ACU trustees retain university’s president

Trustees of Abilene Christian University in Texas have decided President Phil Schubert’s leadership “will continue to bless ACU,” despite ongoing divorce proceedings between Schubert and his wife, Jamie.

Board Chairman Barry Packer delivered that message in an email sent this week to the West Texas university’s 400 faculty and staff members, a university spokesman confirmed.

The full text of the email:

Abilene Christian University president Dr. Phil Schubert and his wife, Jamie, have experienced challenges in their marriage, leading recently to divorce proceedings. The Board of Trustees is deeply saddened about the situation and its effect on their family. We believe the covenant of marriage is created by God. We also believe strongly in the power of grace in a broken world and the call to be peacemakers.

We have been in prayer for the Schubert family, the ACU community and for the trustees to have wisdom and discernment in reaching a decision regarding Dr. Schubert’s continued leadership of the university.

Our responsibility is to make decisions that best align ACU with its critical mission and Christ-centered heritage while ensuring its long-term success. Therefore, we’ve taken great steps to gain perspective on Dr. Schubert’s ability to be an effective leader in light of his present situation.

The trustees have agonized with the decision, praying fervently and investing significant time in dialogue. Based upon our discussions with Phil, we are confident he is a man of deep integrity, is pursuing God, and that his leadership will continue to bless ACU.

As a result, the Board of Trustees has concluded that we will continue to support Dr. Schubert in his role as president, while ensuring ACU’s mission is being fulfilled and its heritage upheld.

This is a highly personal matter for the Schubert family and we want to respect their privacy. Our hope is that the ACU community will support the board’s decision while continuing to pray for Phil and Jamie and their children, as well as for the trustees and our great university.

Schubert, 45, has served as president of the 4,500-student university — which is associated with Churches of Christ —  since 2010.