# LCMS Convention Workbook_St. Louis Missouri_1981_S271
# Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

HIGHER EDUCATION 271

6-62

To Remove Retirement Age
of College Presidents

WHEREAS, The present Bylaws (6.82 a) require that college
presidents be retired at age 65; and

WHEREAS, Some presidents are able to serve effectively
beyond age 68; therefore be it

Resolved, That upon reaching the age of 65 a president may
continue in office on an annual basis, by mutual consent of the
president and the Board of Control of the college.

Board of Control
Concordia College

St. Paul, Minn.

Arnold Lohse, Secretary

6-63

To Extend Term of Service
for College and Seminary Presidents
to Maximum Age of 70

WHEREAS, Synodical Bylaws presently determine age 65 to
be the maximum age for presidents of synodical schools, at
which time retirement is mandatory (6.82 a); and

WHEREAS, The lengthening life span for healthy persons
suggests that this limitation is unnecessarily restrictive; and

WHEREAS, It appears to be poor stewardship of the God-
given gifts and experience of competent administrators to
automatically require their retirement from office at age 65;
and

WHEREAS, The United States Congress in 1978 extended the
protected age range to age 70 in defining the Age Discrimi-
nation in Employment Act (ADEA); and

WHEREAS, Rep. Claude Pepper (D-Fla.), chairman of the
House Select Committee on Aging, is reported to be introducing
legislation before the Congress that would eliminate most
exemptions to the law banning compulsory retirement before
age 70; therefore be it

Resolved, That the Synod revise Bylaw 6.82 a to read as
follows:

a. The president of a synodical institution may be
honorably retired from his presidential responsibili-
ties by action of the Board of Control, or at his
request, at any time after the end of the school year in
which he attains the age of 60, or after 15 years of
service as president of the same school. He shall be
relieved of his presidential responsibilities at the end
of the school] year in which he reaches the age of 70.

(The only change is changing age 65 to 70.)
Board of Directors
Northwest District
D. C. Schroeder, Secretary

6-64

To Revise Provisions for Retirement
of Faculty Members

WHEREAS, Bylaws relating to the retirement of faculty
members require modification to meet the changing needs of
the church as well as changing Federal requirements; and

WHEREAS, The present Bylaws relating to retirement of
faculty members do not meet these changing needs and
requirements; and

WHEREAS, The Synod in convention in St. Louis, 1979 (Res.
4-05A), directed the Board for Higher Education to “review the
Bylaws applicable to colleges and seminaries and propose to
the 1981 convention necessary Bylaw changes to meet the
current personnel needs of the Synod’s system of higher
education keeping in mind Bylaw 2.105, Federal requirements,
and general trends in higher education”; therefore be it

Resolved, That Bylaw 6.82 e and f, Modified Service and
Retirement, be changed to read as follows:

PRESENT WORDING

e. Faculty members may be honorably retired or
transferred to modified service by action of the Board
of Control at the age of 65 or any year thereafter and
shall be retired at the age of 73.

f. Service loads and conditions of service after age
65 shall be modified according to individual capacity
and shall be determined by the Board of Control.

PROPOSED WORDING

e. Faculty members may request early retirement
under the applicable provisions of the Concordia
Retirement Plan but shall be eligible at the end of the
calendar year in which their 65th birthday occurs for
reappointment on a contract basis, which reappoint-
ment shall be for one calendar year at atime until age
70, and may be extended on an annual basis until
mandatory retirement age 75.

f. Service loads and conditions of service between
the ages of 65 and retirement shall be determined by
the Board of Control.

Board for Higher Education
Walter Rosin, Executive Secretary

6-66

To Gather
and Publish Academic Credentials

WHEREAS, The colleges and seminaries of the Synod must
with some frequency identify for consideration individual
pastors and teachers with credentials appropriate to specific
teaching positions; and

WHEREAS, Too frequently development of a list of suitable
candidates for teaching positions is limited to earlier acquaint-
ances, incidental sources of information, information volun-
teered to and disseminated by the Board for Higher Education,
and the faculty rosters of other synodical schools; and

WHEREAS, It continues to be the stated preference of the
Synod that faculty be chosen from the rosters of pastoral and
teaching ministries; and

WHEREAS, The Synod’s Department of Personnel and
Statistics annually polls all pastors and teachers for other
information of benefit to synodical officers and members;
therefore be it

Resolved, That the Synod’s Department of Personnel and
Statistics be empowered, instructed, and financed to gather,
tabulate, and publish information on those pastors and
teachers who hold degrees beyond the baccalaureate or first
professional degree, including the source, date, and academic
discipline of all advanced degrees.

Board of Control

Concordia Lutheran College
Austin, Tex.

Ray F. Martens, Executive Officer

6-67

To Require Five Years of Parish
Experience Before Call to Seminary

WHEREAS, The overall concern of The Lutheran Church—
Missouri Synod seminaries is to conduct and train future
pastors to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ in local congrega-
tions and communities; and

WHEREAS, The professors of these seminaries should be able
to give proper guidance on how to work in local congregations
and communities; therefore be it

Resolved, That The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod will