As part of its work of receiving reports from all affiliated institutions of higher education, Synod 2018, the annual general assembly of the Christian Reformed Church, recognized the intent of Dordt College in Sioux Center, Iowa, and of Calvin College in Grand Rapids, Mich., to alter their institutional status within the next two years.
Dordt College will become Dordt University in May 2019. Calvin College will become Calvin University in May 2020.
In press releases describing the planned changes, both schools reiterated their commitment to their Reformed Christian perspective and suggested the change in status would increase their reach.
“This direction enables us to live into what has already been true about Calvin, and it will better position us for the innovative work that is necessary for the future,” said Michael Le Roy, president of Calvin College. “We see this move providing a great opportunity to introduce more people to Calvin’s distinctive Christian mission.”
“Dordt University best describes who we are and who we are becoming,” said President Erik Hoekstra. “Over the years, we have developed academic and co-curricular programs that grow out of our mission to prepare students to serve in the professions they enter and the communities in which they live. Dordt now looks and acts more like a university than a college.”
Synod 2018 is meeting at Calvin College in Grand Rapids, Mich., from June 7-14. For continuous coverage while synod is in session, download the Banner app on your mobile device or follow The Banner Magazine on Facebook or @crcbanner on Twitter. You can find more tweeting by following hashtag #crcsynod. News stories will be posted at thebanner.org several times daily. For CRC Communications releases and the webcast, please visit crcna.org.
About the Author
Alissa Vernon is the news editor for The Banner.
