Enhance the student experience at CBTS

There are many steps to be considered in the successful preparation and development of a CBTS graduate. At present, we have a goal to achieve an enrollment of 150 – 175 resident students by 2013. It is our belief that our current faculty and facility are adequate to support a student body of that size.

In order to achieve that goal, it is important that we have effective methods to attract and retain those students. We must first develop the vehicles by which we can share the CBTS story; we must effectively identify and attract new students; we must efficiently assimilate those students into academic and community life at CBTS; and, we must successfully produce graduates who reflect the core values of the seminary and who are prepared to transition into the challenges of vocational ministry.

Providing a comprehensive theological education and supporting students through the rigors of seminary life requires the leadership of CBTS understand the challenges facing our students, and that the seminary’s resources be effectively applied to help ensure student success

Action Plans

1.1.             Develop and implement a comprehensive recruitment plan for CBTS, which:

1.1.1.        Articulates a recruitment philosophy for the seminary

1.1.2.        Identifies target locations or sources for student recruitment

1.1.3.        Establishes protocols for working with potential students

1.2.             Establish a support process for students as they transition to life in Lansdale, which:

1.2.1.        Provides support in finding appropriate housing

1.2.2.        Assists students and spouses in identifying potential employment opportunities

1.2.3.        Helps students develop awareness of community resources

1.2.4.        Links students to ministry in local churches

1.3.             Create a housing assistance program, which helps students cope with the high cost of housing in our community through:

1.3.1.        Establishment of a housing scholarship fund

1.3.2.        Development of a community network of housing providers who will offer incentives to our students

1.4.             Enhance placement services to graduates who desire vocational ministry, to achieve a placement rate of 95% of graduates placed within one year of graduation by:

1.4.1.        Establishing a placement strategy which allocates necessary institutional resources to support our graduates negotiating the placement process

1.5.             Assess holistic student learning outcomes, to evaluate evidence of mature theological understanding, demonstrated personal godliness, and developed organizational leadership skills, by:

1.5.1.        Identifying appropriate programmatic outcomes for existing and new programs

1.5.2.        Developing assessment methodologies to evaluate student learning outcomes

1.5.3.        Utilizing assessment outcomes for continuous improvement of educational methods

Optimizing the talents of faculty and staff

In order to make the best use of the knowledge and skills of CBTS faculty and staff, it is vital that our structures and systems be aligned and effective. These structures and systems affect our ability to attract and retain talented people, and they contribute to how effectively our staff functions as stewards of the work we have been given. Additionally, it is the ability and willingness of the organization to continue to develop the skills of its people that ensures the ongoing vitality and health of the institution.

At CBTS, we understand that it is essential to our success that we recognize the hard work, dedication, and skills of our faculty and staff. Our ability to attract and retain a superior faculty is a key to maintaining our competitive advantage in an increasingly challenging educational marketplace. We are committed to maintaining an excellent working environment for the faculty and staff at CBTS.

Action Plans

In order to ensure institutional stability and continuity, plans for the following will be developed and deployed:

2.1.             A plan for the continued improvement of faculty compensation, with the goal of bringing base salaries to 80% of the Montgomery County median male wage-earner income.

2.2.             A succession plan for seminary faculty, which will include:

2.2.1.        An inventory of the knowledge and skills critical to deliver the CBTS curricula

2.2.2.        An inventory of the current knowledge and skills of incumbent CBTS faculty

2.2.3.        Development plans to ensure the acquisition of critical knowledge and skills necessary for the continuity of the seminary.

2.3.             A plan to facilitate opportunities for faculty members to conduct research and to write within their discipline, including:

2.3.1.        Recommendations for restructuring administrative loads for faculty, to free time for research and writing

2.3.2.        Recommendations for improving professional development opportunities for faculty members, within their disciplines

Build a strong learning infrastructure

CBTS is being challenged to meet the needs of a variety of students. Our students include young, recent graduates of bible colleges, older students seeking training in pursuit of a second career, students who are working parents who may not have the time and freedom for traditional resident education, and international students who may still be in the process of learning the English language. CBTS students come with a variety of complex backgrounds and environments.

As we strive to meet the theological educational needs of this diverse student population, the seminary is challenged to make the best possible use of its physical and human resources. This challenge requires CBTS to explore alternative learning strategies, to make use of new technologies for instructional delivery, to be creative in its use of space, and to identify new efficiencies in its work flow management.

Confronted with the task of meeting the needs of both our student body and the seminary faculty and staff, we must show ourselves good stewards by carefully assessing both the methods and the results of the work we do.

Action Plans

3.1.             Develop a CBTS facilities master plan, with strategic approaches to implement recommendations, including:

3.1.1.        A plan for maintaining and renovating existing facilities

3.1.2.        A plan to complete classroom media enhancements

3.1.3.        A plan to provide for future library expansion

3.2.             In conjunction with the facilities master plan, develop a plan to reorganize the administrative structure of the seminary, including:

3.2.1.        A reorganization of administrative processes, comprehensive of office locations and workflow coordination methods

3.2.2.        An assessment of staffing needs to determine appropriate administrative support levels

3.2.3.        Recommendations for strategically designed work areas for faculty and staff

3.3.             Develop a CBTS technology master plan, with strategic approaches to implement recommendations, including:

3.3.1.        An assessment of current technological capabilities

3.3.2.        A plan for necessary improvements or technological upgrades necessary to support the mission, goals and educational programs of the seminary

3.3.3.        A plan to provide sufficient training for faculty and staff to be productive in an online learning and work environment

3.4.             Design, develop and implement a plan to establish distance learning capabilities at CBTS which are consistent with the mission, vision and pedagogical philosophy of the seminary.

Develop the resources to support long-term institutional health

As we expand and evolve the seminary’s programs and services, we will need to enlist the entire seminary community in building support for these initiatives. In order to achieve our goals of enhancing the student experience at CBTS, optimizing the talents of seminary faculty and staff, and building a strong learning infrastructure at CBTS, we are challenged with the need to increase existing revenue streams, as well as to identify new sources of revenue.

Providing for the financial needs of the seminary requires creativity, effort, and planning. Because we are first and foremost a ministry, and because of the nature of the service we provide, it is our strong desire to keep tuition and fee costs as affordable as possible. With that in mind, CBTS will explore the development of new programs, and the acceleration of private fundraising efforts, as the means to secure the financial resources necessary for long-term institutional health.

Action Plans

4.1.             Establish a development office and dedicate the necessary institutional resources to adequately support it.

4.2.             Develop and implement a plan to grow our endowment to fund 50% of our annual operating budget

4.3.             Take a leadership role in collaborating to build strong partnerships with alumni and friends of the seminary in order to achieve the following:

4.3.1.        We will expand participation in the Partners in Ministry initiative to include 200 giving units

4.3.2.        We will grow the number of alumni who support the seminary to 250

4.3.3.        We will develop a network of donors who contribute $5,000 or more to the seminary annually

4.3.4.        We will expand the number of churches supporting the seminary to 75