March 8, 2011 – Alajuela, Costa Rica…Libna Stevens/IAD
Propelled by the focus on improving education throughout the Seventh-day Adventist Church in Inter-America, presidents and vice presidents of higher education institutions, as well as presidents of governing boards, met for a special summit to review governing functions, management and evaluation procedures for universities across for the 13 universities in the territory.
More than 70 education leaders met to renew their commitment to Christian education as they gathered on the campus of the Central American Adventist University in Alajuela, Costa Rica, Mar. 2-3, 2011.
“This meeting was the first step to establishing good management practices as identified by the administrators of our institutions,” said Dr. Gamaliel Florez, education director for the church in Inter-America.
University administrators were able to clearly see the role and duty of each governing board or entity and the functions as managers of such institutions, explained Dr. Florez, who was joined by a team of speakers from the Inter-American Division (IAD) Headquarters office as well as the Adventist World Church.
“The boards should know that their role is to govern and not to manage closely,” added Florez. “In the same way, administrators were reminded that their function is to exercise their administrative duties without touching the areas established for the governing boards to act.”
Each of the Adventist institutions in the IAD is governed by the board or governing body of its respective union office. The only exception is Montemorelos University located in North Mexico, which is operated by the IAD.
University leaders also established parameters for evaluating institutions by identifying the most efficient administrative practices that can work in their Adventist institutions.
It was all part of a process to improve the Adventist education for the nearly 17,000 students that are enrolled in the 13 Adventist universities and 1 junior college in Inter-America, said Dr. Florez of the meeting.
Improving the management of institutions was not only a focus of the summit but an opportunity for leaders to recommit to shaping young people to grow spiritually so they can fulfill the plan that God has for them.
“You are not called to question the philosophy of the Adventist Christian education, but to warrant that the institutions that you have been called to manage can continue fulfilling its mission,” said Dr. Florez. “Our institutions should safeguard against any negative influence that can undermine the student’s beliefs or can distract them from being saved.”
It’s about providing an education that shapes the kind of professionals suitable to perform in their field of knowledge, explained Dr. Florez. “Are our universities centers of education for this world and for eternity? Are we helping our students cultivate a closer communion with God? These are the kind of questions that will be part of thorough evaluation of our institutions,” he added.
Leaders voted on a statement of commitment “to promote a reform and spiritual revival in all our universities, placing the first place the Sacred Scriptures, the perfect norm of truth, as a source of all knowledge and the prayer as an instrument of spiritual strengthening,” among other declarations. (read full document here)
Spiritual strengthening is what university leaders will focus on as they lead their institutions on a special day of spiritual prayer revival activities across their campuses on Apr. 6, in Mexico and Apr. 26, throughout the rest of the division institutions.
The summit concluded with a special pin ceremony honoring university leaders for their years of service in Adventist Christian education.
Speakers who led during the special summit included: Pastor Lowell Cooper, general vice president of the Adventist World Church. From the Inter-American Division: Pastors Israel Leito, president; Elie Henry, executive secretary, and Filiberto Verduzco, treasurer; Dr. Myrna Costa, vice president, Dr. Gamaliel Florez, education director, Dr. Efrain Velazquez, academic dean of theological seminary, and Ekel Collins, vice president of student affairs at Montemorelos University.
