Northland makes adjustments: "it’s clear that we need to make more changes in order to live within our means"

I have tended to agree with you about the merits of specificity when it comes to dress requirements. But for sake of argument- the Bible requires us to be kind to each other. Why don’t institutions regulate that more specifically, and hand out demerits to students who fail to be as kind as they ought to? Isn’t it important?

Well, I, for one, am glad institutions haven’t taken it to the point where they provide students with requirements to greet a fellow student or faculty member within x seconds, or penalizing grumpiness or rudeness with demerits in order to foster an environment of Christian kindness. Kindness can be encouraged without resorting to specific requirements. That doesn’t mean it isn’t important or isn’t an institutional priority.

I think the level of specificity we have given these things has communicated a great deal about where appearance ranks on our list of priorities- perhaps even helped established it to a level of greater significance in our Fundamentalist sub-culture than it in facts deserves in comparison to other Christian virtues. Maybe one line is an overreaction, but at the same time, I think it is perhaps part of a reaction to the pendulum swinging so far in the other direction.

Hi,

I talked to someone on Northland’s administration, who gave some more context surrounding the changes this post reported on. Let me quote from him as I think he makes some helpful clarifications.

…the 70% reductions statement is ridiculously errant. The list shown on the site includes all adjunct teachers even if they only teach one class. The list Daniel posted only listed full-time professors and no adjuncts or staffs. Additionally it should be noted that while finances have forced us to take a hard look at the facts in the end how we pruned and where we pruned was based on a conviction to do a few things and do them well. We want to be the best we can be at training Christian leaders, pastors, and missionaries. We may add more majors in the future but only when we can do it with excellence. This is also a positive first step toward Regional Accreditation. For RA we must be financially stable and have faculty with terminal degrees. A quick look at our faculty bios shows what an amazingly qualified group of profs we do have.

Hopefully this helps in digesting the announcement. As I said before, I’m encouraged by NIU’s direction and sure wish God’s blessings on them as they navigate through a difficult transition.

Thanks for the update. I do hope that NIU emerges from this pruning as a stronger institution and wish them the best.