Coolamon College

1. INTRODUCTION

Coolamon College has now been in existence for 10 years. The major reason for its existence is to equip the people of God for ministry and mission. At the College’s inception, the intention was to provide opportunities for theological education for lay people who may not have access to face-to-face teaching for a variety of reasons, including distance. Over the decade the Church has asked for this focus to be extended in various ways to provide resources for all four stages of ministerial education, as well as for other specified ministries such as Lay Preacher.

The major focus of Coolamon’s work is therefore on contributing to leadership development, with an eye on the needs of the Church as we move into the 21st century, and as new ways of being church emerge. The four principles agreed to by the 9th Assembly as the focus for the Uniting Church’s ministry and mission over the past triennium have underpinned decisions taken about Coolamon’s priorities and directions. The need to focus on leadership development was also identified by the Strategic Planning Unit report to last Assembly and since by Assembly Standing Committee.

2. DECISIONS TAKEN

Since last Assembly, Coolamon College Reference Committee set as a priority finding links with a university and an accrediting body to give students access to HECS and PELS as an option for undergraduate and postgraduate degrees, in addition to being private, fee-paying students.

After considering the benefits and dilemmas associated with theological colleges in each Synod, the committee recommended to Assembly Standing Committee that Coolamon College seek membership of Adelaide College of Divinity, with its links with Flinders University awards. This action was approved in February 2002.

During 2001-2, negotiations with Adelaide College of Divinity (ACD) were successfully concluded. From 1 January 2003, Coolamon College has been a member college of ACD, and commenced offering topics at diploma, degree and graduate levels from February 2003. This has involved an incredible effort on the part of both Coolamon and ACD staff in finalizing approval of Coolamon topics within the current awards.

In making the move to Adelaide, Coolamon College is grateful to the Synod of South Australia and Parkin Wesley College, who have paid for the costs of altering a suitable area for our office, equipping the office space and providing technological and other services under the same arrangements that operated for Coolamon College with the Queensland Synod. We also express our gratitude to the Queensland Synod which has given financial, accounting, computing and other support over these years prior to the physical transfer of the office to Adelaide to occur at the end of 2003.

Existing relationships with Brisbane College of Divinity (BCT) for diploma and B.Th. levels and with Sydney College of Divinity (SCD) for postgraduate levels remained in existence for current students wishing to complete these awards during 2003. Arrangements have been made for studies undertaken at the postgraduate level in 2003 to be credited towards Flinders degrees.

During the triennium, Coolamon College has also introduced a new program (‘Discover’), for use by groups of up to eight people studying together for eight sessions or their equivalent, with a local facilitator. The topics offered are specifically geared to equipping lay leaders for their ministry and mission in their own congregation or ministry context. Individuals within the group may undertake assessment if they wish to count their study for credit towards two nested certificates. This award is separate from certificates offered internally by ACD, and is being accredited by the relevant SA tertiary accrediting body.
Coolamon has continued to work as a national network for theological education, with staff from all Uniting Church theological colleges and of some other denominations teaching, writing, assessing topics. With the membership of ACD, this ecumenical emphasis is strengthened through the member colleges of Anglican and Catholic denominations, and via cooperative arrangements being negotiated between ACD and the Lutheran theological college in Adelaide.

Students undertaking studies come from Uniting, Anglican, Catholic and smaller denominations, from Australia, the Pacific, Asia, and other overseas countries. We have formal arrangements with the Pacific Theological College and with Ecumenical Institute for Distance Theological Studies (EIDTS) in New Zealand who use our materials for their distance education teaching.

Income from student fees because of increased enrolments (two-thirds of the budget), and from the Assembly budget allocation to Coolamon have gradually increased over the triennium to the point where three full-time staff positions are able to be funded for 2003. This has enabled the College to devolve some of the principal’s administrative tasks to a full-time administrator, and to employ a full-time educational developer. This level of staffing enables us to provide more resources for learning, to manage regular revision and improvement of topic materials, as well as developing new topics to meet emerging needs.

