Baptist Press carried an article about the trustee meeting at Southwestern Seminary this week, in with its new President, Dr. Adam Greenway, spoke of his desire to lead the seminary to “recalibrate and to reposition” itself in “every way to strengthen the core of what we do.”
Greenway said,
At the end of the day, our core of strength is what we do right here on Seminary Hill. It is the experience that happens here in the classroom and on this campus. Theological education in the context of a vibrant, worshiping, learning, living together community — that is of first importance.
He added that he would,
…do everything I can to make sure that we have the resources and are making the investments to strengthen our residential theological education and to reprioritize our core degree programs of strength.”
He identified these programs as the master of divinity, the master of arts in Christian education, and master of music.
Ominous Warnings
In the midst of this speech, there were some ominous hints that this recalibration would involve some pain. Things at Southwestern have been incredibly upbeat in recent months since the Patterson matter was put in the rearview mirror, and every person I’ve talked to that had anything to do with the school was optimistic. But the years of enrollment decline and questionable financial practices by the Patterson administration left the seminary in a deep hole. While Dr. Greenway did not address this directly, his speech left hints that putting SWBTS back on sound financial ground would not be painless.
In a time where we must be extraordinarily judicious in conserving the resources entrusted to us by our Southern Baptist Convention of churches, by the donors and friends who believe in our work and are willing to invest in us, [and] by the tuition dollars we receive from our students, we must make sure that we steward and shepherd every dime in a way that is going to enable our seminary to flourish and thrive in an increasingly challenging environment and world.
May I be permitted to offer the Miller paraphrased version of this paragraph? “Things are tight at SWBTS and we are going to have to make some hard choices.” He stated as much and added,
…it does involve some transitions. But I believe it will transition us to move forward to do what we must do to ensure that the work of Southwestern Seminary can continue in strength.
What Has Happened
We have been told by multiple sources that Southwestern is letting go of almost 25% of its faculty (25 professors out of approximately 106 is the number I was given). Here is the information I have. I would love confirmation or correction.
- The seminary is releasing 25 professors as a budget reduction move.
- The only specific I have is that 5 of these are from the music school – almost half the faculty, I’m told.
- We are told that the extension center in Houston has been or will be closed.
I’ve not seen the official word of any of this, but have received communication from “reliable sources.” Dr. Greenway hinted at these things at the trustee meeting but didn’t spell them out. This appears to be what happened. If any of these facts are wrong, we are not reporting them maliciously. We believe Southern Baptists should know what is going on. One quarrel we have had with SWBTS during the previous administration was the tendency to hide things and operate in the dark. Our hope is that the Greenway administration will operate differently.
We will print any clarification or amplification of this information that we receive.
Thoughts
1. Bravo, Dr. Greenway.
Southern Baptists are not given the authority to print money. Dr. Greenway walked into a situation in which, from all the information we have received, the school was in serious financial straits. A declining enrollment judging from FTE numbers, serious questions about previous administrative decisions, and other realities left him walking into an untenable situation.
He took decisive action. You can’t spend money you don’t have. I am thankful he is taking this on directly and not kicking it down the street.
2. Pray for 25 families.
We hope and pray that those 25 professors who are losing their jobs will find gainful employment quickly. This is sad. They did not deserve to lose their jobs. Dr. Greenway and SWBTS trustees did not want to fire them. But again, we do not get to print money.
I have a friend who is one of the 25 who lost a job (no, he was not our source for this story). I feel bad for him. He is suffering because of someone else’s mistakes and mismanagement.
3. Let us hope this is the nadir at SWBTS.
I have a lot of confidence in Dr. Greenway and I think SWBTS can forge a path that will not result in the death spiral the school seemed to be on by some accounts continuing. I am not a trustee and have spoken to no trustees. I purposely avoided asking Bart Barber any questions because I didn’t want to put him in the uncomfortable position of answering questions he shouldn’t be answering.
But if I read it right, the SWBTS BoT did some tough business this week and in the middle of all that, I believe there was optimism. When you are dealing with problems in a straightforward way it leaves a sense of hope that avoidance and denial do not.
