St. Tikhon’s Seminary holds Self-Study Retreat
On June 11 and 12, 2014, over 20 members of the Saint Tikhon Seminary’s Self-Study Steering Committee and principal working subcommittees gathered on the school’s campus for a professional development retreat focusing on the process of institutional self-study. The retreat was part of ongoing process of preparation for a 2016 comprehensive reaccreditation visit by members of the school’s accrediting body – the Association of Theological Schools in the United States and Canada (ATS). Among the participants were members of the seminary’s Board of Trustees, administration, faculty, student body, and Alumni Association.
The retreat opened with a spiritually uplifting Molieben led by the Seminary’s Rector, His Grace, Bishop Michael. Several plenary and working sessions followed over the course of two days. These sessions were facilitated by the seminary’s Dean, Archpriest Steven Voytovich, and the institution’s accreditation liaison, Dr. Paul Witek. During the retreat participants engaged in several development sessions that focused on various aspects of the self-study process, including the ongoing work of various committees in the process. Participants also took part in a collective discussion of the production of the seminary’s Institutional ATS Self-Study Report. The retreat also provided opportunities for working subcommittees to meet and continue their ongoing work, as well as for participants to engage in informal discussions and fellowship.
Following the intensive, two-day event, retreat participants described the productive insights gained through the various sessions and extended their sincere thanks for those who diligently worked in organizing the retreat.
The retreat was a part of a larger, ongoing process of self-study presently taking place at Saint Tikhon’s Seminary initiated during the 2013-2014 academic year with the development of a Self-Study Leadership Team, Steering Committee, and principal working subcommittees. The process will culminate in the production of a self-study report in late 2015 and a reaccreditation visit by an ATS Site Committee in early Spring 2016. Enquiries concerning the self-study process can be forwarded to Dr. Paul Witek at .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address). More information concerning the seminary’s accrediting body can on its web site at www.ats.edu.