In 6-5 vote, commission asks for seminary president's resignation
5/21/1998 by United Methodist News Service In a 6-to-5 vote, members of a diversity commission have called for the resignation of the Rev. Donald Messer, president of Iliff School of Theology in Denver.
Messer has been president of the United Methodist-related school for 17 years.
Near the close of a May 18 meeting, a student representing the Iliff Student Intergroup Coalition (ISIC) introduced a motion expressing lack of faith in Messer's leadership and calling for his resignation. Members present when the vote was taken included seven students, two faculty members, a trustee and a staff member. Six students voted in favor of the motion. Messer and Dean Delwin Brown, who have voice but no vote on the commission, were also present.
Iliff trustees, in a statement released the next day, expressed disappointment in the student's actions and affirmed their confidence in Messer's leadership.
"We regret that a few students feel that while progress is being made toward a more diverse and inclusive community, that the progress is not being made quickly enough," said Chairperson J. Robert Young. Six of the 28 trustees are people of color.
Messer said he has the support of the faculty, administration and trustees and has no plans to resign.
"Iliff will continue to move forward to create a diverse school which seeks to prepare persons for excellence in Christian ministry," he told United Methodist News Service. "My commitment is to have a diverse faculty, administration, student body and board of trustees. To those ends we continue to move. I am confident we will achieve our goals."
The Commission on Diversity, an advisory group to the Board of Trustee's Academic Affairs Committee, was created following a controversy last spring, when representatives of Students of Color (SOC) and ISIC held a month-long hunger strike demanding reform at the United Methodist seminary. Demands included the employment of a senior administrator of color.
Young said the board is committed to the administrative position "once the job description has been developed justifying the institutional and academic desirability and financial feasibility of such a position."
The commission, established by the trustees in June, has met regularly with 20 members elected from representative bodies within the school. At the request of the SOC and ISIC representatives, a mediation group was also brought to campus for sessions beginning last fall. Participating in the meeting with mediators were trustees, administrators, faculty and students. SOC and ISIC representatives walked out of the most recent meeting, May 13, saying administration representatives were unable or unwilling to take action regarding their demands.
"Normally when people talk about mediation, it only makes sense if the people who come to the table are authorized to make decisions," said Marie Vandenbark, a doctoral student. "If no one has the power to do anything, then what is the point?"
Joretta Marshall, a faculty member on the Commission on Diversity, said, "I hope that the school will continue to engage in conversations about how to foster diversity rather than be distracted by the recent vote of the commission."
Iliff, one of 13 U.S. seminaries related to the United Methodist Church, has 21 regular faculty members, five of whom are people of color. Three of the white faculty members also carry administrative responsibilities (president, dean and librarian). The school has 326 students.
.
# # #
|
Back : News Archives 1998 Main
|
|
“We believe in God and in each other.”The people of The United Methodist Church
Still Have Questions?
If you have any questions Ask
InfoServ
Purchase a $20 buzzkill t-shirt and help save a life
Buy a t-shirt
|
Korean News