twenty-seventh speedway
Dean outlines plan for the fall semester
community notes |
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Alumna and board member Jill Duffield (DMin’13), received the Award of Excellence for her book, Lectionary Reflections: Cycle A from the Associated Church Press 2019 Best of the Church Press. The Presbyterian Outlook, for which Duffield is editor, received top honors in several categories including an Award of Merit for the “Benedictory” columns written by Austin Seminary Professor Cynthia Rigby.
ue to the global pandemic, Austin Seminary cancelled classes on March 13; within a week, the Seminary faculty quickly and creatively adapted to distance learning and online teaching resources. These learning technologies—and the strong commitment of faculty and students—allowed us to maintain our focus on outstanding theological education and the importance of a community of learners. In these uncertain times, all of us have wondered how the 2020-21 academic year will be different from years past and how we might foster theological learning in community while adhering to prudent standards of public health during a global pandemic. In late June, Academic Dean David Jensen announced the plan for the fall semester for master’s-level degree programs conducted on the Seminary campus: • All larger courses (fifteen students or more) will be conducted online for the duration of the fall semester. • Instructors of smaller courses (fourteen students or fewer) will have the option of hosting regular or occasional face-to-face sessions during the regularly scheduled hours of these courses. These sessions are wholly at the discretion of the instructor. If a faculty member chooses to exercise this option, all appropriate guidelines for public health will be followed. Those include: 1) only the largest classrooms and outdoor spaces will be used, ensuring six feet of social distancing; 2) masks will be required; 3) classrooms will undergo regular disinfecting. • If a faculty member chooses to exercise the face-to-face option outlined above, s/he will also need to provide an analogous online option for those students who choose not to participate in face-to-face learning. This means that students can opt for a fully online fall semester, if they wish. “Guided by public health recommendations,” says Jensen, “the Seminary administration will monitor the data surrounding the coronavirus in the months ahead. If that situation worsens, we may have to rescind the face-to-face option outlined above or more strictly limit the numbers of students who can gather in a classroom. Whatever the shape of the semester ahead, we can trust that theological education at Austin Seminary will continue in service to the church and the world.” v
In June, the 1970s wing of the Stitt Library was removed revealing beautiful Gothic windows which will be preserved in the new addition.
Penny Baker will become the program coordinator in the Office of Ministerial Formation and Advanced Studies. She follows in the footsteps of Brenda Osbon who retires this year after eleven years at Austin Seminary. Monica Tornoe is the new director of Latinx Learning. Working out of both Education Beyond the Walls and Academic Affairs, she will oversee programs such as the Spanish-language Certificate in Ministry and Certificate in Christian Leadership for Hispanic Women. Tornoe has been instrumental in promoting the Seminary’s outreach to Latinx learners. The Alice Phiri Award, established by the student body in 2018 to honor the memory of the wife of Arnold Phiri (MATS’16) of Malawi, was created to recognize a student who “goes above and beyond to help another person or persons.” Congratulations to Usama Malik (MDiv’20) and Rachel Watson who received the 2020 Phiri Award. Lex Allum (MDiv’20) received the 2020 Chidester Preaching Award, established by the First Presbyterian Church of Malvern, Arkansas, to recognize a graduating senior with the greatest potential in the area of preaching. She was chosen by the homiletics faculty. See page 7 for a list of other graduating seniors who were honored with special awards voted on by the faculty. v
Summer | Fall 2020 | 3
