Hendricks Chapel has not undergone a thorough review in more than 30 years, which is one of the reasons the Hendricks Chapel and Dean’s Search Committee will also conduct a review of the chapel’s programs and policies, said Hendricks Interim Dean Samuel Clemence.

It seemed like a logical time for the chapel to be reviewed, Clemence said, considering there is a search for a new dean of the chapel. The review of Hendricks’ programs, facilities and finances will help inform the search committee about what is needed in a dean for the chapel, Clemence said. The review would also aid the new dean in having a sense of the future of the chapel and what direction it should go, he added.

Chancellor Kent Syverud announced the creation of the review and search committee on Monday when he appointed 16 members of the Syracuse community to the committee.

Clemence is a co-chair of the committee, and Candace Campbell Jackson, vice president and chief of staff at Syracuse University, will be the other co-chair. The committee will be composed of SU faculty, staff, students, members of the Board of Trustees and members of the larger Syracuse community.

Since the committee has just been announced, Clemence said the review process for Hendricks is still a matter of discussion. One aspect of the process, he said, will be to benchmark SU against similar universities in how they meet their students’ religious needs.

The committee will begin meeting “very soon” this semester, Clemence said. He added that the committee will likely do some writing over the summer and may meet a few times in the fall before beginning the dean search soon after.

“We’ll hopefully then find a dean that really agrees with what the review process has brought out or is inspired by it so we can attract the very best dean we can to lead us and make the chapel a vibrant, great place to be,” Clemence said.

In addition to reviewing Hendricks’ programs, facilities and finances, the search and review committee will also review the chapel’s “current and emerging challenges and opportunities.”

One of these challenges, Clemence said, will be making Hendricks a “central and vital” part of the campus.

Clemence said he would like there to be more “vibrant” religion programs at the chapel and for students to feel like they’re welcome to come to the chapel — whether it be for services, musical programs or for People’s Place.

He added that the chapel is a “safe place” where students, faculty and staff can meditate, pray or talk to chaplains about things that may be bothering them.

“The chapel is at the heart of the campus geographically, right at the center of campus,” he said. “And I think we’d like to have more students come to the chapel.”

Published on February 25, 2016 at 12:01 am

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