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president's column

Where the streams meet

by Barry C. Bartel '84

In the life of a college, celebrating accomplishments often occurs while simultaneously addressing difficulties.

For Bethel College, three streams have converged to create an unprecedented situation. First, an incredible amount of creative and dedicated work has built Bethel to what we are today and positioned us well for the accreditation site visit that took place February 16-18. The Self-Study on our Web site celebrates our strengths and acknowledges the challenges we face.

Second, like many other colleges, we face substantial economic challenges intensified by the significant downturn in the national economy. Our current and future revenue sources are all affected: endowment, enrollment and annual donations. Expenses have been reduced but much more will need to be done in the coming months.

Third, the Committee on the Future of the College (CFC) – appointed by the Board in 2006 and charged with articulating the core of the Bethel experience and envisioning our best future – continued its work. In its January communication to the Board, the CFC stated in part:

“The CFC found itself passionate about student outcomes – the development and grounding of students while in the educational and social context provided by Bethel. It is this outcome that Bethel seems to do better than most. It is this outcome that alums identify as the long-term impact of the Bethel experience. Bethel’s future should be focused to enhance this core.”

“...[P]reliminary research with BC seniors suggested Bethel is especially good at taking students with talent who have not yet been allowed to or sought to shine and giving them a supportive value based community with high academic and personal expectations in which to develop confidence and skill to succeed in whatever area of life chosen after college. It is related to the oft quoted comment desiring students to have the ‘Bethel Experience.’ It is the personal stories of many of us, Bethel grads, who found ourselves shaped in unexpected ways by our Bethel years. It is this transformation about which CFC is passionate. It is the core that must not be lost.”

These three streams flow together now, requiring us to develop a model sustainable in these tough times through which the outcomes about which we are passionate can thrive. In a special meeting January 24, the Board established a special procedure to expedite review of the programs and development of budget models for the next two years. In the current climate, this will require some difficult decisions in the coming months. Our philosophical commitment to collaborative learning will be fortified by our ability to demonstrate that collaboration in the structure of our academic programs and our administrative staffing.

The campus community recognizes that we have duties to ourselves, our students, our alumni, our donors and to future generations to use the current difficult situation as an opportunity for creative and sometimes hard choices. We confront this challenge confident in our foundation in Jesus Christ reflected on our college seal. We confront this challenge passionate about our mission as a diverse community of learners committed to the search for authentic faith and empirical understanding, providing rigorous instruction in the liberal arts and selected career and professional areas and providing intellectual, cultural and spiritual leaders for church and society. We confront this challenge thankful for the prayerful and financial support of so many whose lives have been shaped by their experiences here. We confront this challenge mindful of the knowledge that God calls on us to shape Bethel as a stronger, even more vibrant, thriving educational institution.

We thank you for your prayerful support of this place we call Beth-el, “House of God.”