Coolamon College enrolments in the triennium have steadily increased to the point where over 900 topics were studied in 2002, an increase of 19 per cent over those studied in 2001. The 2003 enrolment statistics will be provided to the Assembly for the first months of the year, with a comparison with other years.

Coolamon College Reference Committee pays tribute to Rev Dr Robert Bos who as National Director and then Principal led the college with vision, commitment and expertise for the first nine years. A minute of appreciation is presented to Assembly for approval. Over the past five years, Rev Dr Anita Monro was increasingly involved in our work, as educational developer and in 2002 as Acting Principal. She made a major contribution to the negotiations with ACD and the accreditation of Coolamon topics in their awards. A further minute of appreciation is also presented to Assembly for approval in recognizing her services to the Church.

With Anita’s appointment to Uniting Theological College in Sydney, the Assembly Standing Committee appointed a Joint Nominating Committee to bring a recommendation for the appointment of a new principal, located in Adelaide from the commencement of that appointment. The position was advertised twice nationally and overseas, and a large number of individuals were also asked to consider applying. The appointee may be in the position at the time of Assembly. This position is seen as visionary, entrepreneurial, with a high degree of negotiation and management skills, together with the ability to supervise postgraduate research students in one of the fields of study covered by our awards. In the period 1 January 2003 until the new principal took up the position, Dr Marelle Harisun has been Acting Principal (voluntary), to give some continuity and to assist students to feel secure that their study options are ongoing.

3. PRIORITIES

Coolamon College Reference Committee regularly reviews our three-year priorities and action plans. The move to ACD has been the major priority for this triennium, together with the introduction of the Discover program.

For the next triennium, consolidating the operation from Adelaide has to be a priority, together with the integration of flexible modes of learning (distance education) into the operation of the three other colleges and awards. In addition, our focus on ‘flexible modes of learning’ will increasingly direct our work, to include finding the resources to provide for web-based learning, intensives, email groups, electronic resources and the ability to download topic materials from our web site if students choose this method of obtaining the resources. Print materials will be maintained for those who do not have access to the internet.

Linked to this priority is the exploration with other Uniting Church theological colleges of the ways in which all colleges can cooperate to give students access to the teaching expertise of all teachers in all our colleges by flexible modes of delivery, thus increasing the availability of high quality theological expertise for the whole Church.

A further priority is to develop and enhance further the links with Theology and Discipleship, Uniting Education and the Ministerial Education Commission, as we move into new ways of serving the educational needs of the Church for better equipping the whole church for ministry and mission in this new century.

4. REASONS FOR CHANGES

Sections above detail the reasons for changing Coolamon College’s mode of operation in the triennium.

5. REFLECTION ON PROGRAMS

It is clear from enrolments that the Discover program will increase in demand across the Church. It fills a niche market met in the past in part by the adult education resources produced by the former Joint Board of Christian Education. Postgraduate studies also are increasingly in demand for continuing education of Ministers as well as lay people with a first degree in theology or in another field, to give access to learning wherever people live or whatever their contextual circumstances. Resources for workers in Uniting Care agencies and in UCA schools has been a new emphasis in this triennium, and we expect this demand to continue. Demand at diploma and undergraduate degree levels appears to have stabilized. However, with the relationships through ACD, we confidently expect an increased demand for these resources in the future.

In reflecting on the current structure of Coolamon College and its reference committee, it was clear the former structure would not suit the new operational demands of being a member college of ACD. Given the need to work closely with and as members of the ACD Board and its three Field of Study Committees, it was important to have a small, active management team based in Adelaide. The members needed to be selected for their expertise in the fields of study, as well as their overall understanding of the Uniting Church and its theological environment. The Committee therefore asked for Assembly Standing Committee approval, ahead of the meeting of Assembly in July, to appoint an Academic Committee of six persons together with the Principal, SA Synod representative and the Chairperson, and to continue the membership of the larger reference committee comprising this local group with one member appointed by the MEB of each Synod. The Reference Committee has continued its practice of meeting by teleconference and one face-to-face meeting per year. From 2004, this meeting will be held in Adelaide. Fewer teleconferences will be needed, as the Academic Committee deals with the day-to-day operational issues and gives regular support to the Principal in his/her decision-making responsibilities. By the time of Assembly, Coolamon College Reference Committee will probably bring a proposal to replace the reference committee with a College Council, with clearly defined delegated responsibilities from Assembly Standing Committee. This action would bring the College into line with the management structure of the other ACD member colleges.

