Faculty

Members of the Faculty

VOTING MEMBERS

The President of the Seminary and teaching faculty who teach half-time (6-7 hours per week/semester), or more, shall constitute the voting members of the faculty.

ASSOCIATE MEMBERS

Members of the Administration and members of the faculty, who teach less than half-time, shall constitute the associate members. Associate members may, with the permission of the presiding officer, attend faculty meetings. The privilege of speaking on issues coming before the faculty, however, extends only to voting members except by invitation of the presiding officer.

PRESIDING OFFICER

The President of the seminary shall set the date of all faculty meetings and shall act as chair at all regular meetings unless a voting member of the faculty or the Board Chairperson shall be designated by the President as presiding officer pro-tem.

SECRETARY OF THE FACULTY

The President shall appoint annually a secretary who shall keep a record of the proceedings, promptly distribute the minutes of each meeting to the appropriate persons and maintain the accuracy of all recorded actions of the faculty. The secretary shall assume office at the first regular meeting of the faculty each academic year. In the event that the secretary is absent, the presiding officer shall appoint an acting secretary for the meeting.

Conduct of Faculty Concerns

REGULAR MEETINGS

The faculty shall normally meet in regular sessions at least once each month during the academic year.

SPECIAL MEETINGS

The President may call special meetings of the faculty. Notice shall be given to the faculty three days prior to the meeting date, except in unusual cases or cases of emergency.

QUORUM

In all meetings of the faculty, a majority of the voting members constitute a quorum.

AGENDA

The President shall set and distribute the agenda for all faculty meetings. Voting members may, however, submit items (in written form) to the President for his or her consideration when they are relevant to their teaching area. The President shall regularly consult with members of the Administrative Committee regarding agenda items. 

Powers and Duties of the Faculty

The faculty, in conjunction with the administration and Board of Directors, is entrusted with the conduct of the academic programs of the seminary with special responsibility in the areas of curriculum, subject matter, syllabi, methods of instruction, peer evaluation, professional development, and those aspects of student life that relate to the educational process.

In matters where the power of review or final decision lodged in the Board of Directors or delegated by it to the President has been exercised adversely, the faculty shall have the opportunity to express their views to the President or to the Board of Directors. This privilege should, however, always be exercised in an appropriate and professional manner.

The faculty shall establish the requirements for all educational programs offered and for the course work required, taking into careful consideration the mission of the school and the needs of the church that it serves.

The faculty shall enjoy the privilege of making recommendations to the administration and/or Board of Directors on matters of vital concern to the faculty such as the selection of the President, the formulation of the annual budget of the seminary, and the establishment of a policy that has direct relevance to the faculty. Such recommendations should always be in written form and submitted to the appropriate persons (the President and/or Chairman of the Board of Directors).

Recruitment of Faculty and Employment Procedures

The creation of a new faculty position or the declaration of a faculty vacancy is a function of the Board of Directors. The hiring and dismissal of all full-time faculty and staff are also the responsibility of the Board. The President may hire, without the approval of the Board, part-time staff and faculty who teach less than six hours per semester.

Applicants for full-time faculty and staff positions are normally processed first through the President of the seminary who shall keep applications and resumes on file. Applicants for full-time positions must be interviewed by the President and Chairman of the Board of Directors who shall consider their qualifications and suitability before bringing their recommendations to the Board of Directors. In the event that the President or Chairman of the Board of Directors recommends a person deemed unsuitable for the position, any member of the Board shall have the privilege of nomination, which the Board may approve or reject.

1. Faculty and staff who are approved and compensated through Church of God World Missions are recommended to the Board by the President of the seminary and the General Officer of the Church of God under whose supervision the seminary operates. Salaries and benefits and terms of service for these faculty and staff members are subject to the policies of Church of God World Missions and the Board of Directors.
2. Faculty and staff whose compensation comes from the operating budget of the seminary are recommended to the Board of Directors by the President of the seminary and the Chairman of the Board of Directors under whose supervision the seminary operates. Salaries, benefits, and terms of service for these faculty and staff members are set by the policies and decisions of the Board of Directors.

Faculty Qualifications and Terms of Service

The European Theological Seminary is a school with a distinct mission. That mission is to equip leaders and coworkers for the work of the church and the Kingdom of God. The mandate of the school is to do its part in helping to fulfill the Great Commission, particularly in Europe, the CIS, and the Middle East. This spiritual duty entails a godly attitude and lifestyle, a desire to reach the world with the Gospel and make Christian disciples, the planting and building of churches, and a wholehearted commitment to the authority of Scripture and the Lordship of Jesus Christ. A personal commitment to Jesus Christ is the controlling perspective from which the entire educational enterprise is carried out. The foundational purpose of all educational programs in the school is to develop within students the knowledge, attitudes, understanding, ability, and skills which will prepare them for ministry in the Church and responsible Christian living in the contemporary world. Teaching excellence is valued as the most important faculty role, but Christian community service, practical ministry experience, and involvement in ETS student life are also deemed to be important faculty responsibilities.

