# LCMS Convention Workbook_St. Louis Missouri_2019_S114 # Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration) 114 OFFICER, BOARD, AND COMMISSION REPORTS tional enrollment through a partnership with the Hebei University of Economics and Business in Shijiazhuang, China, and development of new international partners. During 2017–18, 47 students from Hebei began completion of their bachelor’s degrees in River Forest and are joined by others in the MBA and DBA programs. •• Total international enrollment reached a high of 435 graduate and undergraduate students in Fall 2018. •• Over the past four years, freshman-to-sophomore undergraduate student retention increased by 11 percent. •• Lutheran teacher education, director of Christian education, director of parish music, the preseminary program, and the Synod’s only undergraduate deaconess program form the foundation for the university’s long-standing church professional programs. •• Since 2016, CUC has served the Church with a new undergraduate major in Classical Lutheran Liberal Arts. •• The university established the Center for the Advancement of Lutheran Liberal Arts (CALLA), which will host the national Christian Classical Liberal Education conference in July 2019. •• The university will host the Higher Things Conference in July 2019. •• The historic campus in River Forest, Illinois, has undergone major facilities changes including: oo The construction of Concordia Hall, a fivestory, all-suite, state-of-the-art residence hall ($16.5m) oo New student lounges connecting residence halls ($500k) oo The renovation of the 100-year-old West Annex as the exemplary Kreft Student Success Center, co-locating student support offices into one modern facility ($2m) oo The renovation and renaming of Mary Martha North Hall as Trusheim Residence Hall ($1.5m) oo •• Renovation of the Triangle, the primary exterior space at the center of campus, including relocating the beloved Luther statue ($125k) oo An enclosed connector between the Christopher Center and Kreft Student Success Center ($500k) oo Renovation of Koeneke Community Center retail food operations ($250k) oo Planned renovations to the McCormick Recital Hall ($1.4m) The university continues to expand its degree programs including the addition of a new Doctor 2019 Convention Workbook of Business Administration through the College of Business. •• The university was ranked as a 2019 Best Regional University—Midwest and Best Value—Regional Universities by U.S. News and World Report. •• The university was among those recognized for Best Ethnic Diversity by U.S. News and World Report. The university is blessed to carry out the Great Commission in bringing Jesus Christ to all nations and people. •• Reflecting the mission of CUC and in response to the mission field God has provided, CUC was officially designated as a Hispanic Serving Institution by the Hispanic-Serving Institutions Center for Policy and Practice (HSICP2). Thirty-three percent of undergraduates are Hispanic. •• The university has been designated a College of Distinction for the ninth year in a row, has also been named as a Christian College of Distinction, and is recognized for exemplary business and education academic programs by the Colleges of Distinction Association for “high-impact educational practices.” •• The university was ranked as a Best Regional University—Midwest, Best Value—Regional Universities Midwest, and listed for Best Ethnic Diversity—Regional Universities Midwest by U.S. News and World Report for 2018. •• The university is ranked among the top 100 Best Bachelor’s Online Degree programs in the nation by U.S. News and World Report for 2019 and achieved recognition among the Best Online MBA Programs and Best Online Graduate Education Programs as well. •• The Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP) recently completed its on-site review of the College of Education, awarding the coveted status of “Nationally Recognized” to three programs: Elementary Education, Spanish Education, and Special Education. •• CUC submitted its HLC mid-cycle Quality Assurance Portfolio in June 2018. •• CUC’s full-time faculty currently numbers 175 individuals, an all-time high. •• CUC is one of only a few colleges in the country to operate in the black every year for 15 straight years, during which total enrollment has increased over 300 percent and during this same time period, endowment funds have increased approximately 525 percent. •• During the past ten years, university enrollment has increased 40 percent, and the endowment funds have increased 125 percent. •• Athletics programs have expanded since 2016 to include men’s and women’s lacrosse and men’s volleyball. The Cougar baseball program made consecutive