GREENSBORO — Three North Carolina Baptist schools took advantage of their first opportunity to elect trustees from churches not affiliated with the Baptist State Convention (BSC).

This is the first year the five N.C. Baptist colleges can elect their own trustees under an agreement finalized by messengers to the BSC annual meeting Nov. 11. The schools are giving up Cooperative Program funding in exchange for the opportunity to elect their own trustees.

The agreement, passed on first reading last year, says school leaders are committed to having a "significant portion" of trustees from churches in friendly cooperation with the BSC. The phrase is not defined further.

None of the nine trustees elected by Wingate University are from cooperating BSC churches. Three are from churches that have pulled out of the BSC in recent years. One is from a South Carolina Baptist church; one from an independent church in Charlotte; two are Presbyterians; one is a Methodist; and one is an Episcopalian.

Four of nine trustees elected by Gardner-Webb University are from cooperating BSC churches. Two are Presbyterians; one is from a church in South Carolina; one is a Methodist; and one is a Lutheran.

Nine of Campbell University trustees this year are from cooperating BSC churches. One is a Methodist; one is a Presbyterian; and one attends a Christian church.

All nine of the trustees elected by Mars Hill College are from BSC churches.

Chowan University has not submitted its trustee list to the BSC.

For complete coverage, click BSC 2008.