6. THE OPERATIONAL ENVIRONMENT

The broad environment in which Coolamon College operates links together world and church.

We live in an overall work environment where people have flexible work arrangements in relation to hours of work, full or part-time, ability to work from home using information technology, and indeed do not have to physically move location when an employer relocates because they are able to operate in cyberspace using computer, phone, fax, teleconferencing, videoconferencing, email e-groups, web sites, internet – who knows where this will lead in the future. As a result people demand more flexibility in resources for learning to fit their more flexible and changing lifestyles.

Additionally, the norm is of people regularly changing careers, upgrading their skills and qualifications to enable them to grasp new career opportunities. We have a highly educated workforce on the whole, demanding varied opportunities to equip them for these demands of the workplace. Women and men juggle family and work responsibilities, continuing their growth through lifelong learning.

Life itself has become more complex. Global issues impact on our lives. With huge social issues confronting us daily through the media, we cannot escape from the pressures arising from terrorism, war, poverty, global warming, environmental degradation to name a few. Our society in Australia and world wide is multicultural and multi-faith. We are concerned about how to achieve peace and reconciliation between peoples, groups, communities and individuals in this complex environment.

Added to this, we have experienced a huge reduction in services to rural areas, with consequential reduction in the populations of small rural towns, and even major regional centres, especially of younger generations. Overall people live longer and with better health, thus remaining mentally, physically, and socially active for longer.

The church is increasingly marginalized in our society. We live in a post-Christendom era where the church for many is seen as irrelevant, while at the same time there is an increasing search for ‘spirituality’. Questioning beliefs and values, along with demand for life options from which to choose are characteristics of younger generations.

This overall environment impacts on the church. We have fewer full-time placements for Ministers, especially in the rural sector. Congregations are increasingly led by lay ministry teams, or teams of Minister and lay people, where Ministers need to equip lay people to engage in ministry and mission out in the community. Ministers are expected to engage in continuing education. They too change the focus of their ministry over time, as a greater variety of mission initiatives emerge across the church.

Lay people are now highly educated in their working lives (on the whole), and are hungry for, even demand, more opportunities to grow in their faith, delivered in flexible modes. They now study theology for its own sake, not just as preparation for applying to candidate. Ministers increasingly do postgraduate study. Everyone is used to technology for work and expect to use it in their learning, no matter what their age.

Coolamon College has taken these societal and Church contexts into account in its operations over the past 10 years. Flexible modes of learning increasingly involve using electronic technology in all its forms. We allow enrolment at any time in a topic of study with 20 weeks to complete requirements, allowing for time lags in distance delivery. Our move to ACD/Flinders University arrangements will increase options for students. Age is no barrier to study, with more than half our students being 50 plus years old; a majority are women picking up study after long years spent on family responsibilities.

We endeavour to keep up with issues being faced in society, offering from a theological perspective topics related to multicultural, multi-faith, justice, ethics, reconciliation and peace-making focuses. The various streams of study include consideration of theological approaches, for example ecotheology, process theology, and of spirituality. All materials produced demand of the student constant linking of theory with reflection on their own contextual experience of ministry and mission . Thus, students think critically about life and faith issues as they learn, and are able to apply their insights in varied situations.

