The College of Emmanuel and St. Chad has been given new life for at least one more school year. Last June, it was announced that the theological school in Saskatoon would close, at least temporarily while a restructuring took place, but the college announced on May 23 that it would operate for the 2013-2014 school year.
In the announcement, the college’s council said it has been working closely with its partners in the Saskatoon Theological Union (STU)-St. Andrew’s College (United Church of Canada) and the Lutheran Theological Seminary-to find ways to meet the college’s commitments to its current students and to its STU partners.
The plan for the coming year allows Emmanuel & St. Chad students to have access to all of the STU classes and libraries. Its own library will be housed in the St. Andrew’s library space, and the college will meet its commitments to maintain library services. It will also provide a full-time professor to teach New Testament courses, while sessional instructors will be used to deliver the Anglican studies curriculum.
Bishop Jim Njegovan of the Anglican diocese of Brandon who is president of the college council told the Anglican Journal that operating costs have been reduced by staffing cuts. “We don’t have a principal, we don’t have a second professor, so that will be a saving in itself,” but there are possibilities for other savings as well depending on physical arrangements and space requirements, he added. (Currently, funding comes from the Saskatchewan government, from trusts, and from tuition, the bishop said.)
According to the college council ‘s statement, administrators have calculated that these changes and a consolidation of resources will reduce operating costs substantially. The council will consult with the Anglican community, its STU partners and other stakeholders when it considers its future in the longer term. Opening enrollment to students who are not seeking degrees in theology but wish to benefit from studying foundational subjects is one possibility that will be considered.
