# LCMS Convention Workbook_St. Louis Missouri_1983_S211
# Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

STRUCTURE AND CONSTITUTION 211

b. If subsequently the complainant desires to
pursue the matter, he shall so notify the Board of
Regents and present the chargein writing, formulated
with reasonable definiteness, and the evidence. The
Board of Regents shall then direct the president of the
institution to attempt to deal with it to the satisfaction
ofall concerned. Charges against the president of the
institution shall be dealt with by the chairman of the
Board of Regents.

If the complainant does not notify the Board of
Regents and present his charge in writing within 60
days, the Board of Regents may rule that the matter
has been resolved to the complainant’s satisfaction.

c. If the board decides not to proceed, or if the
board has not acted within 90 days after the complain-
ant has notified the Board of Regents in writing that
he wishes to pursue the matter, and if the complainant
is dissatisfied and the charge involves conduct
unbecoming a Christian or advocacy of false doctrine
(Constitution, Article II), the complainant may take
his complaint to the District President. If he finds the
action of the District President unacceptable, he may
take his complaint to the synodical President under
the pertinent provisions of Bylaw 6.49.

d. If the board should decide to proceed, and ifthe
charge is of a theological nature, the board shall
submit the theological question at issue to the Com-
mission on Theology and Church Relations for an
advisory theological opinion. If in such a case the
board decides that the charge is serious enough to
threaten immediate harm to the accused or others by
his continuance as a member of the faculty, the board
may suspend the faculty member from his teaching
duties; contractual obligations of the institution,
however, shall continue until the charge is resolved.

e. Furthermore, if the Board of Regents has
decided to proceed, it shall also direct the faculty
hearings committee to hold a hearing with respect to
the validity of the charge that has been made. The
notification of the hearing, approved and issued by
the board through the president of the institution at
least four weeks in advance and sent to the chairman
of the committee, to the complainant, and to the
accused, shall contain (a) a statement of the charge or
charges, (b) a summary of the evidence on which the
charges are based, (c) a statement that the hearings
committee will conduct a hearing and that the time
and the place thereof shall be determined by the
hearings committee, (d) a formal invitation to the
complainant and the accused to attend the hearing,
(e) a statement to the complainant and the accused
that they are entitled to counsel, and (f) the opinion of
the Commission on Theology and Church Relations
if a theological issue is involved.

f. No less than two weeks prior to a suitable date
set for the hearing, the accused shall submit to the
president, to the hearings committee, and to the
complainant his written answer to the charges or he
shall state that he desires no hearing to be held.

b. If in such a given case the board decides that
the charge is serious enough and of a nature that it is
deemed to bein the best interest of the institution that
he not continue to perform his duties as a member of
the faculty, the board may suspend the faculty
member from his teaching and/or administrative
duties; contractual obligations of the institution,
however, shall continue until the charge is resolved.

If the complainant does not notify the Board of
Regents that such initial efforts have failed and does
not resubmit the charge in writing together with
substantive evidence within 60 days from the initial
receipt of the charge by the Board of Regents, the
Board of Regents may rule that the matter has been
resolved to the complainant’s satisfaction.

c. If the board fails to initiate further action
within 60 days, and ifthe complainant is dissatisfied
and the charge involves conduct unbecoming a
Christian or advocacy of false doctrine (Constitution,
Article II), the complainant may take his complaint
to the District President. If he finds the action of the
District President unacceptable, he may take his
complaint to the synodical President under the
pertinent provisions of Bylaw 6.49.

d. Ifthe board should decide to proceed, and if the
charge is of a theological nature, the board may
submit the theological question at issue to the
Commission on Theology and Church Relations for
an advisory theological opinion.

e. Furthermore, if the Board of Regents has
decided to proceed, it shall also direct an ad hoc
hearings committee to holda hearing with respect to
the validity of the charge that has been made. The
hearings committee shall consist of three faculty
members selected by the faculty and two other
persons selected by the Board of Regents. The commit-
tee shall hold its first hearing no later than eight
weeks after the Board of Regents has served notice
that the committee is to be constituted. The goal shall
be that a decision shall be rendered within three
months of the time that the Board of Regents has
determined that there shall bea hearings committee.

The notification of the hearing, approved and
issued by the board through the president of the
institution at least four weeks in advance and sent to
the chairman of the committee, to the complainant,
and to the accused, shall contain (1) a statement of
the charge or charges, (2) asummary of the evidence
on which the charges are based, (3) a statement that
the hearings committee will conduct a hearing and
that the time and the place thereof shall be determined
by the hearings committee, (4) a formal invitation to
the complainant and the accused to attend the hear-
ing, (5) a statement to the complainant and the
accused that they are entitled to counsel, and (6) the
opinion of the Commission on Theology and Church
Relations if a theological issue is involved.

f. No less than two weeks prior to a suitable date
set for the hearing, the accused shall submit to the
president, the hearings committee, and the complain-
ant his written answer to the charge, or he shall state
that he desires no hearing to be held.