Dr. Bingham settled things down and now, I am convinced, Dr. Greenway will deal with what needs to be dealt with. This kind of thing is painful. I am guessing that Dr. Greenway grieves each released professor personally. But what other choice did the school have? It could not continue to operate with deficits. It could not continue on the path it had been on in the last decade.
What is happening at SWBTS is terrible, sad, grievous, and unless my confidence in Dr. Adam Greenway is totally misplaced, the first step in the restoration of Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary to its former greatness.
Let me say again, I am always a little uncomfortable publishing information that isn’t out there in official sources, but this came to us in several different sources and by various means. I am in no way criticizing Dr. Greenway or the BoT – I respect them for taking decisive action. I feel awful for those who suffer as a result of years of NOT facing the school’s issues.
If anyone from the school would like to correct this information, augment it, or give any other perspective on it, we will roll out the red carpet.
Wow. 1/4 of the faculty? That is tough stuff. I pray for each of them and their families.
Dave, I also share the sentiments, of your last sentence: “What is happening at SWBTS is terrible, sad, grievous, and unless my confidence in Dr. Adam Greenway is totally misplaced, the first step in the restoration of Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary to its former greatness.”
I pray for everyone involved at SWBTS as all the tough (and necessary) “re-calibrations” take place.
Obviously, there is sadness here, over 25 people losing jobs. Seminary jobs are usually pretty secure. But if you track SWBTS, the fact that they are tackling the real issues is encouraging and cause for optimism in the midst of the pain.
If I may, I would encourage someone to touch base with Dr. James Leo Garrett, Jr. He can relate very well how SWBTS overcame the near impossible times of the Great Depression and WW2. Dr. Head is an unsung hero of seminary past.
If SWBTS can overcome those days, Dr. Greenway with the Lord’s guidance can direct the seminary through these times.
PS – Dr. Garrett began at SWBTS as a student in 1948.
Love Dr. Garrett!
These are not the first cuts at Southwestern in recent years.
http://www.bpnews.net/49862/swbts-cuts-staff-due-to-health-care-utility-costs
Let’s all hope and pray that the new administration will be able to successfully reverse the decline.
Dr Greenway has shown real wisdom and courage in the symbolic and concrete changes he has already made at our beloved alma mater. I am thankful! He definitely is in my prayers. I am grieved for the professors who are losing their jobs. I am incredibly grateful for the work being done to correct the decline. My prayers for wisdom and direction for the new leadership. May God give them the wisdom of Solomon and the zeal of the Apostle Paul.
I don’t know enough to judge all the moves but it seems right to deal with the kind of financial issues the school has been reported to have in the kind of straightforward way he does.
To “Concerned Observer” – if you want to leave a comment such as that, please attach your name.
Here are some random thoughts from a semi-retired seminary professor:
1. Seminaries and colleges seek to maintain an appropriate professor-student ratio. If a seminary has too many professors, the budget is strained. If the ratio of students is too high, then the educating of students suffers. Clearly, Dr. Greenway and Dr. Stinson are striving to correct the ratio.
2. I grieve for the professors who will lose their position. Being appointed to a seminary faculty reflects the end of a long period of study and the fulfillment of a dream. I’ve taught lots of PhD students over the years, and 90% wanted to become a seminary or college professor; however, there are not many openings in a given year. So, these 25 professors will struggle to find another position as a professor, through no fault of their own.
3. Dr. Greenway is demonstrating great personal resolve in his efforts to “right the ship.”
My prayers are with him. I am surprised with the idea of closing the extension center in Houston, but I don’t know anything about the costs involved with keeping an extension center going.
I’m twice a SWBTS church music alumni (MM 2009; DMA 2012). I still have many connections to faculty there and can confirm that the cuts are true. It is extremely painful to see the department gutted like this. Yesterday was a hard day.
I don’t think any of us doubt that the finances are dire. It seems that Dr. Patterson was pretty much playing a shell game with the finances and enrollment numbers, so everyone knew changes had to be made. However, I can’t help but wonder if they could have handled this better.
