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PETITION REGARDING THE

GENERAL BOARD OF HIGHER EDUCATION AND MINISTRY

RE: ENCOURAGEMENT OF HIGHER EDUCATION IN

CENTRAL AND EASTERN EUROPE

WHEREAS the nations of Central and Eastern Europe are re-emerging from some 50 years of Communist and Nazi administration;

WHEREAS these CEE nations are operating with 1950 technologies, and old style social systems, which do not function well in present society;

WHEREAS CEE schools, colleges and universities are still managed by officials from "the previous administration";

WHEREAS modern technologies, and especially citizen oriented social systems are best taught in nations where they are being practiced;

WHEREAS thousands of CEE students would like to study in the United States or other Western societies, but do not have adequate support or guidance regarding these programs;

WHEREAS the United Methodist Church actively participates in secondary and higher education programs in the United States and other Western societies;

BE IT THEREFORE RESOLVED THAT the Western Pennsylvania Conference of the United Methodist Church recommends that the Board of Higher Education and Ministries actively take the initiative in promoting student exchange agreements and other programs which will enable CEE students to study in schools, colleges and Universities in the United States and other Western societies.

Roger L. Thomas

1298 Ridge Rd.

Ambridge, PA 15003

qboem@mail.robert-morris.edu

Rev. Bertram Domineck

Pastor

United Methodist Church

7th and Maplewood

Ambridge, PA 1503

(412) 266-5030

This petition was adopted by the Western Pennsylvania Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church, as P72, on June 14, 1997.

PETITION REGARDING THE

GENERAL BOARD OF HIGHER EDUCATION AND MINISTRY

RE: ENCOURAGEMENT OF HIGHER EDUCATION IN

CENTRAL AND EASTERN EUROPE

WHEREAS, during 40 years of Communist administration, secondary and post secondary education in Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) was directly managed by the State Ministry of Education. This same Ministry was also responsible for accrediting the schools which it managed. The concept of "conflict of interest" was not well developed.

WHEREAS private schools began to appear in CEE as soon as the wall came down in 1988. These schools can get licensed as businesses, but still lack any method of accreditation except through the Ministry of Education. These Ministries are still staffed by many of the same officials who were in office before 1988, and they are still responsible for managing the state institutions. This leaves the private schools with little hope for accreditation, and limits any potential for international programs.

WHEREAS provision 1405.17 of the 1996 Book of Discipline of the United Methodist Church, states that one of the objectives of the General Board of Higher Education and Ministries, is:

"To provide counsel, guidance, and assistance to institutions of higher education in their relationships with governmental agencies."

WHEREAS Provision 1405.19 identifies another objective of the General Board of Higher Education and Ministries, as:

"To monitor and interact with public higher education in terms of its reflection on the wholeness of persons and the meaning of life, and to study and inform constituencies of public policy issues related to higher education, both independent and public."

WHEREAS the United Methodist Church publishes an International Association of Methodist Schools, Colleges, and Universities (IAMSCU), listing schools which currently or historically have a connection with the Methodist Church.

WHEREAS IAMSCU lists schools, colleges and universities from every region of the world except only the former Communist (COMECON) nations.

WHEREAS no Central or East European schools are presently listed in IAMSCU, even though applications have been submitted since 1994.

WHEREAS schools and colleges from Central and Eastern Europe have contacted the Board of Ministries in Higher Education to ascertain the correct procedure to become listed in the IAMSCU, but it is the stated policy of the General Board to "simply ignore such correspondence." No positive guidance is given.

WHEREAS the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools also provides a method for independent school accreditation. To date, no Central or East European school or college has been so accredited, even though applications have been submitted since 1994.

WHEREAS the United Methodist General Board of Higher Education and Ministries has stated that it has ignored the applications and correspondence from the CEE schools because the correspondence "did not come through proper channels."

WHEREAS the United Methodist General Board of Higher Education and Ministries has declined to advise the corresponding CEE schools of what the proper channels of communications are.

WHEREAS there is a need for the United Methodist Church, and the General Board of Higher Education and Ministries, to open general channels of communications with the re-emerging nations of the former East Block.

THEREFORE LET IT BE RESOLVED THAT: The Western Pennsylvania Conference of the United Methodist Church calls upon the General Board of Higher Education and Ministry to:

1) initiate an aggressive and pro-active policy of communications with the local churches in Central and Eastern Europe which will make recognition or accreditation open and accessible to schools and colleges in that region,

2) assist these colleges in gaining such accreditation or recognition,

3) recognize at least one college or university in each of the former COMECON nations in the IAMSCU by December 31, 2000, and

4) accredit at least one college or university in each former COMECON nation with the help of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools before December 31, 2000.

Roger L. Thomas

1298 Ridge Rd.

Ambridge, PA 15003

This petition was adopted by the Western Pennsylvania Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church, as P71, on June 14, 1997.