Despite the devastation on the New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary campus, President Chuck Kelley plans for the main campus to be fully operational in August 2006. He is hopeful that some activities will be held on campus as early as January 2006. Until then students will continue classes in a variety of reformation options, including online classes.
Extension center classes will continue as scheduled.
“New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary is here to stay and we are getting back to work,” Kelley said during a Sept. 1 meeting at the seminary’s north Georgia campus. “We will have a semester. We will have a December graduation.”
High winds leveled trees on the front of campus and tore shingles, but the buildings escaped structural damage. However, after the levees broke, most of the campus was flooded. Most of the campus buildings received flood damage.
Mike Moskau the seminary’s building contractor, said repair work could begin as soon as waters recede. The repair will be labor intensive. Apartments, houses and classrooms affected by floodwaters will be gutted, sanitized and repaired. Moskau said he believes that an August 2006 launch date is achievable.
Kelley said that the city of New Orleans needs the seminary more than ever. He hopes NOBTS can play a role in healing the people of New Orleans heal and recover.
As the cleanup and recovery takes place, students will learn how their classes are being reformatted utilizing “threaded” Internet discussions. Other class options include online courses, October workshops and open transfer to extension sites. Some classes offered multiple times on the main campus, may be unified into one section per course.
Some housing is available for displaced students near extension centers.
The faculty, staff and administrators have temporarily relocated to the north Georgia campus.
(NOBTS)
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