graduate programs NEW DEGREE II Searcy graduate Bible program to begin President David Burks and the Board of Trustees worked throughout the year to prepare a new master's program in Bible at the Searcy campus for the 2004-2005 school year. Burks said the program, comparable with the business and education graduate programs, most likely would consist of a one-year, 36-hour curricul um . Dr. Bill Richardson, associate professor of Bible, will direct the program. The board made the decision Oct. 17 to begin a program in Searcy after studying the Graduate School of Religion in Memphis. The study was designed to aid the growth of graduate studies in Bible at Harding. "The board reaffirmed its commitment to graduate stud ies in Bible and religion," Burks said. "[The board] would like to see the number of students in graduate study increase." In addition to the new Searcy program, efforts were made to reduce the deficit at the Memphis campus while continuing to provide quality biblical education to the students. "One of Harding University's purposes is to train young men to be ministers," Don Shores, chairman of the board, said. "How that can be done most cost effectively is [important to consider] ." To help decrease the deficit, Burks said the graduate assistantship program in Memphis would change to mirror the program that began in Searcy this yea r. "We're simply implementing the same policy in Memphis that we've already implemented in Searcy," Burks said. "[The policy] will- help reduce the deficit." Evertt Huffard, HUGSR dean, said the Memphis campus had five graduate assistants this year and it planned to increase that number significantly next year. The increased number of graduate assistants would help reduce the budget by filling jobs withou t hiring extra staff members. Along with cost cuts, Burks said fund raising was key in reducing HUGSR's deficit. Since the program inMemphis was a two- to three-year program, some said the smaller program in Searcy would be good for those wanting to receive a master's degree in Bible in a shorter time frame. "I think the one-year program in Searcy would be a good way for [some students] to receive the education without as much of a time commitment/' senior Robert Meyer, Bible major, said. - Renee Lewis 164 11 academics Graduate student Peter Horne, an Australia native, makes announce– ments concerning Australian church planting Feb. 12 in Mclnteer 229. Horne, a student at the Harding University Graduate School of Religion in Memphis, was on the Searcy campus this spring recruiting students for the team. (Photo by Renee Lewis)
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