redress as needed. Tom

Hum, interesting. After teaching 30+ years in a public high school, to see "excellent public schools" on an Adventist site about education. Me think your heads are in a hole. I barely got out of the "excellent public education" system with my life. Let's see, what does the song say, "You don't know what you've got til its gone" is the tune that comes to mind about Adventist school/college bashing. The entire world is in trouble, not just the Adventist education system, which is still floating above the so-called "excellent public schools." I invite all to a career in these "excellent public schools." I don't think you have the guts ;)
JoAnn

JoAnn

When I was a student the teacher was king. When I became a teacher the dean was king. When I became a dean the students were kings. Now its anarchy--enjoy your retirement you certainly earned it. Tom

Dick Osborne wrote:

For years PUC has struggled with the music wars in church. Over a decade ago, they split with the students meeting in a contemporary service in Dauphinee Chapel and the older church members remaining in the church similar to what has been happening at SAU for years. (Until John Nixon came to the Collegedale Church, student attendance was very low but high at alternative conservative and contemproary student services held around campus.)

I thought you all might like to hear what some of John Nixon thinks is the greatest "story" ever told. That is, this clip is from a sermon titled "The Greatest Story Ever Told". You can here it here: John Nixon

Evidently, based on the government's Commission on Higher Education (CHED) list I referenced earlier, there's no program or course of study AIIAS offers - neither theology, business, education, nor health - that has received government permission and recognition so far.

http://www.ched.gov.ph/hei_dir/2005HEIsMasterlist/Region04a.pdf

Why not? Is government authorization unimportant? a hindrance? As far as I'm concerned, state recognition, with a Dept of Education Special Order stamped on my mission college transcript, took on special significance when it became necessary for me to attend a secular university. Even local (national) government accreditation of my educational achievement, IOW, proved to be absolutely helpful, even a lifesaver in my experience.

Our mission college and AIIAS, btw, are located in the same city/town within 5 miles of each other. Perhaps not surprisingly, the same type of graduate programs - in theology, education, health, and business - are offered in both institutions. Needless to say, one essential difference between the two schools is GC subsidy and direct GC governance (thru the GC VP representative as board chair) of one.

I didn't mean to hi-jack this conversation by highlighting AIIAS, comparing it with our mission college/university in the Philippines. Those of you who have other concerns and joys, in your own neck of the Adventist educational terrain, are of course entitled to share your personal experience.

One final thought, to set the record straight. And, please, those who may see things differently than I are most welcome to either affirm or deny the truthfulness of my statements.

The following brief history, from the AIIAS website, contains many half truths, IMHO. A long overdue revision is needed in order to bring it closer to reality and the actual facts of the case.

AIIAS had its beginning in a realization that leaders of the Seventh-day Adventist (SDA) Church in Asia needed and desired graduate preparation in such areas as teaching, management, health education, evangelism, and theology. To be most effective, such an education needed to be offered in quality, affordable programs infused with Bible principles and truths.
Beginning in 1957, several such graduate programs, primarily in the area of religion, were offered on the campus of Philippine Union College (PUC), now Adventist University of the Philippines (AUP). These programs were organized into a Theological Seminary, which became a Far Eastern Division institution in 1978. The success of the Seminary led to the expansion of graduate programs into other areas, such as public health. Thus, on May 5, 1987, when AIIAS came into being by Presidential Decree 2021, it was composed of two schools: the Theological Seminary (ThS) and the School of Graduate Studies (SGS). These schools were joined by the Distance Education Division (DED), offering courses leading to graduate degrees at Distance Learning Centers (DLCs) located strategically throughout Asia.
In 1991, AIIAS was moved to the present campus near Silang, Cavite. On October 6, 1996, by action taken by the Annual Council of the SDA Church, AIIAS became an institution of the General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists. Concurrently, its mission expanded to incorporate a more global dimension.

http://www.aiias.edu/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=59&Ite...

