Dr. Ronald E. Manahan, president of Grace College and Seminary, Winona Lake, Indiana, has announced a number of organizational and curricular changes that will take place after several years of analysis and planning that resulted in a comprehensive strategic plan to guide Grace through 2010.

“The most significant changes involve the realignment of the college’s academic programs into four schools encompassing all our undergraduate and graduate degrees,” Dr. Manahan explained.

“They are the School of Arts and Sciences, the School of Ministry Studies, the School of Music, and the School of Adult and Community Education, effective for the fall 2008 semester.

“These changes will include the addition of new faculty in some areas and reduction in others,” Dr. Manahan continued.

“The new structure will help us achieve not only new instructional and financial efficiencies, but also significant growth in enrollment in both the undergraduate and graduate programs and enhance academic programs in areas that are growing the most.”

Additional program adjustments may be announced in the next few months. Current students in the majors that are being affected will be given several options and counseled into the plan that is most advantageous for their personal situations.

They may be able to finish their current program or transfer into the newly-designed program at Grace. In a limited number of situations it may be the best option for a student to transfer to another school with the existing major, and in these cases Grace personnel will assist with this process. No student will be required to take more credits in order to finish his or her degree.

The college will add faculty in the Art, Business, Graduate Counseling, English/Journalism/Linguistics, History, Science and Mathematics, and Teacher Education Departments for the fall semester 2008, Dr. Manahan said. An earned doctoral degree is one of the requirements for faculty applicants.

“Our 2006-2010 Strategic Plan,” he continued, “provides for a number of challenging strategic goals for enhancing our structure and academic offerings, increasing diversity and enrollment, and continuing to improve and expand academic majors to prepare graduates for competency and service.

“In addition, we will enhance Grace College’s unique first-year-experience program for freshmen and continue to carefully review and improve structure, facilities, funding, and effectiveness.”

Further enhancements are also planned in athletics, the School of Music, and School of Ministry Studies programs.