Reformed Presbyterian Minutes of Synod 1997 - Rparchives.org

134 MINUTES OF THE 1997 SYNOD OF THE
The Board again increased tuition, from $150 to $160 per credit hour.
Although RPTS is no longer the reformed seminary with the lowest tuition, we
remain near the bottom. Because the cost of living in Pittsburgh is fairly low and
our room and board for those who live in the residence hall is low, the total cost
of attending RPTS is still quite modest. The Board intends to continue to make
small increases in tuition in the next several years. We are also developing more
concrete procedures for financialaid to RP students, involving either a forgivable
loan or work-study grants. All resident students now work six hours per week and
pay $300 quarterly for their room and four meals weekly.
Sophie Sekowski announced her retirement after 31 years of service preparing
meals for students and faculty. The Seminary family will miss her greatly.
The former porch classroomis being turned into the new computer center, and
part of the original library of the Seminary buildingis actually going to be used by
the library. The rest will remain a place where students and faculty can mingle
during breaks between classes and chapel.
John Mitchell, Lou Hutmire, and Jerry O'Neill have been working on a revised
budget which better shows how money is being spent on the various funaions of
the Seminary. These changes will be evident in the 1997 budget.
Development
President O'Neill and President-Emeritus Bruce Stewart, now Director of
Development, have increased the Seminary's fund-raising efforts in the past year.
They have been increased mailings and personal contacts. President O'Neill has
preached in chapel at Covenant College, Geneva College, and Grove City College.
Dr. Stewart visited Sterling College, and Librarian Thomas Reid visited Messiah
College. Efforts are especially being made to attract support from new sources
outside of the Reformed Presbyterian Church in the wider Reformed and
evangelical community. A fund-raising dinner was held at Station Square Sheraton
Hotel on April 5 with approximately 140 attending. The dinner resulted not only
in greater exposure for the Seminary but also in significant pledges of "new"
money. President O'Neillis now working on beginning a weekly radio program on
WORD-FM., hoping to try this means of reaching the Pittsburgh area for a trial
period of six months.
Personnel
The death of Darrell Powel, elder in the Topeka RP Church, was a great loss to
his family and his church. His death was also a loss for the Seminary Board, and
we will miss him and his contributions to the work of the Seminary.
John Mitchell has served on the Board for only part of one term, which expires
this summer.
Curriculum Revision
In conjunction with the curriculum revision done this past year, a serious effort
was made to develop a curriculum that would better enable us to achieve our
stated mission. As one example of this, we determined to require that all M.Div.