2016 Wesleyan Discipline:1. Educational Institution Ownership and Control

1. Ownership and Control

a. Basic Principles

2358. The educational institutions of The Wesleyan Church shall be governed in harmony with these principles:

(1) All schools, in fulfilling the mission of The Wesleyan Church, shall seek to produce Christian workers and committed lay members for the church of Jesus Christ. The Church recognizes that more than one type of educational institution will be needed. Some institutions will devote themselves primarily to the preparation of full-time Christian workers for the Church. Some colleges, recognizing the God-given mandate to explore and bring under dominion the whole range of knowledge for the glory of God and the good of mankind (Gen. 1:26–28; 9:1–7; Matt. 6:10; 1 Cor. 3:21b–23; 2 Cor. 10:5; 1 Tim. 4:4–5), will offer a Christian liberal arts program. Some students will use such a curriculum as training for full-time, church-related vocations or as a foundation for graduate training for such vocations; some to prepare for other vocations in which they have been called to serve Christ, His Church and His world.

(2) The Church and all its schools shall work in the closest harmony. In its legislative assemblies, the Church defines its faith. In its classrooms, the Church studies, expounds, and defends its faith. In the congregation, the Church worships its Lord and proclaims its faith. To safeguard the doctrinal purity of the Church, it shall be required that all schools maintain and promote the doctrinal position of the Church as set forth in its Articles of Religion, Membership Commitments, and Elementary Principles. Any person employed on the administrative staff or faculty of an educational institution of The Wesleyan Church must affirm adherence to the doctrine of entire sanctification and other doctrines of The Wesleyan Church as set forth in the Articles of Religion.

(3) In establishing its educational institutions, and in guiding their life and work, The Wesleyan Church seeks to provide the highest possible quality of Christian education for its own constituents and for other persons who wish to study under its auspices without regard to race, national origin or gender (2016 Wesleyan Discipline:265:12; 2016 Wesleyan Discipline:360:3d).

b. Lines of Authority

2362. Ultimate authority over the educational institutions of The Wesleyan Church rests with the General Conference (cf. 2016 Wesleyan Discipline:1590:13). In practice this authority is delegated to the General Board and consists of the following:

(1) Authority, by two-thirds vote, to establish, merge or dissolve an educational institution, or to enter into a cooperative agreement with other persons/groups of like theological and behavioral commitment in the ownership and operation of an educational institution.

(2) Authority to provide for and deal with all matters pertaining to charters and bylaws.

(3) Provision for boards of control in keeping with 2016 Wesleyan Discipline:340:2.

(4) The adoption and revision of such Standards of the General Board for Educational Institutions as the General Board shall deem to be wise.

(5) The General Board is not empowered or authorized to contravene, override or set aside a decision of a college board of trustees except as is provided and specifically stated in 2016 Wesleyan Discipline:2362:1-4.