# LCMS Convention Workbook_St. Louis Missouri_1983_S314
# Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

314 CONSTITUTIONAL OPINIONS

election to a board or commission of the Synod except where a
parish pastor is specified.

Jan. 7, 1983

Opinion re Nomination of Incumbents

The commission held that incumbents need to be nominated
in order to have their names placed on the ballot for reelection
and need to file a consent-to-serve form.

Jan. 7, 1983

Opinion re Sabbaticals
for Executive Staff Members
of Colleges and Seminaries

Since such executives are not members of the teaching
faculty, the commission holds that they are not covered under
Bylaw 6.57. However, since they are members of the executive
staff of a svnodical board ( Board of Regents), they come under
the provisions of Bylaw 2.67 k.

Reaffirmed
Jan. 7.1983

Opinion re Procedure for Appointment
to Faculties

The Commission on Constitutional Matters has been asked
for an interpretation of the requirement of ‘approval in
advance’ and of ‘prior approval” (Bylaw 6.23 b) and has also
received related questions. The commission concludes as fol-
lows:

The commission is of the opinion (1) that the advance
approval of the BPES (‘approved in advance by the Board for
Professional Education Services”) implies that the BPES has a
veto power at this point; however, the type of decision required
at this point should not be construed toinvolve an interview in
depth to determine relative qualifications of the nominees: (2)
that this advance approval of the BPES should be regarded as
an initial step separate from the later actions regarding
appointment; (3) that in the actual appointment procedure all
electors (‘‘of its electors’’) shall be involved: and (4) that the
prior approval of the electors for actual appointment need not
be unanimous but must have an affirmative vote of the
majority of the four electors.

It should be noted that the BPES itself is not one of the
electors.

Jan. 7, 1983