Guidelines for Concentration Coordinators Launching a New Cohort

A cohort in the Doctor of Ministry program is a number of Andrews DMin participants with a common interest in a specific program concentration who begin and move through the program together. The cohort coordinator serves as a liaison with the Doctor of Ministry office, facilitates the commitment of the participants to the cohort group, works to satisfy the needs of the group, and assures that lead faculty fulfill the andragogical design of the program.

The Andrews Doctor of Ministry program experiences shared leadership. The director is available to consult and assist a cohort coordinator, and will help them accomplish the following responsibilities. The director will endeavor to monitor progress and provide coaching as needed. The coordinator will also be assisted by the program administrative assistants in carrying out the responsibilities, and should feel free to seek their help.

Coordinators should acquaint themselves with the program policies contained in the handbook supplied for them in the Doctor of Ministry office and assure that program policies are followed.

Responsibilities

1. Attend the annual Andrews Doctor of Ministry Conference. Orientation to coordinator responsibilities and adjustments to the responsibilities are a part of the agenda of that conference.
    
2. Attend the virtual coordinators meeting in the spring of each year provided by the Doctor of Ministry office.
    
3. Assure that each concentration area has outcomes developed in collaboration with the program office and based on the program outcomes and that these are communicated in syllabi and schedules.
    
4. Collaborate with the director in preparation of a proposal for the cohort including outcomes, details of modules, courses, dates, locations, lead faculty, presenters, and available advisors. The proposal needs to describe how the context support group, work groups, ministry development plans, mentoring and journaling will be incorporated into the cohort's requirements. The proposal is required 18 months before the first intensive. The proposal will be presented to the DMin program committee for recommendation to the Dean's Council, and subsequent consideration of the faculty.
    
5. Form information required in promotion of the cohort including details of modules, courses, dates, locations, lead faculty, presenters, and outcomes. The information is needed for marketing purposes in the DMin office 17 months before the first intensive.
    
6. Assist and consult with the DMin office in marketing the cohort, assisting the DMin office in preparation of any special promotional materials needed for the cohort group. While the actual materials and communication are produced by the DMin office, the coordinator needs to monitor the marketing process. If the coordinator wishes to use unique materials, they need to be approved by the DMin office.
    

7. Assure that the DMin office sends enrollment packets and program guidelines to all interested participants.

8. Phone calls are made by the DMin office to interested persons. One such call to all interested persons should be made by the cohort coordinator three months before the first intensive.

9. Encourage the timely application and course registration of all cohort participants for each module and course within program guidelines and the academic calendar.

10. Assure that module requirement documents and daily schedules are posted on the DMin web site by the DMin office.

11. Communicate with the DMin office to assure venue arrangements are satisfactory. Where DMin program or teaching sites exist, a local site coordinator cares for site arrangements with the DMin office.

12. If the cohort group is an international one, serve as a liaison between the DMin office and the Division hosting the group.

13. If the cohort group is an international one, initiate discussion regarding financial arrangements and provide a draft of a memorandum of agreement along with the proposal to the DMin committee.
     
14. If the cohort group is an international one, work with the DMin office to establish a site for teaching intensives acceptable to the DMin committee. In some cases an ATS site visit will be needed.
     
15. If the cohort group is outside the NAD or in a language other than English, the cohort coordinator must prepare and present a brief plan for project/dissertation advising, editing, and defense that is within program guidelines and suitable to the context of the cohort group.
     
16. During the first intensive, coach each participant as they consider the area of their project. Prepare a table with the names of participants in the first column and the area of their interest for a project in the second column. Provide the table to the DMin office immediately following the intensive.
     
17. Communicate with all lead teachers to assure expectations and needs are met.
     
18. Assure that all remunerations and honorariums are processed by the Doctor of Ministry office following an intensive.
     
19. Communicate monthly with the cohort to encourage progress and provide an opportunity for them to respond with questions.
     
20. Track and report the progress of the cohort in completing each module.

Cohort groups are an expression of the DMin program and are administered within the procedures of the program. A cohort coordinator should carry out the above responsibilities within the practices of the program using guidelines and published materials for communication as far as possible. If unique provisions are needed outside of published guidelines, courses, faculty, or schedules, the cohort coordinator should communicate with the program director in preparation for consideration by the DMin committee.

How Do We Promote the Formation of a New Cohort?

This is information for concentration coordinators launching a new cohort in the Andrews Doctor of Ministry program. The work is done by the Doctor of Ministry office, but help is generally sought from the coordinator.

1. A NAD-wide brochure mailing (this is done by the DMin office in most years and benefits all cohorts)
    
2. A phone call to all conference and ministerial people in the host union is needed
    
3. An email to follow-up on the phone conversations with conference and union officers and ministerial people
    
4. A second email for follow-up providing greater detail
    
5. A second phone call to ministerial people in the host union
    
6. A mailing of the flyer and personal letter to the homes of all ministerial employees in the host and two nearby unions
    
7. Distribution of a flyer through conference mailings in all NAD unions (it is best to provide the copies in the host union territory)
    
8. A personal letter from the ministerial person of the host union to all ministerial employees with a flyer
    
9. Conversations with conference treasurers as needed
    
10. Distribution of a flyer at conference pastors' conferences in three area unions
     
11. An eletter (this is done by the DMin office and benefits all cohorts)
     
12. A Ministry magazine ad (this is done by the DMin office and benefits all cohorts)
     
13. A first phone call/message to all on the interest list (target is 50 interests)
     
14. An email to all on the interest list
     
15. A further eletter (this is done by the DMin office and benefits all cohorts)
     
16. A second phone call/message
     
17. A third phone call/message (target is 28 who say they are definitely coming)
     
18. 25 enrolled 60 days prior to first teaching intensive!

11/4/2011