“[T]he Executive Committee of the Board of Trustees of The General Theological Seminary [has] voted with great regret to accept the resignations of eight members of the Seminary faculty.”
September 30, 2014
Yesterday, after much prayer and deliberation and after consulting our legal council, the Executive Committee of the Board of Trustees of The General Theological Seminary voted with great regret to accept the resignations of eight members of the Seminary faculty. The Board came to this decision with heavy hearts, but following months of internal divisions around the future direction of General Seminary, some faculty member’s demands for action not possible under the governing structure of the Seminary, and the eight faculty members’ refusal to teach, attend meetings, or even worship, it has become clear that this is the best path forward in educating our students and shaping them into leaders of the church. However, even after accepting the resignations, the Seminary is willing to meet with any former faculty member about the possibility of reconsidering the resignation.
Simultaneously, the Board of Trustees is conducting an internal investigation into certain allegations of statements made by the Dean and President. Further comment on the investigation, pending its outcome, would not help that process. We encourage everyone to withhold any further judgment or comment.
The primary concern of General Seminary continues to be the education and formation of our students. The Church is counting on us. This week Dean Dunkle and the remaining faculty are working on the best ways to continue teaching and advising and to assure all that we will continue to provide quality education and formation with the least amount of interruption possible. Our location in the heart of New York City affords us access to a wide range of resources, and we shall be drawing upon those resources to address any needs created by these resignations. We will share specifics with our students as these plans unfold.
Yesterday’s decision was not easy. For nearly 200 years, General Seminary has prepared more than 7,000 men and women as leaders in the Church. Dean Dunkle has helped that mission thrive as we advance it through the 21st century. While we may sometimes disagree, the commitment to our current students is a responsibility that the Board takes seriously. It is for their well-being alone that we came to this resolution, and pray that our decision was the right one.
The Board of Trustees
The General Theological Seminary