Ministers can now access postgraduate study via Coolamon College, up to and including doctoral level, wherever they live and work. Congregations can engage in group-based learning to equip them for their ministry responsibilities. A local leader, perhaps the Minister, facilitates their use of the materials provided. These topics are valuable for lay ministry teams and small congregations in rural settings, but also for groups of adult learners in any size congregation. Where lay people want to study for an award, they do so with various forms of support. They too can continue on through awards of certificate, diploma, degree and post-graduate levels.

The result of responding to these demands and the request of the Church has been a rapid increase in the past three years in enrolments, in awards offered, in topics being written and assessed and in the number of faculty (86 people in all spread across all UCA theological colleges and some of other denominations). These people are involved as writers, tutors and assessors, giving students access to a broad spread of expertise of the highest quality.

The re-location of the office and staff to the ACD campus has real benefits as the operational environment for Coolamon. This will enable staff to build close relationships with staffs of other theological colleges, who are the staff of the Flinders University School of Theology, and with related faculties.

The location in Adelaide means isolation from most other Assembly staff. It will be important for the Associate General Secretary to visit the office to encourage, support and build relationships with staff and with the other three colleges on the site, and for the principal to have adequate participation in national staff meetings as well as to link with Adelaide located Assembly staff. Therefore there are financial implications for this new location, though not large.

However, by agreeing to this new location, Assembly has further demonstrated to the Church the benefits of co-locating agencies with Synods and of working together for the benefit of the whole Church.

As we move on into more varied modes of delivery, especially into web-based learning, some costs may be reduced but others will replace them. For all colleges to work together in extending the options will enable the Church to have the benefit of greater expertise and higher quality resources suited to this different delivery mode. With Coolamon’s existing experience and expertise in using technology for learning, Coolamon can play a key role in this new direction.

7. THE NEXT TRIENNIUM

Coolamon College expects to link topic offerings more closely with the work of other agencies of the Assembly, building on their work to offer opportunities by distance to consider new insights emerging from agencies’ work. Work has already begun on this direction, through topic proposals being developed by Covenanting and Uniting Education staff, and resources written by staff of Theology and Discipleship.

Over the next triennium, identifying the qualities needed in leaders for a creative, outgoing, flexible Church, together with equipping, for their ministry and mission in a changing context, potential and current leaders (specified and lay ministries) needs to be a high priority for the Church. Increasingly, in this multicultural, multi-faith society, our people need to be able to articulate and share their faith with people they meet beyond the life of the church congregation, and to be theologically literate as the basis for critical analysis of social trends on a world canvas. We must not just focus on people who can attend face-to-face learning opportunities. In the name of social justice and equity, access needs to be broadened via flexible modes of delivery, and be made available to inquirers beyond the membership of the churches. Coolamon College can make a major contribution to these priorities. The college staff and committee have already demonstrated our passion for doing so, over more than 10 years of operation.

Our vision statement continues to guide us to serve the Church, and other churches, in this way.

We believe that the Christian Church is called by God to be a community in which people can find wholeness and healing and then be equipped to serve God in the world.

Distance Theological Education has an important part to play in this. Through Distance Tehological Education, people can be helped, under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, to develop their own understanding of God, the world, the church and themselves in a way that draws on the rich tradition of thought and experience through which God has been revealed through the centuries. By means of Distance Theological Education we aim to increase people’s understanding of the Christian faith, deepen their spiritual lives and enhance their competence in ministry.

In this way, Distance Theological Education can be an agent for change towards wholeness for people and communities.

With increased openness to cooperation across all our theological colleges, and a commitment to sharing resources and costs, all colleges could act together, as a consortium, utilizing all forms of electronic media for these purposes. Coolamon College is not in competition with other colleges, but rather is committed to developing closer relationships across the network to maximize the way our theology teachers generally resource our Church people as the whole people of God engaged in God’s mission in the world from a strong theological and biblical understanding of our faith, and strengthened by a deep spirituality.

Marelle Harisun
Acting Principal
Chairperson, Coolamon College Reference Committee

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Coolamon College APPENDIX A

Approved by the Ninth Assembly, July 2000