Many staffing changes are coming to Taylor starting fall 2023. There has recently been an internal promotion to fill the position left vacant by the departure of Jeff Cramer. Ed Meadors will succeed Cramer as the director of Taylor’s core curriculum, known as the Foundation of Christian Liberal Arts — or, more commonly, “Foundations.”
Meadors has served 28 years as a professor at Taylor, mainly teaching Biblical Literature I and II. In addition, he has served three years as the women’s soccer coach, demonstrating his unique relationship with students on campus — both inside and outside the classroom.
“Two of my children are Taylor grads, so I’ve lived the Taylor story on the homefront,” Meadors said. “My Taylor heritage runs deep.”
While Meadors was not included in the decision-making process of who would take over for Cramer, he is more than eager to fill the role and serve Taylor’s incoming class this fall.
The tradeoff for teaching Foundations is the loss of opportunity for a sabbatical in the fall. Meadors also acknowledges the great burden of teaching core classes in addition to his regularly scheduled Biblical Literature 2 classes.
“The burden is great, but the opportunities are greater,” Meadors said. “I feel tremendously honored to be given the responsibility along with Drs. Carol Sisson, Kevin Diller, Scott Moeschberger and Scott Gaier.”
There has been some speculation as to how the course will change under different leadership, but Meadors is certain that the greatest changes are logistical, having largely nothing to do with the course content.
Meadors has asked for prayers to accommodate such a large incoming class.
“Transitional challenges demand success on two fronts,” Meadors said. “Effective oversight of present and future responsibilities.”
In addition, a search has begun for important staff positions on campus, including campus pastor, Samuel Morris hall director and assistant director of the Calling and Career Office.
Each department head leading the job search is ultimately in charge of hiring the chosen individual. This is a busy time of year for members of human resources, the student development office and the Calling and Career office.
Julia Hurlow, associate vice president for Student Development and director of Residence Life, is heading the search for a new hall director of Samuel Morris Hall.
“The search is underway,” Hurlow said, but there has been no comment on the proposed timeline of the process.
To ease student concerns, she said students are a part of the interview and hiring process, to make sure students’ wants and needs are being met in this new addition to campus.
Skip Trudeau, the vice president for Student Development, is leading the charge in the search for a new campus pastor, with the projected announcement of the candidate to take place during commencement 2023.
Jeff Aupperle, the associate dean of the Calling and Career Office, has also been searching for a candidate to fill the opening for assistant director of the Calling and Career Office, but there has been no other information to add regarding the timeline of the candidate search or the process.
