The trustee board also approved a fully online master of theological studies degree. (See April 3 Baptist Press story.
President Paige Patterson made the recommendation to the board to end tenure at Southwestern, one of six seminaries affiliated with the Southern Baptist Convention.
Following Patterson's recommendation, Charles E. (Eddie) Miller, a trustee from Nevada and director of missions for the Sierra Baptist Association in Reno, made a motion stating, "Believing that the majority of trustees of Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary agree in principle with the cessation of tenure for this institution, I move that the Bylaws and Policies Committee bring revisions to cease future extension of tenure to the fall 2013 trustee meeting."
Trustees unanimously approved the motion.
Seven faculty promotions were approved by trustees, effective Aug. 1:
-- Gerardo Alfaro, promoted from associate professor to professor of systematic theology.
-- Berry Driver, from associate professor to professor of systematic theology.
-- Tony Maalouf, from associate professor to professor of missions.
-- Steven Ortiz, was promoted from associate professor to professor of archaeology and biblical backgrounds.
-- Miles Mullin, from assistant professor to associate professor of church history.
-- Ben Phillips, from assistant professor to associate professor of systematic theology.
-- Greg Smith, from assistant professor to associate professor of Bible.
Trustees approved a budget of $32.9 million for the coming fiscal year (2013-14), a decrease from the previous year from staff reductions and programs that no longer exist such as the Dead Sea Scrolls exhibition. No increases in tuition or fees for educational programs were made.
New trustee officers were elected for the coming year: chairman, Steven M. James, pastor of Trinity Baptist Church in Lake Charles, La.; vice chairman, Miles F. (Mike) Boyd, pastor of Wallace Memorial Baptist Church in Knoxville, Tenn.; and secretary, John S. Brunson, at-large trustee from Houston.
Keith Collier is director of news and information for Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth, Texas (www.swbts.edu/campusnews). Get Baptist Press headlines and breaking news on Twitter (@BaptistPress), Facebook (Facebook.com/BaptistPress ) and in your email ( baptistpress.com/SubscribeBP.asp).
Copyright (c) 2013 Southern Baptist Convention, Baptist Press www.BPNews.net
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