We are at the tail end of the academic hiring cycle for the 2019-20 school year, so severing faculty in April all but guarantees a year of academic unemployment. Many of these faculty have families with young children, and SWBTS salaries were not stellar to begin with, meaning that this leaves some in really difficult financial situations. Other Christian colleges who have made cuts like this have informed faculty a year or so from the date of termination so that they at least have a full hiring cycle to find other work. Could the trustees not have come up with the funds to keep them on one more year out of respect for the years (some even decades) of dedication to the seminary?
I also can’t help but wonder if another year might have given time for more strategic cuts. In some conversations I’ve had with other music alumni, there is a lot of head shaking going on as to who got cut and who didn’t. Some cuts made no sense, while other positions that didn’t get cut have long seemed unnecessary. There is no way that these cuts that have been made will not result in cutting degree programs going forward. Is the seminary willing to vacate its position as a leader in all forms sacred music, both traditional and contemporary?
Lastly, it’s hard not to feel somewhat angry at what has transpired in the past. I know that past can’t be changed, but when you see 25 families lives shattered, one can only hope that we evaluate how our seminaries are managed. While I personally place much of the blame on the former president of SWBTS, it’s very hard to not to question where trustee governance has been for the past decade. Why did no one see that the financial ship was sinking? Why were cuts not made incrementally as enrollment decreased? Why were we building new buildings when the ones we had were emptying? Why the Dead Sea scrolls (real or fake)?
I dearly love my alma mater, and I pray the best for her, but we’ve got to do better so this doesn’t happen again.
Let us all remember: Do not leave out God! We are believers in a Holy, All-loving All-Knowing, Faithful God. He knows each faculty member and person who is losing their job. He provided the job in the first place. He will not abandon His children nor let them go hungry. Suffering an upset to our plans is always a time when we Christ-followers learn anew of the faithfulness of the God we profess. Either we trust Him with a heart of obedience and joy to see how He will work, or we are denying the Sovereignty of our God. Look up, stand and face the pain of what is happening with faith. God allows hardship into every life in this world under the sway of “prince of this world” as Jesus called him. This is an opportunity to practice what you teach!
As we enter this week of remembering the great suffering of Jesus, we should fall to our knees in prayer, asking for grace and more faith to walk beside him as we suffer trouble nothing as bad as he did.
We should be careful that our trust in God’s sovereignty and providence doesn’t make us grow calloused to the hardships others are facing.
This exhortation does not indicate callousness or lack of compassion. Was Christ callous or lacking in compassion when he mentioned the tower falling on the people and killing them? (Luke 13:1-5). No. He was teaching truth about suffering and human response. Now in my seventh decade of a life spent trying to follow God’s will, I have experienced many “shattered” plans and suffering caused by others’ actions. As a Christian, one is a bond-slave to Christ and surrenders all one’s own hopes, dreams, and desires to God’s will. His goodness and love are shown to others through a believer’s response to suffering. As Christ said, his followers will suffer when doing his will. God is faithful, and as Paul so well articulates:
“But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us.
8 We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair;
9 Persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed;
10 Always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body.
11 For we which live are alway delivered unto death for Jesus’ sake, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our mortal flesh.
12 So then death worketh in us, but life in you.” 2 Corinthians 4
Respond to suffering with tears, but also hope and the certainty of God’s direct loving hand holding you fast. Shout your faith in his provision, love and care to others . This is the true witness of his power in this earthly life. Not just the afterlife. He saves in the sorrows of today as well as for eternity.
And Christians should sacrificially help other Christians practically also.
Thanks for saying what I was thinking, much better than I could have probably.
I am also a music graduate from the SWBTS (M.M. 2005, DMA 2008). Glad that to see John’s response and his love to our alma mater. I also feel very sad to our dear music professors got laid off due to the financial hardship of the school. I just want to point out one thing, as an international student whom I have travelled almost all around the world, the excellent church music training in SWBTS is exceptional which I really cannot find in anywhere the world even in Eastman or Julliard. I can understand and accept the school due to financial hardship and making this decision, and I have talked to some music professors and they understand too and said there is a plan from God for them. I am so impressed what they the faith they have!
