# LCMS Convention Workbook_St. Louis Missouri_1969_S286
# Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

256 HIGHER EDUCATION

for 382 students, whereas the enrollment quickly climbed
to 500. Faculty homes were pressed into service as
student residences, and regular dormitories were used
beyond rated capacity. During the biennium this situa-
tion has been relieved somewhat by the construction
of dormitory facilities for 64 students. These residence
halls were financed by Michigan District Church Exten-
sion funds. The debt will be amortized by residence
hall fees. An additional 64 student stations will be con-
structed in 1969—70. These units will be financed by
a $405,000 loan from the U.S. Department of Housing
and Urban Development. This debt will also be amor-
tized by student fees. It should be recognized that this
constitutes a departure from past practice. Formerly
the Synod provided funds for student residences. The
new practice will result in sharply increased dormitory
fees.

During the biennium a $186,000 addition to a class-
room building was constructed and placed in service.
This classroom and office building was financed by
Ebenezer funds.

Service to Synod

The accompanying tables illustrate the production
of the college as measured in terms of enrollment and
graduates. In a time of much national unrest and rebel-
lion among college-age youth, Concordia acknowledges
gratitude to God for the high Christian character and
vocational dedication of these future laborers in the
Lord's vineyard. They are indeed among God's gifts
to the church in our age, The projected enrollment
figures for the fall of 1969 exceed the enrollments re-
corded in 1967 and 1968.

Enrollment Report
Regular Sessions, Full-time Students Only

1967—68 1968—69

Men 230 218
Women 276 275
Ministerial 142 124
Male Teacher Training _____—s— 78 78
Female Teacher Training _______ 232 221
Deaconess Social Work _- 47 42
Other 7 28
Totals 506 493

Graduates

1967 1968

Men 96 72
Women - 117 128
Ministerial 45 37
Male Teacher Training —~ 43 32
Female Teacher Training _.._ 101 105
Deaconess Social Work ___ ____:10 17
Other 14 9
Totals 213 200

Plans for the Future

A Four-Year College
Once again the Synod has before it a memorial from
the Michigan District requesting expansion of Concor-
dia, Ann Arbor, to a 4-year college. The memorial
comes to the Synod for the third time. It represents
the “grass roots” judgment of Missouri Synod Lutherans
in a District representing approximately 10 percent of

the congregations and schools of the entire Synod. Its
sentiment is shared by many in the surrounding pri-
mary service area of Ontario, Ohio, and Indiana. It is
not a reflection of dissatisfaction with the college or the
quality of its program. Rather it is a statement of the
considered judgment of the constituency that it is not
desirable for 130—150 teacher-training graduates to
travel 300 to 800 miles to a synodical 4-year teachers
college, nor, as the system expands, is it wise to expend
funds to enlarge these 4-year schools to provide facili-
ties for students who would prefer to remain in their
home area and finish their teacher-training program
at Ann Arbor.

The memorial limits its request for expansion to
a 4-year program for teacher training. Pretheological,
predeaconess, and social work students would transfer
after 2 years as at present.

Following the instructions of the New York conven-
tion to study the possible expansion to 4 years, the col-
lege faculty and Board of Control have completed
a feasibility study. A detailed report was presented
to the Board for Higher Education on Sept. 1, 1968.
Briefly stated, the report indicates that expansion to
a 4-year college is indicated at this time by:

1. The existing high concentration of Lutheran pop-
ulation in the Ann Arbor service area.

2. The Detroit Urban Area Research Project, which
indicates that the Great Lakes area has the greatest
growth advantage of all areas of urban concentration
in North America.

3. The superb location of the college on its 234-acre
campus located within 2 miles of the University of
Michigan.

4. The existing buildings of the central core, built
for a student body of 800 or more (chapel, gymnasium,
administration building, food service). Dormitory ex-
pansion would be on a self-amortizing basis. This pro-
gram is already under way. Expansion of academic
buildings as listed in the accompanying table total only
a little over $1 million. If the college becomes a 4-year
institution, the existing plant and requested structures
would suffice. The use of these facilities on the basis
of a 15-hour class day would greatly increase the poten-
tial capacity for resident instruction.

5. Faculty advanced degrees and continuing gradu-
ate study indicate that the faculty will meet the stan-
dards of a 4-year college.

6. The Concordia library is presently very adequate
for a junior college. Phased expansion and continuation
of the present practice of using the facilities of the Uni-
versity of Michigan library would present no problem.

7. There are 153 potential student teaching stations
(parochial schools) within a 125-mile radius of Ann
Arbor.

8. The Michigan District has proved its willingness
to support the college financially and has indicated that
the college may solicit funds for expansion purposes.