In regard to AIIAS and the Philippine government, AIIAS came into existence, not through the normal education agency processes in the Philippines, but by Presidential Decree 2021 in 1987 when they were part of Philippine Union College but were creating a separate institution for the entire Far Eastern Division. As you note, they moved from the location of Philippine Union College (now known as the Adventist University of the Philippines) to the current location in 1991 and became an official General Conference institution in 1996.

When our accreditation team met with the students, their concerrn was not for more recognition by the Philippines, although AIIAS recognizes this need and is working for more government recognition, but for international accreditation agency recommendations. They told us that degrees from the Philippines are held in some suspicion in other countries, especially Europe, as possibly being from diploma mills or without recognition. Since AIIAS has students from 45 countries, these international accreditations are seen as being more important by the students we talked with.

Thus, the AIIAS Seminary program is accredited by the Association of Theological Education in South East Asia (ATESEA) which is associated with ATS (not the Adventist ATS) which is the world's premiere accrediting agency for theological schools. The AIIAS School of Graduate Studies including their Education, Business, and Health Education Departments are fully accredited by the Philippine Accrediting Association of Schools, Colleges, and Universities (PAASCU) which is the largest accrediting association in the Philippines similar to the U.S. regional accrediting agencies. Two years ago they also received word that their application with the International Association of Universities (IAU) meets all the criteria for admission. To give even more recognition on an international basis, they are pursuing accreditation with a U.S. regional accrediting body and are in talks with WASC.

AIIAS was established to be the graduate school for that part of the world but as other Adventist universities have matured, they have increasingly started their own graduate programs including AUP which has resulted in lower AIIAS enrollments. Ironically many of these other programs have started because of the success of AIIAS in training many of the leaders of our church program in Asia.

Dr Osborne

You've been grossly misformed, I'm afraid;-) Thus, your conclusion is both doubtful and debateable. A professional historian and veteran school administrator of your stature deserves better treatment by AIIAS insiders. Be that as it may, I'd love to hear what they have to say in regard to what we've both shared here so far. Thanks!

Grossly misinformed about what?

I agreed with your major point which was the need for more government recognition which AIIAS administrators acknowledged in their written self-study and in our meetings with them. They are working to achieve more government recognition but at the same time are aggressively pursuing more international recognition by recognized accrediting associations including WASC in the U.S. I also mentioned the student's critical concerns we heard in an open meeting with them which was the need for more international accrediting recognition to give their degrees more status since most of them won't be working in the Philippines. It seems there is no difference between your key concern and my understanding but perhaps I'm not understanding.

An additional note, now that I've broken a personal policy of not responding too quickly on a blog, on the same day.

Affiliation with our NAD colleges/universities, as was practiced in the past and present, may still prove to be most invaluable for our schools of higher education abroad, especially for those in the developing nations, in regard to the need for accreditation. From what I've observed, globalization, by means of extension programs abroad, seems to be a growing trend among the better known universities in the U.S.A. Thus, instead of the present set up, of mostly administrative clergy constituting our boards, the promotion of quality higher education in developing countries shall become part of the mission of professional administrators and academicians from our more educationally advanced segment of the church. Just a thought!

Affiliations can be problematic for U.S. colleges depending on the regional accrediting associations. Some regional accreditation associations require the same standards on the extension campus as the home campus. Southern Adventist University was put on probation by SACS several years ago because of their affiliation with Helderberg College and possibly one other Business program resulting in SAU having to drop their affiliation. On the other hand, Andrews has been more successful in North Central with affiliations as was CUC with Newbold a few decades ago through Middle State.

I asked Dr. John Fowler, Associate Director of Education for the General Conference, who oversees the territory in which AIIAS is located and has worked with them for many years to read the blog postings. He chaired the AAA visit on which I served. He tried to post the following response but was unsuccessful so asked if I could do it for him. This is what he wanted to post --

Dick Osborn's comments on AIIAS, as far as I know, are well informed and correct. I would share what I know about the current status of AIIAS.

