Dean of Candidates
Mrs Meg Herbert

Dean of Candidates has a primary responsibility for the pastoral oversight of candidates, applicants and to a limited extent those individuals doing the Period of Discernment for the three specified ministries of Word, Deacon and Youth Worker. This pastoral care includes the partners and dependents of the candidates/applicants, and those persons registered in a Period of Discernment who intend to candidate for any of the above ministries.

The care and advice of the Dean, Mrs Meg Herbert and the Assistant to the Dean, Mrs Gwen Rosolen ensures that a full range of support options are secured for these families and individuals while they are at the College.

The Dean exercises an advocacy role when necessary within Boards of United Theological College. The Dean also advises the committee within each presbytery of changes to the selection process. The updated Candidating Handbook, first released in late 1996 and available in January 2002 will assist church councils and elders as well as presbyteries in understanding their responsibilities in processing applications as well as providing detailed information to applicants about the process. This second edition of the Candidating Handbook includes the changes adopted by the Eighth Assembly to the candidating process, the introduction of the Period of Discernment and changes to Federal Government policies which affect those wishing to candidate who are not yet permanent residents of Australia. The Dean's office has worked collaboratively with the ELM Centre in the production of a NSW Handbook for the Period of Discernment. Both the Candidating Handbook and the latest revision of the Period of Discernment Kit will be available on CD-Rom.

Administratively the Dean is the Executive Officer of the Synod Selection Panel, the Candidate Living Allowance Committee and the Commission for Specified Ministries all of which report to the Synod through the Board of Education.

Synod Selection Panel

The Synod Selection Panel provides an equitable selection system for all applicants. In addition to being fully informed on the nature of each of the specified ministries and ensuring representation in its membership from each ministry, the Panel has an equal balance of lay and ordained members, male and females members and continues to reshape its membership by nominating younger people and people from non-European backgrounds. Election to the Panel is through the Commission for Specified Ministries using Synod approved nomination profiles. Each member must be elected by a two-thirds majority of the Commission. The Synod Selection Panel meets five to six Saturdays for 2001. In addition to those meetings which consider applicants there are two workshop days per year and sub-committee work. Extra to that schedule the Panel through the Dean of Candidates has periodic consultation days with the presbytery committees responsible for applicants and candidates. The Synod Selection Panel is chaired by Rev. Bruce Roy. Members of the Uniting Church interested in nominating for this important council should contact the Dean of Candidates.

Candidate Living Allowances

The Candidate Living Allowances are provided to all candidates who meet the Synod approved means test. Eligibility is reviewed on a half-yearly basis. It is available to a full-time enrolled candidate from the January after he/she has been accepted as a candidate and normally for a period of three years. Exceptions to the three-year period are those candidates identified by the Synod Selection Panel, the Faculty of UTC or the Board of Ministerial Formation as requiring a longer time to complete their ministry studies. Such candidates would include those from non-English speaking backgrounds or those having a specific learning difficulty or a disability. A request to extend the allowance must be approved by the Candidate Living Allowance Committee chaired by Rev. John Bleyerveen and is administered by the Dean of Candidates. The Candidate Living Allowances Committee addresses policy issues and develops the formulae used in assessing candidates' eligibility. Although framed as a day-to-day administrative responsibility the oversight of the Allowances is also a pastoral responsibility respecting the need for sensitivity and privacy of candidates' circumstances.

The Dean's office also keeps up to date information on additional social security assistance through Centrelink. Most candidates qualify because even full Living Allowance places candidates within the government income definition of qualifying for assistance.