Prospective Students

Policy for Student Candidacy Files

A candidacy file will be maintained for all CTS M.Div. and EPMC students intending to pursue ordained ministry in the Christian Reformed Church in North America (CRCNA).

Location of candidacy file
Candidacy files are located in locked file cabinets in the office suite of the president and vice president for administration (VPA) and maintained by the VPA's administrative assistant.

Content of candidacy file
The following materials will be typically included in the student's file:

  1. student's psychological evaluation
  2. student's criminal background check
  3. FFM leader's report/recommendations relative to the processing of the student's psychological evaluation
  4. letters to students written by the candidacy committee and FFM leader on behalf of the faculty re. the student's progress toward and prospects for candidacy

Process for placing items in Candidacy File
Items may be placed in the student's file only with the approval of the candidacy committee. Faculty or staff with concerns about a student should first, where appropriate, discuss these concerns with the student. If the concern remains, they should discuss the concerns with the student's FFM leader. The student's FFM leader should weigh these concerns in the light of his/her overall knowledge of the student and then decide whether to pursue the matter further. If the FFM leader believes that the concern brought to her/him warrants further scrutiny, the FFM leader should meet with the student to discuss the matter. If the FFM leader believes that the concern should be noted by the candidacy committee and documented in the student's candidacy file, the FFM leader must express the concern about the student in a written memo to the student and the candidacy committee.

Access to students' candidacy files
Access to the students' candidacy files is limited to the following persons on an as needed basis: student, chair of Candidacy Committee, professor of Pastoral Care, DoMF, FFM leader. Other persons can gain access to items in the student's candidacy file only with the student's written permission.

When requesting access to a student candidacy file which contains these reports, a faculty member should confirm with the administrative assistant of the Vice President for Administration that he or she is the student's FFM leader.

(Adopted by faculty December 8, 2006)

FFM leaders may sign out a candidacy file, but it must be returned to the file cabinet before the end of the day. These files are to be regarded as highly confidential and must be handled accordingly.

Students may review items in their candidacy file, and in particular their psychological evaluation, in the presence of their FFM leader.

Candidacy file retention policy
All materials in the student's candidacy file will be retained permanently.