1. AIIAS is a graduate institution. In addition to AAA accreditation, AIIAS programs (except Ph.D. in business which is currently under AAA candidacy status) are accredited by the Philippine Accrediting Association of Schools, Colleges, and Universities, which is a member of Asia Pacific Quality Network and International Network of Quality Assurance in Higher Education. The theological seminary is also accredited by the Association for Theological Education in South East Asia, which is affiliated with the Association of Theological Schools as well as with the World Conference of Associations of Theological Institutions. AIIAS holds membership with the International Association of Universities. The seminary is a member of the Philippine Area Committee of the Southeast Asia Graduate School of Theology. The graduate school is a member of the Philippine Association of Graduate Education

AIIAS was established under a charter issued by the president of the Philippines. Currently, the institution is working on accreditations with other bodies as well, including WASC.

2. The current enrollment of AIIAS: 340 on campus, 310 distance learning centers, 60 on-line. The distance learning centers were founded on the concept of taking graduate education to economically challenged countries and training students in their own cultural contexts. The program has been in effect almost from the start of AIIAS, and has so far graduated with Master's degrees around 1000 pastors, teachers and administrators. The model has provided higher education to many who otherwise would not have had that privilege. The tuition at these centers is based on the church wage factor in the country where the center is located. A great service to the church, I would say.

3. Dick is right in saying that AIIAS is working on accreditation from other agencies, including such US giants as WASC. I hope and pray that they get it. This will go a long way in addressing the perception of students and some others that the degree from AIIAS is not up to international value or worth--a perception with which some Asian (including Philippine) and African degrees are tainted, albeit without adequate basis.

4. When it comes to credibility of our educational institutions, I would not rush to judgment. Our colleges in Africa and Asia for the most part function under difficult circumstances--financially, personnel-wise, in the face of local political, communal and governmental pressures.Yet they do function as excellent Adventist educational centers--reaching for the best in the midst of their struggles, keeping a spiritual and witnessing focus in the communities in which they exist, shaping minds even as they mould souls for the kingdom. Apply the yardstick of what constitutes Christian education, our colleges and universities in the Philippines, as in other parts of Asia and Africa, stand tall, letting the Adventist flag fly high.

Let's pray, support, and be positive toward Adventist educational institutions and those who are directly involved in their function.

John M. Fowler, Associate Director, GC Ed Dept.

Prior to the establishment of LLU School of Dentistry, a few Colleges of Dentistry accepted Seventh-day Adventist. The University of Illinois was one. My brother Jack applied in 1942. The Registar looked at his transcript from E.M.C. which read straight A's. The Registar said in a very kindly manner.
Jack we are glad to have you, but I must advise you that straight A's at a church related college doesn't mean you will continue to get those kinds of grades in a major State University. I say this because, I don't want you to become discouraged or disappointed. We are glad to accept you and I believe you'll make a fine dentist.

Well Jack went on through 4 years of Dental School taken in three years because of the War with straight A's and the highest grade point average ever achieved at the School of Dentistry. There after, Illinois took every E.M.C. student that applied. There were giants in those days. I'm glad the Zwemers sat at their feet. Tom

Thank you, Drs Osborne and Fowler.

AIIAS, as well as the Adventist University of the Philippines, might want to consider membership in a regional association of Christian universities and colleges. Dr Warren A. Shipton, president of our Mission College in Thailand, is a member of the board. Here's the link:

http://www.acuca.net/index.php?p=4

Another link in regard to the Presidential Decree 2021 that created AIIAS on January 31, 1986, "not through the normal education agency processes," in the final months of Martial Law in the Philippines:

http://www.chanrobles.com/presidentialdecrees/presidentialdecreeno2021.h...

Tom,

Those students who come from our Adventist schools, attending one of the better known educational institutions and/or working outside denominational circles, are perhaps the best proof of our kind of accreditation.

