By Glen Werner, Board Chair

The Board of Directors of Briercrest College and Seminary held their annual spring board meeting on April 3 and 4, 2009. Two of the main agenda items were (1) To discuss the results of the presidential evaluation that we conducted during January and February 2009 and (2) To consider renewing President Dwayne Uglem’s contract.

The board was very pleased with the faculty and staff’s participation in the evaluation and their strong expression of support for Dr. Uglem. The board expressed its endorsement of Dr. Uglem’s leadership and voted unanimously to extend his contract for another four-year term effective July 1, 2009.

There was also strategic discussion about Briercrest College and Seminary’s position in the evangelical landscape. The board continues to endorse the intentional centrist position that Briercrest has historically taken in order to sustain the trust of the sending churches and continue teaching a diverse group of students from a broad range of evangelical heritages. We will be receiving regular reports on how the institution complies with its doctrinal statement.

At the fall board meeting, the board decided to evaluate its own performance. We used a governance excellence model assessment tool developed by Strive Canada. We reviewed the results with the assistance of an external consultant, and as a result of this review, the board has decided to have more direct communication with our supporting constituency. This report is our first action to this end. The board continues to review the outcomes and ends that take Briercrest College and Seminary toward the achievement of its mission. The strength of our programs and our relationships with the province and its two universities are evidence of the progress that we are making on these fronts.

We are celebrating God’s goodness as demonstrated through the results of the Future InFocus campaign. While there are still challenges before us, we have achieved a great deal, and we praise God for the commitment and generosity of those who have invested in the future of Briercrest College and Seminary and its students.