Last fall, faced with a protest by eight distinguished members of the faculty who formed a union, and despite racist, misogynistic and homophobic remarks allegedly made by the dean, the administration announced that it had “accepted the resignations” of the faculty and terminated their contracts. See “Seeking Dean’s Ouster, Seminary Professors End Up Jobless,” The New York Times, October 1, 2014.

A timeline of events from the faculty’s point of view is available below. It alleges several violations of City, State and Federal law.

http://www.safeseminary.org/how-we-got-here.html

After worldwide publicity and further protests, several students left at midyear, and the board provisionally reinstated the faculty only for the rest of the academic year, while canceling their academic tenure. No new hires have been announced and several top librarians have left. Only one entering student has paid a deposit for admission next fall. The seminary’s accreditation by the Association of Theological Schools is under review; if there’s no faculty, no library, no accreditation and no students, there’s no seminary.

Was this alleged egregious conduct by the administration calculated to force the seminary to close? It appears to have been groomed for failure. The High Line is one of the hottest places in the city right now, and General Seminary sits right on it.

The undersigned alumni, students, donors, former trustees and supporters of The General Theological Seminary ask that your office investigate the actions of the Dean and President, and the Board of Trustees, who may have abandoned their fiduciary responsibilities and taken actions which are likely to result in the closing of this renowned, 198-year-old institution and the sale of its remaining real estate.

Sincerely yours,

(Alumni/Student Residents of the State of New York)

The Rev. Karen Buzzell-Frey
M.Div., 1990
(street address)
Mooers, New York 12901

The Rev. Harry T. Grace
M.Div., 1970
(street address)
Buffalo, New York 14207

Ms. Karen M. Hall
(street address)
New York, NY 10024

Very Rev. Christopher Hofer
M.Div., 2002
Rector, Church of St. Jude
(street address)
Wantagh, New York 11793

Mr. John H. McCann
Prospective M.A. Student
Licensed Eucharistic Minister, Diocese of New York
(street address)
New York, New York 10012

(Non-Resident Alumni and Former Trustees)

The Rev Martha Blacklock
M.Div., 1976
Desert City, New Mexico

Ms. Ellen Campbell
Non-Matriculated Student, 2012-2014
Montclair, New Jersey

The Rev. Judith Clausen
M.Div., 1980
Denver, Colorado

The Rev. Canon James Hanisian
M.Div., 1972
Leland, North Carolina

The Rev. Joseph Harte
M.Div., 1970
Phoenix, Arizona

The Rev. Dr. Patricia E. Henking
M.Div. 1979, S.T.M. 1997
Former Member, Board of Trustees
Merrimack, NH 03054

The Rev. Kimberly Hague Holtman
M.Div., 1998
Newport Beach, California

The Rev. Lisa Keppeler
M.Div., 1989
Coopersburg, Pennsylvania

The Rev. Canon John Lawrence
M.Div., 1970
Venice, Florida

The Rev. Susan Mills
M.Div., 1976
Coatepec, Veracruz, Mexico

The Rev. Dirk Reinken
M.Div., 1998
Freehold, New Jersey

The Rev. Canon Nancy A. Roosevelt
M.Div., 1985
Former Member, Board of Trustees
Shaker Heights, Ohio 44120

The Rev. Jeffrey Ross
M.Div., 1998
Lewes, DE 19958

The Rev. Robert Solon Jr.
M.Div., 2006
Current Doctoral Student
Editor, The Anglican Journal
Vernon, New Jersey

Br. Joshua Thomas, CAS
Diploma, 1974
203 E. Iroquois Drive
Kentland, Indiana 47951