In the United States, all of our colleges have to be accredited by the regional accrediting association in order to receive federal and state funds for student scholarships which is the only way most of our students are able to attend our institutions. In addition, many of our colleges/universities belong to associations such as the Council for Independent Colleges (CIC), the National Association of Independent Colleges & Universities (NAICU), and a few in the Council for Christian Colleges & Universities (CCCU), plus other similar associations. All of us belong to the independent college associations in our states. In the case of PUC, we belong to the Association of Independent California Colleges & Universities (AIICU) which is a 75-member association of colleges ranging in size from Stanford and USC to PUC and smaller institutions. I have the privilege of being Chair of AICCU for a two year term now and have found this service very meaningful as we work actively with our President, Jonathan Brown, in making sure the California legislature keeps the CalGrant program well funded along with other initiatives. The challenge is figuring out which associations to join because the dues are fairly significant so we have to make choices among many good ones. We were pleased that AIIAS has become a member of so many of these kinds of associations. Thanks for your suggestion for all of us to be active with our colleagues in other educational systems.

Joselito

Thanks and I agree. I believe that the best example of leadership in recent times is the stand taken by the President of Andrews. There is a man's man. Now let us take heed and stand down ego centric administrators who kissed their way to the top. Did you know that Neal Wilson, once the head of the second largest church related educational system has joined the board of trustees of a private foundation dedicated to home study? Follow the money not the logic. Tom

Adventist International Institute of Advanced Studies
“Philippine Union College, now Adventist University of the Philippines, graduated its first master’s students in religion in 1959. By 1972 this program had grown into the Seventh-day Adventist Theological Seminary, which was accredited by the Association of Theological Schools in Southeast Asia the following year.”

- Gary Land, (2005) A Seventh-day Adventist Historical Dictionary, p 13.

Adventist University of the Philippines
“The college introduced the master’s degree in education (1954) and religion (1964), thereby becoming the first Adventist institution outside the United States to offer graduate degrees.”

- Gary Land, p 15

http://books.google.com/books?id=fFYFLksIywcC&pg=PA13&lpg=PA13&dq=philip...

A brief history of AIIAS:

AIIAS had its beginning in a realization that leaders of the Seventh-day Adventist (SDA) Church in Asia needed and desired graduate preparation in such areas as teaching, management, health education, evangelism, and theology. To be most effective, such an education needed to be offered in quality, affordable programs infused with Bible principles and truths.

Beginning in 1957, several such graduate programs, primarily in the area of religion, were offered on the campus of Philippine Union College (PUC), now Adventist University of the Philippines (AUP). These programs were organized into a Theological Seminary, which became a Far Eastern Division institution in 1978. The success of the Seminary led to the expansion of graduate programs into other areas, such as public health. Thus, on May 5, 1987, when AIIAS came into being by Presidential Decree 2021, it was composed of two schools: the Theological Seminary (ThS) and the School of Graduate Studies (SGS). These schools were joined by the Distance Education Division (DED), offering courses leading to graduate degrees at Distance Learning Centers (DLCs) located strategically throughout Asia.

In 1991, AIIAS was moved to the present campus near Silang, Cavite. On October 6, 1996, by action taken by the Annual Council of the SDA Church, AIIAS became an institution of the General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists. Concurrently, its mission expanded to incorporate a more global dimension.

http://www.aiias.edu/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=59&Ite...

To set the record straight, to my knowledge:

1. As Land's book correctly stated, the master's degree in education preceded the master's degree in religion program at Philippine Union College. At least four elementary and secondary school principals, all from the Philippines, graduated in 1959 with a master's degree in education. Not MA in religion. Masteral students chose between two majors: 1) educational administration; or 2) guidance and counseling. Two of the earliest masteral alumni went immediately for further studies abroad, soon finishing their doctor of philosophy in education degrees from a university in the American midwest (Iowa). This is according to A brief history of Philippine Union College by Serafin S. Flores, history dept chair, in the 1967 Balintawak Memoir Yearbook of our school, published in the year of its Golden Anniversary. By then, other school principals, education directors and even college presidents from Japan (Yanami), Korea (Kim Chong Wa), Indonesia (Mangunsong and Tauran), India (David Poddar, Stanley Hutton), Pakistan (Yaqub Khan) - among others - had received their MA in education at the Philippine Union College. It was also in March of 1967 that I graduated from our mission college with a BA in history and philosophy of religion).

