We welcome our 29th entering class, together with members of the 1st entering class. We are grateful that you could come tonight from Bridgeport and share your testimonies about the early days.

I'd like to begin by readings some of our Founder's words:

There is one important presupposition of seminary study: we can learn. That means that we have something to learn. We do not know everything there is to know, about true love, about True Parents, about the way the world works, about how to win the hearts of other people. This is especially true today because of two factors:

One, the world is changing at a very rapid pace. In ancient times, sheep herding didn't change much generation after generation. Jacob didn't need to learn new techniques in order to impress Laban. Jesus didn't need to learn new media methods to present his teachings in the synagogues. This has changed. If today's Jacob brings obsolete sheep to today's Esau, it's not much of a gift. Today's Jacob needs heart and a competitive edge.

Second, we live in an open society. Everything is on the market for everyone to see. It is a highly competitive society and it rewards excellence. When Unification Church members made significant improvements in the New Yorker Hotel, the New York Times praised them and the Founder. When the Universal Ballet exhibits artistic quality, the media praise the Company and its Founder. The same is true for our church. We are competing with other churches for a market share, for the heart of the society, nation and world. So today's Jacob needs heart and a competitive edge.

UTS affirms that effective ministry requires capable management informed by current best practices. UTS has been moving in this direction since the mid-90s. We strive to offer a well-developed and regularly assessed curricula that meets the need for a professional, principled, effective leadership in several types of ministry. We strive to create an atmosphere that challenges students and staff to assess and develop their skill set.

In late June, 2003, the Commission on Higher Education, Middle States Association (MSCHE) re-affirmed the accreditation of UTS as a professional graduate school of religious education and ministry. The MSCHE demands progressive professionalization in its accredited institutions. To have achieved the re-accreditation, after nearly closing down in 1999, indicates the UTS leadership team's commitment to professional excellence in its field. The school is in a unique position to help nurture a culture of evidence and professional standards of excellence within the Unification Church and larger movement.

The PowerPoint show you witnessed this evening was better than last year's, wasn't it? That is because Mark Callahan has the latest generation software and has trained himself to use it. How about your sermons? Are they better than last year's? How about your church? Is it in better shape than it was last year at this time? Do you have more members than you did last year at this time? Is your church increasing its community impact?

I would like to highlight some recent benchmarks in UTS development.

· Reduction of annual operating budget from $3.2 million to $1.5 million (presently at $2.3 million)

· Increased efficiency through reduction of full- and part-time staff numbers from 100 to 30

· Discontinuation of "missionary" labor

· Liquidation of non-essential properties and failed business affiliates

· Restoration of $3 million endowment and creation of Investment Policy Statement with consultants from Solomon Smith Barney

· Re-establishment of annual budget system

· Hire of CPA equivalent (CA [Chartered Accountant], Scotland)

· Expansion and increased utilization of the Board of Trustees as dynamic partners, re-instatement of non-Unification Church trustees

· Development of an outcomes assessment team and five-year plan

· Creation of the Northern Dutchess Conference Center as additional income stream

· Installation of high-speed Internet for students, faculty, library and administration

· Installation of LAN for administration, Athena cataloguing system in the library; progress toward integrated IT system

· Renovation of cubicle-style dorms into semi-private residences (2 of 5 dorms)

· Establishment of New York City Extension Center (Fall, 2000), with a present enrollment of 60 students.

· Hire of a highly qualified United Methodist national official as Director of Field Education and Assistant Professor of Ministry

· Launch of Continuing Education Program, a foundation for an eventual Doctor of Ministry program

· Hosting a monthly meeting of the Red Hook Chamber of Commerce

· Establishment of instruction in PowerPoint; commitment for instruction in management software tools

· Establishment of Honorary Doctorate awards, inaugurated with Honorary Doctorates awarded to our True Parents (2001), succeeded by Rev. Chung Hwan Kwak (2002) and Pastor T. L. Barrett (2003)

· UTS Vice-President participation in MSCHE Re-Accreditation Evaluation Team

· Group and individual consultations with Tom Wade Associates, Hyde Park

· MSCHE Re-Accreditation (June, 2003)

I know that the seminary does not exist in a vacuum. The seminary's forward thrust comes about in an environment created by the institutions we serve, the Unification Church, other churches, para-church organizations and the larger society. Reciprocation between seminary and church is vital to our development, as it is to the development and success of the church itself. This is why our Founder emphasizes continually the needs for Unification Church leaders to gain seminary education and, I would add, continuing education.

To bring this about, UTS is engaging the Unification Church leadership in an incremental process of professionalization, utilizing focused conversations regarding the mission of the church and its educational needs, onsite Continuing Education, effective field internship, strategic placement of graduates, and assessment of graduate performance.

In this mix of persons and institutions, the role of the President is vital. Therefore, I am developing my job description to include recruiting and fundraising as direct responsibilities. These jobs will be accomplished in the context of dialogue with the churches, beginning with the Unification Church. I will represent the Seminary before the church for the purposes of strategic planning with regard to mission, program, facilities, finances and personnel. I will pursue fund raising, including scholarship grants. I will maintain the loyalty of present donors and develop new donors. This will be tied to recruitment of the best young leaders and strategic placement of our graduates.

The seminary is a partner for the success of the churches. Our churches have to compete with other churches. Our school has to compete with other schools. We need heart, but heart alone is not enough. As the saying goes, "the road to hell is paved with good intentions." We have to change from people who say, "should, could and would," to people who say, "will, am and have." We need excellence, performance, quality, reliability, accountability, innovation and creativity. All these glorify God and True Parents. With this commitment, UTS will graduate students with heart and a competitive edge, today's Jacobs who can fulfill the promise of the Kingdom of Heaven on Earth.

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