Report from the Board of Trustees

Report from the Board of Trustees - May 2022

The ULS Board of Trustees held an in person Executive Committee meeting on May 9, 2022 on the Philadelphia campus, followed by a full board meeting on May 10, which included two open gallery sessions via Zoom for ULS students, faculty and staff. The board received reports from the President and the President’s Cabinet, including the departments of Academics and Student Life, Advancement, Finance, Operations, Strategic Marketing and Communications, and Continuing Education.

The board also received reports from Rev. Dr. Javier Goitia representing the ELCA, Dianne Lewis and Robin Hinton representing the students, Dr. Jon Pahl and Dr. Kyle Schiefelbein-Guerrero representing the faculty, Rev. Dr. Don Green representing TULSAA, and Peter Miele representing the SRHPF/Museum and Education Center

The board introduced and welcomed two new board members: Mr. Bernie Annor, the new representative from the ELCA Church Council; and, Mr. Ron Fairchild, the new representative from the Delaware Maryland Synod. The board also voted, with regret, to accept the resignation of Ms. Cheryl Williams. She will be working with the seminary in the future in a strategic planning role. Rev. Constance Mentzer was nominated and elected to serve as Vice-Chair of the board.

Mr. David Russell presented the Resource Development and Financial Management Committee report and the United Lutheran Seminary Endowment Foundation report. This included an explanation of the delay in production for the budgets, income and expense statements, due to a staffing shortage in the Finance Office, as well as a presentation of the ULS Endowment performance.

Mr. Fred Risser presented the report of the LTSP Reconstituted Board. This report included an update on conversations with legal counsel regarding next steps in a potential consolidation of the separate LTSP Endowment into the ULS Endowment.

Mrs. Karen Arnold presented the Executive Committee Report, which included a motion authorizing the reappointment of Rev. Dr. Jayakiran Sebastian for an additional two-year term as Dean, followed by a one-year sabbatical. This was approved by the board with congratulations to the Dean.

Pastor Constance Mentzer presented the Governance, Infrastructure and Policy Committee report. This included a slate of proposed amendments to the bylaws in a working draft that will be presented for a vote in the September meeting of the trustees. The board also voted to approve amendments regarding the Policy for Election or Appointment of Trustees.

Dr. Tommie Robinson presented the report of the Academic Affairs Committee. The board voted to approve 11 motions in the following categories:

Sabbatical Report:

1.         That the Board of Trustees receive the Sabbatical report of Rev. Dr. Wayne Croft

Sabbatical Requests:

2.         Rev. Dr. Charles Leonard (Jan. 1 - June 30, 2023, and Jan. 1 - June 30, 2024)  

3.         Rev. Dr. Karyn Wiseman (July 1, 2022 - June 30, 2023)  

4.         Rev. Dr. Storm Swain (July 1 - Dec. 31, 2022, and July 1 - Dec. 31, 2023)

5.         Rev. Dr. Mark Vitalis Hoffman (Feb. 1, 2023 - Dec. 31, 2023)  

6.         Dr. Jon Pahl (July 1, 2023 - June 30, 2024)

Promotions:

7.         Rev. Dr. Karyn L. Wiseman be promoted to full professor, under the title of The Herman G. Stuempfle Professor of Homiletics, beginning July 1, 2022

8.         Rev. Dr. Charles Leonard be promoted to full professor, under the title of Professor of Practical Theology, beginning July 1, 2022

9.         Rev. Dr. Wayne E. Croft, Sr. be promoted to full professor under the title of The Jeremiah A. Wright Sr. Professor of Homiletics and Liturgics in African American Studies

Faculty Position in Systematic Theology:

10.       That the Board of Trustees approve the appointment of Natalia Marandiuc, Ph.D., as the Associate Professor of Systematic Theology for a three-year term beginning on July 1, 2022

Graduation:

11.       That the Board of Trustees approve the List of Graduates subject to the satisfactory competition of all requirements

Rev. Sara Lilja presented the Enrollment Services and Student Life Committee report, including the results of the Community Life Working Group housing survey responses.

In Christ,

Rev. Dr. Peter Boehringer
Chair