# LCMS Convention Workbook_St. Louis Missouri_2016_S368
# Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

368

UNIVERSITY EDUCATION

7-11

1 following each convention of the Synod; at least one of the two
shall be a resident of the geographic district in which the college or
university is located.

To Facilitate Communication and Mutual
Accountability between CUS Schools
and Synod at Large
Whereas, Resolutions of the 2013 Synod convention strengthened the governance process for the Concordia University System
(CUS) institutions, to assist them in maintaining a faithful confession
of Christ, academic excellence, and financial viability; and
Whereas, Currently only four of the up-to-seventeen members
of each institution’s board of regents are expressly selected to represent the interest of the Synod at large; and
Whereas, 2013 Res. 5-01A commended the CUS institutions
for their faithful witness to the Gospel of Jesus Christ and adherence
to the teachings of Holy Scripture, especially with regard to cultural
challenges faced by their students, and called for increased interaction between the President of the Synod and the institutions; and
Whereas, 2013 Res. 5-05B improved the governance process for
CUS boards of regents by imposing specific requirements for qualifications of regents, and by requiring boards of regents to document
to the CUS Board of Directors various key factors including financial
stewardship, faithfulness to the church, and educational quality; and
Whereas, The President of the Synod has many responsibilities
with respect to CUS institutions, including, inter alia, Bylaw 3.3.1.1.1
(c), which provides that he “shall at regular intervals officially visit
or cause to be visited all the educational institutions of the Synod to
exercise supervision over the doctrine taught and practiced in those
institutions”; Bylaw 3.3.1.2 (a), which provides that he “shall at regular intervals officially visit or cause to be visited all the educational
institutions of the Synod and thereby exercise oversight over their
administration as it relates to adherence to the Constitution, Bylaws,
and resolutions of the Synod”; and Bylaw 3.3.1.3 (b), which provides
that he “shall make provisions for new district presidents and members of boards and commissions of the Synod to be acquainted with
their duties and responsibilities”; and
Whereas, Each CUS institution and the Synod would benefit
from increased communication and coordination with the Synod at
large, to ensure that it remains closely affiliated with the Synod; and
Whereas, To ensure communication and mutual accountability while ensuring that governance of CUS institutions remains with
their respective boards of regents, whose vocation, fiduciary duty, and
authority within the Bylaws are to be respected, it is appropriate that
the President of the Synod have the authority to appoint two members
to each respective CUS board of regents; therefore be it
Resolved, That the Bylaws of the Synod be amended as follows:
PRESENT/PROPOSED WORDING
3.10.5.2 The board of regents of each college and university shall
consist of no more than 19 17 voting members.
1. One ordained minister, one commissioned minister, and two laypersons shall be elected by the conventions of the Synod.
2. One ordained minister, one commissioned minister, and two laypersons shall be elected by the geographical district in which the institution is located.
3. No fewer than four and no more than eight laypersons shall be appointed as voting members by the board of regents.
4. The president of the district in which the college or university is located or a district vice-president as his standing representative shall
serve as an ex officio member.
5. One ordained minister and one layperson or commissioned minister
shall be appointed by the President of the Synod prior to September

2016 Convention Workbook

Board of Regents
Concordia University Chicago
7-12

To Amend Bylaw 3.10.5.2 Election Process for CUS
Boards of Regents
Whereas, The board of regents of each school in the Concordia
University System (CUS) currently consists of members elected or
appointed as follows (Bylaw 3.10.5.2):
• One ordained minister, one commissioned minister, and two laypersons elected at Synod conventions;
• One ordained minister, one commissioned minister, and two laypersons elected at the geographical district convention;
• Four to eight laypersons appointed as voting members by the board of
regents; and
• The president of the district in which the college or university is located.

and
Whereas, The local and regional constituents of each CUS school
are highly invested in the direction and future of the CUS school
and are involved in the support and teamwork of the school’s leadership; and
Whereas, The local influence and voice of the students (and their
LCMS families) attending each school are essential; therefore be it
Resolved, That the elected members of the board of regents of each
college and university of the Concordia University System shall be
elected at the geographical district’s conventions. Appointed members
shall be appointed as the board of regents itself determines.
Michigan District
7-13

To Enhance CUS Election Process
for College and University Presidents
Whereas, Bylaw 3.10.5.5.2 (c) specifies that the election of a new
president of a CUS college or university begins with a short list of at
least five candidates prepared by a search committee; and
Whereas, The short list of candidates is submitted to a panel of
two national representatives (the President of the Synod and the chair
of the CUS Board of Directors) and one district representative (the
president of the geographical district where the college or university
is located), who vet the list and may remove candidates from further
consideration; and
Whereas, The local constituents of the college or university are
intimately aware of the direction of the school and its interaction with
local LCMS churches and the community, and will work most closely
with the new president; and
Whereas, The constituents are not directly represented on the
panel; and
Whereas, Support and involvement of those constituents will
strengthen the quality and representativeness of the panel’s deliberations; therefore be it
Resolved, That to represent those constituents, Bylaw 3.10.5.5.2
(d) (1) be amended to expand the panel with a fourth member, who
shall be a member of the college or university’s board of regents as
selected by that board; and be it further