2. In 1963, Gottfried Oosterwal (PhD/D.Litt. church history/anthropology - Utrecht) came to Philippine Union College with his young family, after 7 years as a missionary educator for the Adventist church and academic cultural research for the UNESCO in Papua Western New Guinea. (Threatened with invasion by Indonesia, backed by the Soviet Union, while the Netherlands government was under pressure from the USA, sovereignty over this part of the island was relinquished and handed to Indonesia.)

In 1964, Alfonso P. Roda, who was sent by the college to the SDA Theological Seminary (Potomac U), had received his BD and had returned with his family. (Later, in 1965, Roda was appointed college president.) Also in 1964, Sydney E. Allen, Jr. (PhD in philosophy - Nebraska) arrived from Union College. Allen filled the position of dean of the school of theology that had been vacated due to the return in 1962 of the Elton Wallace family to the US for further studies. Briefly, by 1964, the offering of a MA in religion became a reality This was in light of the success of the MA in education at Philippine Union College, with students coming from all over the Far Eastern and Southern Asia divisions. Also in 1964, students from Africa started coming as well. By 1966, at least 4 had completed/graduated with their MA in religion - two from the Philippines (Herman Reyes of Phil Union College and Nick Tumangday of Mountain View College), one from Korea (Shin Hyun Chul), and one Malaysia (Wong Yew Chong). All 4 went to study further and received their doctorates in the US (from Andrews and Fuller). In 1967, Lawrence A. Eldridge (ThD, New Testament - Princeton) arrived, completing the trio of religion faculty with doctorates.

After 10 years (6 years of elementary and 4 years of high school, which was the average number of years Filipinos spend for college prep) in public schools, I enrolled as a college freshman at Philippine Union College in June of 1963. In 1964, well into my sophomore year, I changed majors, from science to history and philosophy of religion.

3. About the second half of the '60s, the undergraduate enrolment at Philippine Union College had reached an all time high, past one thousand fulltime equivalent. Mountain View College in southern Philippines, that began as an extension campus in the early '50s, also overflowed beyond capacity. The demand for better qualified denominational and institutional workers was being felt everywhere within the Far Eastern Division as well as in the other divisions of the GC such as Southern Asia and Africa. The masteral programs in education and religion, that was initially under one umbrella of the School of Graduate Studies at Philippine Union College, evidently met a specific need. There was, I believe, a general sense that God's timing was perfect. Shortly before Sydney Allen's furlough, which some of us thought, including himself and members of his family, was going to be temporary, he had voluntarily offered to "downgrade" the School of Theology to a Religion dept under the School of Liberal Arts. All signs showed the contours of a Seventh-day Adventist Theological Seminary, Far East was finally taking shape and was becoming clearly visible by the beginning of the 1969 school year.

Meanwhile, the School of Health faculty of Loma Linda University, eager to capitalize on an opportunity to expand, started looking into the possibility of an extension program. Drs Mervyn Hardinge and John Sharffenberg were the first to come, conducting week-long seminars. Soon, other LLU School of Health faculty and alumni spent longer periods, some teaching a full semester at a time (Drs Wilbur Nelson and Lester Lonergan) and others as permanent, long-term mission appointees (first Dr Walter Comm, then Dr Hedrick J. Edwards) arrived. Hedrick J. Edwards, with his family, joined the Graduate School as the first fulltime health faculty in 1978. Within a year or so, the International Institute of Health was formally organized as an academic unit on the same level of official government recognition alongside the School of Graduate Studies, each headed by a dean.

4. Following the restructuring of the School of Theology into a religion department under the School of Liberal Arts, just prior to what turned out as Sydney Allen's PR (permanent return) to the US in April of 1969, lots of other events in connection with the recomposition of the undergraduate and graduate religion staff had also occurred. Ahead of Dr Allen, Drs. Oosterwal and Eldridge also left, having received and accepted invitations to join the seminary and religion department at Andrews, respectively.

Norman Gulley, who taught in our Japan Missionary College had just received his PhD in systematic theology at Edinburgh, arrived in 1972 with his family and was appointed dean of the Seminary, Far East.

"By 1972 this program [starting in 1964 with the master's in religion at Philippine Union College] had grown into the Seventh-day Adventist Theological Seminary, which was accredited by the Association of Theological Schools in Southeast Asia the following year.”

