What’s New – 2024 Highlights

In official action, the ARTS-COA voted not to advance Seminario Reformado Latinoameriano (SRL) to applicant status for accreditation.

The ARTS-COA also voted to recommend to the ARTS Board the following members for COA membership:

• Dave Scafide (Academic Member).  Dave is on faculty with Metro Baltimore Seminary.
• Albert (Ben) Chelladurai (Public Representative).  Ben is retired and has many years of experience in higher education including 24 years of employment with the Moody Bible Institute and College of Biblical Studies, Houston.

After approval by the ARTS Board, their terms will begin in January 2025.

A big thank you, to Metro Baltimore Seminary for their hospitality in hosting the ARTS annual meeting October 31 and November 1.  We enjoyed a wonderful spirit of sharing and fellowship.  One of the highlights was the Thursday evening presentation with video testimonies from Joseph Pipa, Howard Eyrich (ARTS pioneers) and a video welcome from Dr. Richard Pratt.  We also heard from Loretta Waldron of CHEA. 

Actions of the Board of Directors included:

• Approval of an annual budget.  Annual dues for Members are set at $3,000 and Affiliate Institutions at $900 for 2025.
• The Board of Directors approved the expansion of the COA from 7 to 9 members.
• A revision to the ARTS Bylaws to specify that officers of the ARTS-COA shall serve two-year terms, with no more than two consecutive terms served.
• Dr. Sid Dyer of Greenville Seminary was approved as a new COA member.  His term will start on January 1, 2025.

In official action, the ARTS-COA:

• Issued letters of commendation and continuance to Western Reformed Seminary and Covenant Baptist Theological Seminary for successfully completing their reaccreditation process.
• Approved minor revisions to the ARTS COA standards of accreditation.  The new changes will be posted to the ARTS Website
• The COA reported that we have 3 applicant schools, and several others who are considering applying for membership.

The COA met on August 30 and September 13, and reviewed and discussed Annual Reports.  Affiliate school reports were approved with the exception of Graystone which is due by the time of the Annual Meeting October 31st.  Member schools have made significant progress in resolving items form the letters of Notation issued in 2023.  Letters of notation were issued to Birmingham Theological Seminary, Grace Bible Theological Seminary, Greenville Presbyterian Theological Seminary, Sangre de Cristo Seminary, The Toronto Baptist Seminary and Bible College and Western Reformed Seminary.  Most notations revolved around requests for further clarification of items in the annual reports.  Some responses are due by the Annual Meeting this October 31st. For other items, schools have until next August 1st to resolve all notations.  The new rubric which the ARTS-COA uses to determine if a standard is met, partially meets, or does not meet a standard is located here.