I just want to point out 2 issues, first is do not try to trim down the music degree program which i think this is the most valuable asset in the School of Church Music at SWBTS. The SBTS Church Music master degree already trimmed down tremendously which only fits for “contemporary worship leader”. SWBTS music degree is all rounded and providing solid foundation both musically and spiritually. I can understand the right budget, but doesn’t mean you are going to get some bad coins to replace good coins!
Second, I appreciate what the new president have guts to say no to those donor threaten the school which they are not going to donate anymore once Patterson left. I really feel that’s the courage what a Christian should be – we are bounded by truth of God but not the money! I hope the school, especially the administration keep their good work. Always, quality go first, then money will come.
Why assume the financial difficulties at SWBTS are the fault of Paige Patterson? What about the trustees? What about the administration? What about other issues?
Some have suggested a full outside audit of SWBTS from today going back several years. Maybe this would give the transparency lacking in the trustees.
David R. Brumbelow
I think it is fair to take a deep look into how and why the school got into a failing financial position. There are a lot of questions to be asked. One I have always pondered is…. why so many designated gifts when operating budget needs were lacking.
ie. letting people go due to healthcare costs while raising money and receiving gifts for new buildings?
Ministry and training is about people, not about ourselves. It seems the previous leadership had forgotten this. I think many in the SBC forgot about this or looked the other way due to hero worship. Glad to read elsewhere thevwindows were coming out.
Dr. Greenway has been entrusted to lead, and in this case to rebuild. We will hear how it should be done… how it is being done wrong… how we would do it…
I am not sure if any of us would want to be in Dr. Greenways shoes.
LOL!!!
Because the trustees did what Patterson told them to do or they were gone!
Your constant defending of Patterson and all that he did is tiresome.
The issues with mismanagement of funds, declining enrollment, dismissing of faculty willy nilly, etc all started with his arrival. His leadership is the DIRECT cause of all that Greenway has to clean up. Stop being naive.
What’s the difference between “the administration” and the work of the president of the school?
And I’m with you: the trustees do bear responsibility for letting it get as far as it did, but considering the effort was made to replace them for terminating Dr. Patterson when they cited the financial problems as one of the reasons, it seems one can understand their hesitance to shut down the spending. Trustees should hold accountable those who manage the institution–both the president and the administration (whatever that second group means)–but the trustees do not manage the institution on a day-to-day basis. That’s what they hire a president to do.
Again: you’re right, the trustees bear responsibility for not stopping the spending or not cutting it. That’s the way it works–which they finally stepped up and did in terminating Dr. Patterson. Now, they are approving the new president straightening out the mess.
My guess is that a supporter of Paige Patterson, such as yourself, probably doesn’t want to be promoting the idea of a full audit of the SWBTS books.
Best to let that sleeping dog lie, David. That might not end well for Dr. Patterson.
I think an audit might be a good idea. But grace for Dr. Patterson might also be the better part of wisdom. He is gone now. I’ve not heard anything that leads me to believe that the issues at SWBTS were criminal. So, close the book and start looking ahead to rebuild the heritage of SWBTS that has been damaged in the latter years of Dr. Patterson’s tenure.
David,
It was Patterson who ballooned the faculty to what it is today. It was Patterson who directed the administration to do what he wanted. It was Patterson pulling the strings the whole time. He would rather have wasted money on stained glass windows than have a balanced budget. If an audit did occur how far back would you want to go? The financial issues plaguing SWBTS began with his tenure, not Hemphill’s.
James Forbis,
See my comments below. The Pattersons would welcome an audit.
As for the stained-glass windows, those were independent donations. Not one dollar of the SWBTS budget or Cooperative Program money was used on them. And, they were approved by the trustees, though since then the trustees have changed their minds.
Dorothy Patterson kept meticulous records of those who gave for those windows.
How far back should an audit go? From when Paige Patterson began as SWBTS president until today.
David R. Brumbelow
David, you’ve got a window, right?
Not only the adoration of images is idolatry, but also trust in one’s own righteousness, works and merits, and putting confidence in riches and power. As the latter is the commonest, so it also is the most noxious.
