Dean of Candidates

Rev. Carolyn Thornley

The Dean of Candidates has responsibility for the oversight of candidates, applicants and to a limited extent those individuals doing the Period of Discernment with a focus on the specified ministries of Word and Deacon.

The Dean, Rev. Carolyn Thornley and the Assistant to the Dean, Mrs Gwen Rosolen ensure that a full range of support options are available to the families of and individual candidates while they attend College.

The Dean exercises an advocacy role when necessary within Committees of the United Theological College.  The Dean advises Presbytery Committees of changes to the selection process and liaises with Presbyteries re the selection and candidate processes.

Handbooks are Formation, Practice of Ministry at UTC and the Intern Phase are regularly updated and are available from the Dean’s Office.  CD-Roms of all these updated Handbooks are also available from the Dean’s Office.

Administratively the Dean is the Executive Officer of the Synod Selection Panel which reports to the Synod through the Ministry Education Board.

Synod Selection Panel

The Synod Selection Panel meets on five Saturdays from May to September each year; one of these Saturdays being a Training Day for Panel Members.  The Panel makes every attempt to have a balance of gender, age, multicultural, lay and ordained representation. The members offer many gifts and skills to their work of selecting candidates for the Specified Ministries of Word and Deacon.  The Selection Panel is chaired by the Rev. Dr Peter Powell.

Candidate Education Assistance Grant (CEAG)

Candidate Education Assistance Grants are provided to all candidates who meet the Synod approved means test.  Eligibility is reviewed half yearly.  CEAG is normally for a period of three years.  The Candidate Living Allowances Committee is chaired by Rev. John Bleyerveen and is administered by the Dean of Candidates Office.

The Dean’s Office also keeps up to date information on additional social security assistance through Centrelink.  Most candidates qualify because the CEAG places candidates within the Government definition of qualifying for assistance.

Dean of Candidates Office, Gwen Rosolen, gwenr@nsw.uca.org.au, 02 88388920.