Significant changes greet Multnomah Bible College's faculty this year. This semester Dr. Wayne Strickland replaced Dr. Garry Friesen as vice president and academic dean. Dr. Friesen has become Multnomah's dean of faculty.

Dr. Friesen said that last year President Daniel Lockwood felt the position of vice president and academic dean needed to be restructured to best serve the college. The restructured position involves added administrative responsibilities: working toward Northwest regional accreditation for Multnomah, helping with informational services as well as carrying out new ideas and policies for the president.

Dr. Friesen said he is confident that the restructuring will work well. After serving Multnomah as academic dean for 10 years, he said he resigned from the position because it would not be possible to balance teaching and administration as before. The new job description "didn't fit my gifting and passion," he said.

Dr. Strickland is new to the vice president and academic dean position, but he has been part of the Multnomah faculty since 1991. He has also been involved with MBC's Academic Dean's Council.

The ADC is a committee of six professors who represent Multnomah's teaching staff and make decisions on its behalf.

Dr. Strickland said that this experience, along with support from Dr. Friesen, faculty and students, made his transition easy. "The baton was handed to another team member," he said.

Before coming to Multnomah, Dr. Strickland taught at Capital Seminary near Washington, D.C. He has a bachelor's degree from the University of Washington, and a master's degree and a doctorate from Dallas Theological Seminary.

Dr. Strickland said his wife, Marie, knew stepping back would be difficult for him. But he is willing to give up time in the classroom for the greater benefit of the whole college.

Dr. Strickland said he hopes to still be involved with students. "The neat change is the opportunity to serve the students and faculty at a deeper level," he said.

As vice president and academic dean, Dr. Strickland said he hopes to see MBC expand its vocational opportunities for students, while keeping Bible study its top priority. He said that plans for a new seminary building and men's dormitory are only a couple indicators that God is blessing the work of this college.

"The best is yet to come for Multnomah," Dr. Strickland said. "God is taking us on a ride that's going to be a blast, and I like those kinds of rides."