Martin Luther
In other words, let’s not have an outside audit, but we will keep blaming Patterson for everything anyway.
Kind of contradicts:
The first one to plead his cause seems right, until his neighbor comes and examines him. -Proverbs 18:17
David R. Brumbelow
Let’s be clear on one thing. No one sneezed at SWBTS during Patterson’s tenure without his permission. He knew exactly what was going on. My question is whether the trustees did.
Again, I am saying that a supporter of Patterson is foolish to push for an audit – I am convinced that would not end well. I think it’s best to just let this lie and let the new administration fix the mess.
David – If you believe an audit would solve the issues – why don’t you ask Dr. Patterson if he would like an outside audit done of the last seven years of his presidency? Let us know his response.
Southern Seminary went through this when I taught there (1995). The trustees determined that the seminary had too many professors, so they offered an early retirement package to the older faculty members. The offer was based on a formula of age plus years of service. Lots of the older faculty accepted the offer because they did not want to serve under Dr. Mohler. I’m guessing that Southwestern’s administration and trustees considered this approach. Perhaps, the money was not available to implement a plan like Southern’s.
Amy Downey,
It may surprise you to know, Paige and Dorothy Patterson would welcome a thorough, outside audit of SWBTS going back from today through the last 15 years.
They are people of integrity.
Also see my comment below.
David R. Brumbelow
Then let them come forward and say so.
Amy,
That is just what I’ve been saying. Paige Patterson personally told me he would have no problem with SWBTS doing an audit going back from today to about 16 years ago. He just said if they do, he would want it to be thorough.
The problem is not Patterson, it’s that the trustees would have to approve it. I highly doubt the trustees would permit an outside audit.
Do you support such an audit?
By the way, Dr. Dorothy Patterson taught at SWBTS for 15 years. Guess how much she was paid?
David R. Brumbelow
And this was the problem David. They had no fear of anything, they both had full control of more than just SWBTS. This is why they are in the mess they are in, they and their critics have no fear, right or wrong. And Paige was wrong in many ways, very wrong. Look at the atmosphere and the direction SWBTS is going now, I wouldn’t trade that for anything.
that should be supporters, not critics, although I guess we don’t have much fear either. 🙂
Trustees don’t make day to day financial decisions do they?
No they do not. The trustees do specifically approve major expenditures. They approve the annual budget and the audit report. I assume the trustees gave Dr. Greenway a mandate to balance the seminary’s budget. The trustees at Southern Seminary developed and approved the faculty reduction plan I mentioned above.
I have no fear of a thorough outside audit of SWBTS, from today back over the last 15 years.
Paige Patterson has no fear of a thorough outside audit of SWBTS, for the same time period. When Paige and Dorothy Patterson are dealt with fairly, and allowed to give their side of the story, they are not nearly the evil people their enemies allege.
The SWBTS trustees, among others, are the ones who fear such an audit. And, they will never agree to such.
David R. Brumbelow
When enrollment drops from 4,000 Full Time Students down to 1,200 over the span of the CR, isn’t that audit enough?
William Thornton,
You can find my answer here:
http://gulfcoastpastor.blogspot.com/2019/04/swbts-stained-glass-windows.html
David R. Brumbelow
A simple “yes” is sufficient. If you are participating in a discussion of the stained-glass windows here, readers should know that you are depicted in one of them. This would be simple disclosure. Readers can then judge for themselves if your comments are self-serving or not.
William,
I have previously answered that question at SBC Voices. It has previously been mentioned here at least a couple of times. So it hasn’t been a secret.
David R. Brumbelow
David, do you know if it ever occurred to any of the CR leaders depicted to say no to this stained glass madness? The silence is deafening. This is some really messed up stuff, off the charts hubris. I am sorry your family name or any of the other Baptists are in the mix. Southwestern had to take these things down. There was absolutely no need to pray about it either.
Is Proverbs 18:17 now your mantra David B? It seems the only passage you quote lately. If Paige’s “side” is the same as he gave Janet Mefford and in public writings, it’s been heard and I for one do not care to hear it again as it is simply not true and his responses are horrible.
