Dr. Royce Money, chancellor of the university.

The Board of Trustees has designated funds for an initiative called “Family First” to enrich the marriages and families of ACU employees.

Dr. Royce Money, chancellor of the university, said the move was driven by a general concern that family disruption is on the rise in our nation, and ACU is not exempt from that trend.

“As a Christian community, the board believed that the University should be more overt in addressing the family concerns of the ACU faculty, staff and administration,” he said.

At a Board of Trustees meeting last fall, an ad hoc committee was formed to identify the existing enrichment resources at ACU, and it decided to personally fund the initiative.

“I think because of the origination of the idea for the ‘Family First’ initiative came from the Board of Trustees, along with the funding, this emphasis speaks volumes about the board’s concern for the ACU community,” Money said.

The trustees asked Money to chair the initial planning committee. Other members of the committee are Steve Rowlands, Dr. Heidi Morris, Dr. Steve Wages, Dr. Dale Bertram and Pam Money.

Last week Money sent a survey to all faculty and staff to determine relevant ways that the “Family First” program could be the most beneficial.

Money said additional phases of the program would be directed toward single or divorced faculty and staff, as well as developing resources for students through the office of Student Life.

“The aim will be to increase awareness of the student resources that already exist and to add programs in the future that will address concerns of marriage, family, and single adults living as Christians,” he said.