WASHINGTON, D.C. — Provincial Minister John O’Connor, OFM, was on hand last month, when Washington Theological Union (WTU) received re-accreditation for another 10 years. John is part of the executive committee of WTU’s board of trustees.
Representatives from the Association of Theological Schools and the Middle States Commission on Higher Education, under the leadership of Fr. Donald Senior of Catholic Theological Union in Chicago, visited WTU in mid-October and submitted a favorable report on the school.
During their visit, re-accreditation team members met with staff, faculty, board members and students to discuss all aspects of the school, including its mission, governmental structure, degree programs, faculty, administrative staff, resources, student body and financial status, according to Fr. John Burkhard, OFM, Conv., WTU president.
The team was reassured by the strong belief in WTU’s mission and its future, said Fr. Burkhard in a letter distributed Oct. 24 in the WTU’s weekly e-newsletter, Pulse.
Fr. John said in the letter, “I want to thank all who helped prepare for this visit, especially James Coriden and Kevin O’Neil, who coordinated the self-study process and wrote the final version of the Self-Study Report. Without their indispensable contribution, the visit could never have taken place. Naturally, too, I extend my heartfelt thanks to the joint reaccreditation team for its hard work.”
It was an exciting week around WTU, said Will Heaton, WTU’s communications director and editor of Pulse.
“The union also hosted its first cohort of doctor of ministry students,” Heaton said. “The group of 16 new students arrived at WTU on Oct. 23 and stayed through Saturday as they begin their academic studies.”
The Oct. 24 issue of Pulse provided an audio file of a lecture by Dr. Larry LeLoir, professor of pastoral studies, who spoke Oct. 22 in the Nourishment for Ministry Series. The next lecture, about grief and the holidays, is set for Nov. 12.