Imagine an Adventist school with few or no Adventist teachers or students. Such a school might well have trouble maintaining an “Adventist environment,” but that is the future facing several of the church’s colleges and universities worldwide if they do not work to reverse current trends, an Oct. 12 report concluded. The report, from the world church’s Commission on Higher Education, was presented to members of the church’s executive committee at its autumn business meeting. 

The commission was formed five years ago to study Adventist higher education institutions worldwide. Some of its mandates included: developing a global plan for Adventist higher education; conducting research, surveys and evaluations regarding strengths and weaknesses at each Adventist college, seminary and university; and developing strategies to strengthen unity, integrity and financial viability of the Adventist system of higher education.

Some of the greatest challenges facing several Adventist schools, according to the report, are the increase in students and faculty who are not Adventists; continued financial reliance on the church coupled with the inability of the church to continue the same level of finance; lack of policy compliance in some areas; and a lack of focus on carrying out the church’s mission.

While Adventist schools may be changing, members of the commission concluded these schools are still making a strong and positive impact on the church. 

“Higher education in our schools is increasingly becoming the site of ministry,” Pastor Jan Paulsen, president of the Adventist world church, said. “Our ministers in education [are] the second largest workforce in our church caring for 1.5 million youth and children. We have a huge commitment to support higher education—as a church we cannot survive without it.”

The report also found Adventist schools are essential breeding grounds for the next generation of church leaders, and the church’s higher education is doing a “reasonably good job” in meeting the needs of the church.

But what about those schools that are still struggling? The report also showed examples of schools that have upheld or not upheld the mission of the Adventist Church. One school received charters from the government and began implementing new programs and adding new students without first consulting the church. This led to a decline in Adventist faculty and students. 

“Some of our schools are under enormous pressure locally to expand and embrace new programs, and is not infrequently at a pace that is greater than we are able to provide resources—personnel and otherwise,” Pastor Paulsen observed.

Much of the discussion following the presentation of the report focused on retaining Adventist teachers and students.

Commenting on the issues facing the Adventist schools of higher learning in the United States Dr. Gordon Bietz, president of Southern Adventist University, said that in North America, all the Adventist colleges and universities have gotten together to deal with some of the issues brought up in the report.  Specifically, “We have committed our institutional resources, about $100,000, to find and market to Adventists who are not already in Adventist schools. We found collaboration to be very helpful,” he said.

Several delegates spoke in accord with the report that money is what keeps students and teachers away from Adventist colleges. Carolina Tobing, from Indonesian Adventist University in Java, agreed particularly with the part of the report that found this issue even more acute in developing countries.

“This is true where I am from,” she said. “The well-qualified teachers are more likely to work outside the church because they get paid better. Would the church consider providing incentives to encourage teachers to work in our institutions?”

Dr. Andrea Luxton, associate director in the world church’s education department pointed to one of the action statements in the report.  The statement encouraged schools to take proactive steps to recruit and retain Adventist teachers.

Dr. Craig Jackson, dean of the school of Allied Health Professions at Loma Linda University, pointed out the paradox that students and young professionals face. “An Adventist education is expensive. Our students leave our schools with debt in excess of $60,000. Their families and the students are seeking relief, hence they go to state institutions that are quite a bit less money.”

Jackson explained that schools have to show students that the value in attending an Adventist school is spiritual. He said this very thing, strangely, attracts more non-Adventists than traditional Adventist students.

Another delegate spoke to the issue of schools that do not comply with the Adventist Accrediting Association standards. “Some of these problems are not caused by an obstinate educator, but varying complexities. It is important to identify what the obstacles and hindrances are. Once we have done that, we then find resources to overcome them.”

Dr. C. Garland Dulan, education director for the world church, said present church structure militates against development of a global plan for education to be implemented in all Adventist schools. Local boards and entities are responsible for carrying out the recommendations, he said.

This tied to an earlier comment a committee member made: “A failure of compliance in one area is a failure of the local church. School boards are made up of church leaders and union [regional] presidents.”

“It is not the intent for the world church to become a micro-manger of education around the world, but we are taking initiative as a body to see how can we do this better,” Pastor Paulsen explained. “We want to work with you.”

Norman Maphosa, vice president of Solusi University in Zimbabwe, said that from his experience the report is credible. “The church should put its resources where its mouth is,” he warned. The report “is a very viable instrument if used.”

The report concluded with recommendations that should be taken to improve schools, including: requiring training of teachers, especially in the Adventist philosophy of education; taking proactive steps to retain and recruit Adventist teachers; developing marketing and financial incentive strategies to increase Adventists in Adventist institutions; and expanding the service to Adventist students not attending Adventist institutions.