It is the sharing of this common mission that gives faculty joy in their work and a sense of collegiality with one another at ETS. It is also the mission that motivates faculty engagement with the students and meaningful participation in their lives and ministries. The overarching qualification for teaching at the European Theological Seminary is a joyful desire and commitment to model through precept and example the mission of the school and its ministries.

ACADEMIC QUALIFICATIONS

Full-time faculty must normally hold at least a master's degree or its equivalent, from an accredited institution. Under unusual circumstances consideration for teaching may be given to persons holding a bachelor's degree or its equivalent, and/or persons whose practical ministry experience or skills qualify them to make a special contribution to the school and its students. The general expectation of all teaching faculty is that they have excellent teaching skills and know how to make their teaching applicable and relevant to ministry needs.

Full-time teaching Faculty normally teach 12-15 hours per week during the semester and are expected to teach in at least one J-term (intensive course) per year. As time and resources permit, the faculty is encouraged to pursue continuing professional development in their areas of study and skill.

PRACTICAL MINISTRY EXPERIENCE

It is considered highly desirable, and in some cases a condition of employment, for faculty to have had successful practical ministry experience.

ACADEMIC FREEDOM

European Theological Seminary is sponsored by the Church of God, an international denomination committed to a conservative, Evangelical, and Pentecostal theological position. Teachers at ETS are free to work in an atmosphere that encourages investigation in all fields of learning and research. The teacher is entitled to freedom in the classroom in discussing his or her subject, but he or she should be careful not to introduce into his or her teaching controversial concepts which have no relation to his or her subject or which might confuse the student as to his or her commitment to the doctrinal position of the seminary.

All full-time theological Faculty are expected to embrace the Church of God Declaration of Faith and agree not to advocate in his or her teaching or publications anything contrary to this doctrinal statement. If a faculty member’s study leads him or her to conclusions contrary to previous commitments to the seminary, he or she should discuss the matter with the administration. If a mutually satisfactory agreement between the teacher and the administration concerning the problem cannot be reached, the teacher should have the privilege of terminating his or her services in a professional and non-intimidating manner. If he or she does not choose to resign, he or she will be considered to have violated his or her agreement with the institution and the Board of Directors shall terminate his or her services.

COMMITTEES AND MAJOR ASSIGNMENTS

All full-time Faculty are expected to serve on faculty committees and take responsibility for other assignments necessary to the functioning of the school. Major assignments may include serving as Directing the Library, Campus Pastor, Director of Practical Ministries, Public Relations, Director of Extensions, Coordinating and Supervising Student Work Assignments, or other assignments delegated by the President. These assignments should be within the bounds of reason. Faculty who feel that they are overworked in these areas should feel free to express their concerns and feelings to the president.

FACULTY EVALUATION

The President and Academic Dean evaluate all Faculty on an annual basis. Initially, student evaluations of courses will be examined by the faculty member, the Academic Dean and the President to provide an indication of strengths and weaknesses. The President will meet with each faculty member on an individual basis to discuss these evaluations, explore matters of concern, and dialogue on other matters pertinent to the individual’s development. An unsatisfactory evaluation may result in a faculty member being placed on probation for the following year.

FACULTY VACATION

Full-time salaried faculty are entitled to five weeks of paid holiday each year, in addition to German Public holidays. Faculty are expected to take their vacation outside of the Semester when the school is closed. Faculty under mission’s appointment who will be itinerating during the summer are required to furnish the House Manager with a copy of their planned summer itinerary by May 1st each year.

FACULTY OFFICES/PHONES/COMPUTERS

The President in consultation with the Academic Dean assigns faculty office space. Faculty offices should be maintained in a clean and orderly fashion. The use of faculty phones and computers is limited to faculty members and purposes directly related to the school.

Termination and Retirement Procedures

The European Theological Seminary does not offer tenure, but faculty are offered legal contracts. Faculty are evaluated, primarily as a means of ongoing development, on an annual basis. Board decisions, when necessary, regarding personnel, are normally taken at the Spring Board meeting. Before the end of the Spring semester, the president shall inform any full-time faculty member, in writing, if their employment status will change.

Faculty whose employment is terminated shall be advised of the reasons that contributed to that decision if he or she so desires. Faculty who are placed on probation may not remain on that status for more than two consecutive years. In the event of a decision not to renew, or to place on probationary status, the individual in question shall have the right to be advised of the reason(s) that contributed to that decision. But it should be understood that the burden of proof regarding competence and performance rests with the individual in question.

Faculty who intend to retire or voluntarily terminate their employment with the seminary at the end of the academic year should notify the President and Board Chairman, in writing, no later than the Spring Board meeting preceding the termination of their employment.

The President and Board of Directors reserve the right to suspend temporarily the services and campus activities of any faculty member and/or employee who violates his or her responsibilities to the institution is insubordinate, is guilty of moral turpitude, or contributes to divisiveness in the school. Before such action is taken the President shall talk with the person in question regarding the seriousness of the offense. If the matter cannot be resolved the President shall provide the suspended faculty member with a written statement of the reason(s) for the suspension. In cases of suspension, full compensation and benefits shall continue until such time as the matter can be brought before the Board of Directors at which time the faculty member shall have an opportunity to be heard.