You write that he raised millions, but where did those millions go? The fake dead sea scrolls were not cheap. The windows were not cheap, Paige and Dorothy’s own lifestyle was not cheap. Those same donors who gave millions tried to use it for blackmail last year. Fortunately no one fell for it.
I support the taking down of those windows for reasons others have articulated in the past several years, and I think it was done respectfully, which frankly it didn’t have to be. They are being moved to a more appropriate spot, so fear not, your image will still be around David B. as will those of your family.
I tell you what, as one looks at the FTE (Full Time Enrollment) stats of Southwestern Seminary, it has suffered tremendous decline under the CR. President Dilday saw the figure drop from 4K down to 3K students. Hemphill took the school from 3K down to 2K. Patterson whittled it down from 2K and was closing in on 1K. Not sure why all this happened, but that’s not a long term resurgence for Southwestern Seminary. The 80’s had to be a pretty incredible time though. Many of my Southwestern colleagues from that era had tremendous pride in their alma mater. It’s got to be tough to be a conservative and face those kinds of numbers.
I know I have mentioned this in past threads, but here goes again: SWBTS was largely seen as the conservative seminary while the other seminaries were considered more liberal in those former days. As Southern, Southeastern and the others became more conservative, conservative students from the east began moving to Fort Worth less and less. Also at this same time, Truett Seminary and some others began peeling off some moderate students from SWBTS. This only explains part of the reason for the enrollment decline but this is usually ignored by the critics of the Conservative Resurgence.
Good post, Scott.
I do not claim to know what an audit would say but from my experience with fundraising, donors give because they are asked. It is the institutional leader’s responsibility to create projects and point donors toward projects which would make the greatest impact in furthering the mission of the organization. It is the leader’s job to steer donors toward projects where students and faculty are most benefited and the institution grows. Instead of stained glass windows, why not create scholarships or faculty chairs (pay faculty salaries) in honor of the same men and women of the Conservative Resurgence? Everybody wins.
It is the job of the organizational head to make the greatest needs most appealing to potential donors. It is the leader’s job to shepherd the hearts of the donors so they grow in their spiritual walk and become stewards of their resources toward maximum Kingdom Growth. They receive the most blessing by being obedient and their servant hearts grow. As enrollment declined, faculty/staff were laid off and beloved retired faculty benefits were cut, WHY was there not a major campaign to raise funds to support them over another new building? Make that the most appealing project to support. As an alum, I am grieved to see vanity projects like the stained glass windows, Dead Sea Scrolls (fake?) and other new buildings being heavily promoted and major funds being raised while the reason SWBTS exists, equipping (faculty/staff) men and women (students) with a strong theological foundation to fulfill God’s calling on their lives is hurt and cut back. Does not make a lot of sense to me at all. There are a lot smarter people on this site than I am. Maybe they can explain it to me. I am grateful for the new direction Dr Adam Greenway is making. Blessings to him and his family.
Does anyone know how much all of those stained glass windows cost? If donors would have given to support endowed chairs [i.e. helped pay professors salaries] rather than pay for those windows would it have alleviated the cutbacks to the faculty of the school of music?
Or what will it cost to store them indefinitely? Perhaps each window should be put on Ebay, for pickup only, and let those who would like to have them bid on them. Start the bidding at $500. There are what, over 60 windows? The monies could go to the seminary. Those windows with no bids should be destroyed or if they can be recycled for other purposes, that would be even better.
Hey, I am pretty sure I said NOTHING about stained glass windows in my post. That topic is finished. Actually, this entire post is about the FUTURE of SWBTS, not about rehashing the mistakes of the Patterson administration. Let’s drop that and look forward.
Probably no one posting at Voices is less connected or less aware of SBC inner workings than I, but I would welcome some sort of audit/study to document and understand what went wrong at SWBTS.
It’s not unusual when programs fail or have close-calls that a study is undertaken to document errors, lesson-learned, etc so past mistakes aren’t repeated, e.g., Columbia Accident Investigation Board.
These are costly lessons. It would be unwise to lose out on what can be gleaned from them.