# LCMS Convention Proceedings_St. Louis Missouri_1950_S230
# Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

254 SEMINARIES AND COLLEGES

could collect the expenses to which Synod was entitled from the ;
Federal Government. :

The problem results from the fact that our educational insti.
tutions have hesitated to use the word “tuition” to designate the
charges which they make to students. This term is used by Amer.
ican colleges and universities to indicate, in a rather loose fashion,
the general fees which are collected from students and which are
not specified for some particular service or student activity (such
as health service, athletic fund, student activities ticket, publica.
tions, etc.).. Many of our institutions have been reluctant also to
use this term in their catalogs, because the tradition of the Church
has said that professional students pay no “tuition.” |

In view of the G.I. situation, and in view of the fact that the
Federal Government is now apparently ready to begin a series of
large appropriations for scholarships and for various forms of
assistance to American colleges, we believe that it would be in
the interest of our work to specifically convey authority to use the
term “tuition” in the college catalogs in order to describe the
charges which are now listed as “educational fees” and through the

. use of other terms which are not common in American educational

practice.

Upon the request of one of the teachers’ colleges, the Board
for Higher Education provisionally authorized the use of this term
in the college catalog until the time of the 1950 convention.

The Board for Higher Education now recommends

That Synod officially approve the use of the term “tuition”
in the college catalogs in order to describe the charges which
are made to all students to cover the various costs which must
be borne locally by the colleges and seminaries.

We recommend further

That, at the discretion of the institution involved, such list-
ings may or may not include the synodical tuition which is
charged to “general education students” and remitted to Syn-

od’s fiscal office. oo

Student Fees

During the past triennium there have been a great many sug-
gestions ‘proposing that a larger share of the cost of operating the
colleges and seminaries of the Church be ‘shifted to the students
of the institution. Accordingly, the Board underook a formal, on-
the-scene survey of the possibility of setting aside some specified
fees for particular synodical purposes in order that the subsidies

which Synod must pay might be reduced. After careful studies

of the local situation it became apparent that a very large propor-
tion of the students in our institutions would be forced to discon-
tinue their studies if any appreciable increase in the charges which

SEMINARIES AND COLLEGES 265

they were required to pay would occur. It was felt, however, that
some modest increases might be tolerated and that, in severe cases,
scholarships or special grants might be made available through
existing channels to absorb the increases. ~ ,

‘All of the college presidents co-operated with the Board by
directing that studies be made at their institutions. A particularly
exhaustive survey which was made at our River: Forest insti-
tution will illustrate the situation. It was found’ ‘in, this study
that in answer to the question “What does it cost you to spend one

sar at Concordia Teachers College, including, board, books, fees,
clothing, laundry, etc.?” the median answer among the men was
$600 to $650, and among the women, $550 to $600. It was found,
further, in this study, that among the men the median reply to the
question “What percentage of your total expenses in college is
paid for by someone other than yourself?” was “50%” and among
the women, “757%.” The survey further demonstrated that about
66% of the students must provide at least 20% of their own ex-
penses. Among the men, 20% to 25% must provide 100% of their
schooling costs, and a total of 40% must provide 75% or more of
their bill.

It would be a mistake to appraise the possibility of passing a
larger part of our costs to the students on the basis of charges
made even a few years ago. At that time the schools charged ap-
proximately $125, but today, for example, a theological seminary
is forced to charge approximately $315; a teachers’ college $350
($410 for women); one preparatory school $345, another $430. And
charges to “general education students” average an additional 20%
to 30%. ;

Under these circumstances it will readily be agreed that it will
not be possible to make any appreciable increases in the cost of
such education without adversely affecting the enrollment of stu-
dents.

.The Board for Higher Education is convinced that Synod
should continue its policy of furnishing the capital necessary to
erect dormitory housing for our students. This is in accord with
current practice throughout the country. Colleges and universities
rarely attempt to secure any return on capital investments from
students and are considered fortunate if they can derive as much
as 50% of their educational operating costs from student fees. Aux-
iliary enterprises (dormitories, dining halls,- etc.) are, of course,
expected to operate entirely on their own income.

We believe therefore that Synod’s past practice in’ this matter
has proved to be a sound contribution toward the objectives which
Synod is attempting to reach in its training program and that the