- Gary Land, (2005) A Seventh-day Adventist Historical Dictionary, p 13.

http://books.google.com/books?id=fFYFLksIywcC&pg=PA13&lpg=PA13&dq=philip...

Gulley served as dean of the Seminary until 1978. It was around this time when the transfer of Philippine Union College from the old campus in Baesa, around Manila, south to the new site in Silang, province of Cavite began in earnest with the faculty and staff of the Seminary, Graduate School, and Institute of Health paving the way. Leslie Hardinge, who had retired but was still serving as pastor of the Glendale City Adventist Church (I believe) was asked to take over the reins as dean of the Seminary. It was during Hardinge's tenure as dean when the Far Eastern Division formally took over full administrative control of only the Seminary. Both the Graduate School and Institute of Health, continuing to receive partial support from the FED, remained part of Philippine Union College while their respective programs were recognized by the National government's Dept of Education and Culture.

Interesting history Joselito!

We'll be visiting my wife's family in Floridablanca, North of Manilla, this fall.

All the best,

pat

Pat,

Floridablanca is in the same province as the former US Clark Air Base. It use to take us, visiting ministerial students, about half an hour by public bus from the old campus of our mission college to our Adventist church off the US airbase.

Joselito,

I've been to both Clark and Subic Bay to the East. Lhynne lives about 15 miles east of San Fernando. We rent a small Toyota or Datsun and drive up from the Manila airport.It is a lovely but poor country as you well know. I believe much could have been done by Marcos on the infrastructure but it went into his "Swiss Bank Accounts" instead of helping the future of the Filipino people.

Blessings,

pat

Pat,

About the economy.

From the WHO website:

Gross national income per capita (PPP international $):
Indonesia 3,950
Philippines 5,980
South Korea 23,800
Thailand 9,140
U.S.A. 44,260

As you can see, at about USD 6,000 to 7,000 per year of study in AIIAS, it has been mostly South Korean students that keep the school financially alive. I remember well, as a student, when the exchange rate went from PhP 2 to PhP 3-4 for a USD. Now it's around PhP 45 to one USD.

5. Having taken complete administrative control of the Seminary, it seemed logical enough for Division officials to approve a title change for its CEO. As it happened, Leslie Hardinge became both dean and president of the Seminary. Consequently, instead of one CEO presiding over a single campus, there were now two: a president for Philippine Union College and another president for the Seminary. The co-existence of two autonomous institutions on one campus has been likened to a two-headed monster. To be sure, wise counsel in regard to the unity of command principle wasn't lacking. After Hardinge was the deluge!

Shortly following Hardinge's exit from the scene, it soon became clear that those who succeeded him - other expat officials, interdivision workers or missionaries whose benificence we'd like to remember them by - wanted, coveted the Graduate School and the School of Health as well.

"Thus, on May 5, 1987, when AIIAS came into being by Presidential Decree 2021, it was composed of two schools: the Theological Seminary (ThS) and the School of Graduate Studies (SGS...."

http://www.aiias.edu/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=59&Ite...

Subsequently, the annual Division subsidy of USD50,000 to Philippine Union College for its School of Graduate Studies and International Institute of Health ceased abruptly.

Does it not seem surprising why this should appear desirable and righteous in our own eyes? The clandestine procuring of a Presidential Decree through a hired Manila law firm, at a time when a Dictator was losing his grip on the country, by-passing the usual process of securing authorization through the Department of Education, is very puzzling indeed. Could those who acted on behalf of AIIAS have obtained a Presidential Decree at no extra cost to the denomination? Without an additional price tag? Was it ethical? Was it lawful?

http://www.chanrobles.com/presidentialdecrees/presidentialdecreeno2021.h...

Though two decades have passed since AIIAS was brought to existence, those who inherited the bad choices of those who preceded them are still seeking government recognition, through the Commission on Higher Education, for each of the programs offered on their campus. This will not happen, at least not till our Division and General Conference officials decide to finally abide by the law of the land, following the generally accepted rules of civi