Petition to 2008 United Methodist General Conference to Research and Evaluate the Current Effectiveness of the GBHEM Campus Ministry Section and the possibility of the Campus Ministry Section being moved to the General Board of Discipleship Whereas, there has been a continual reduction of staff in the Campus Ministry Section of General Board of Higher Education and Ministry (GBHEM) over the last 10 years, and; Whereas, there has been decreasing resources for Wesley Foundations and United Methodist related campus ministries, campus ministers, chaplains, boards of directors and campus ministries from the Campus Ministry Section and GBHEM, and; Whereas there have been cuts and reductions in research and publications by GBHEM on current trends and issues facing our Wesley Foundations and campus ministries and the United Methodist Church, and; Whereas, there have been few resources developed by GBHEM for student ministry --worship resources, Bible studies, campus outreach, student leadership development, and social justice programming, and; Whereas, GBHEM has not provided guidance nor even minimal staff development and constantly has not met the annual educational needs for new campus ministers & chaplains, and; Whereas there are more young adults enrolled in college and university settings than at any time in USA history, and; Whereas the need for the church to be present on the campuses where students are making decisions about their vocations, lives and future, and; Whereas, Wesley Foundations and United Methodist Campus Ministries provide for the leadership development of young adults in the United Methodist Church, and; Whereas in 2004, the United Methodist Church created the Division on Ministries with Young People (DMYP) within the General Board of Discipleship (GBOD) to directly address the needs of young adults, and; Whereas the DMYP is more involved and engaged in the needs, concerns and resourcing of young adults which comprise a majority of college and university students, Therefore Be It Resolved, the General Conference of the United Methodist Church direct a study committee on campus ministry be formed to study campus ministry within the structure of the United Methodist Church. The committee is charged to study whether United Methodist campus ministries, students, and local boards, as well as campus ministers are best served by the Campus Ministry Section being located in the General Board of Higher Education and Ministries or in the General Board of Discipleship where the Division on Ministries with Young People (DMYP) is located and where the church is focusing her resources on young adults. This study group would include members of local Wesley Foundation campus ministry Boards of Directors, campus ministers, chaplains, students, members of GBOD, GBHEM, and representatives from the Council of Bishops. It would present a report with findings and recommendations to the 2012 General Conference. --This Petition was Submitted to General Conference, October 26, 2007

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