Assessing the Denominational Identity of American Evangelical Colleges and Universities, Part I: Denominational Patronage and Institutional Policy

Abstract

In an effort to better understand the role of denominational identity among its member institutions, the Council for Christian Colleges & Universities (CCCU) commissioned a three phase study of its institutions, faculty, and students. This article provides an overview of the study as a whole, as well as an in depth examination into the responses from the institutional portion of the study. Seventy-nine of the CCCU's member institutions in the United States responded to the online survey, yielding a response rate of 72%. Results suggest that a number of policies and practices currently in place at many church-related colleges serve to maintain denominational identity. In particular, college governance practices, annual appropriations from ecclesiastical bodies, and employment policies were generally found to support the denominational character of the institutions sampled. However, longitudinal trends suggest potential challenges on the horizon, as denominations have provided smaller annual appropriations and fewer students who identify with the sponsoring denomination are enrolling in church-related colleges and universities. In short, study findings indicate that American evangelical Protestant denominations continue to provide a measure of oversight and funding to their affiliated postsecondary institutions, and the policies and practices of these institutions privilege their ecclesiastical patrons in varying degrees. Subsequent articles from this study will examine faculty perspectives and practices as well as the student experience at CCCU institutions.