# LCMS Convention Workbook_St. Louis Missouri_2019_S120
# Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

120

OFFICER, BOARD, AND COMMISSION REPORTS
in the fall semester 2015, to 5,036 in the fall semester 2018. Growth has been in all three categories of
students: traditional undergraduate, nontraditional
undergraduate, and graduate. CSP is listed as the
10th fastest-growing private nonprofit Master’s college in the United States in the 2018 Almanac of the
Chronicle for Higher Education.
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Increase persistence to graduation. During the past
three years, retention and persistence to graduation
have again increased by several percentage points
in each category of students. In 2017–18, Concordia University, St. Paul, graduated a record 1,571
students.

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Maintain quality, relevant curriculum to strengthen
transitions to jobs and graduate school. Improved
systems for tracking students’ post-graduation
transitions have indicated increased effectiveness
in employment of graduates in their chosen field,
and admission to first- and second-choice graduate
schools. The university continues to place 100 percent
of its mobile minister of religion—commissioned
graduates into ministry settings, and 100 percent of
its pre-seminary graduates have been accepted into
their first-choice seminary. CSP has garnered numerous quality rankings, including

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#1 online kinesiology bachelor’s degree in
the U.S. by Sports Management Degree Hub

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#1 Master of Business Administration in
Health Care Management in the U.S. by
www.affordablecolleges.com

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#8 Master’s in Early Childhood Education
in the U.S. by Top Education Degrees

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#7 Best College for Adult Learners in the
U.S. by Washington Monthly

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One of the top 40 best online colleges in the
U.S. by www.bestcolleges.com

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Concordia faculty member Dr. Steven Manderscheid was awarded a Fulbright scholarship to work with the national University of
Management in Phnom Penh on innovation
and change. Dr. Manderscheid is CSP’s 6th
Fulbright scholar.

Grow net assets. During the most recent three
fiscal years (2016, 2017, 2018), total net assets
grew by 24 percent, from $86.5 million at the
end of FY2015 to $107.1 million at the end of
FY2018. Growth was achieved through positive operating results, reduction of long-term
debt, and increased value of invested assets
and property.

Growth in enrollment has been achieved largely through
an increased number of academic programs, aggressive pricing
models, and enhanced marketing efforts. Specific financial aid
offerings are provided for members of congregations of The
Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod and include the Lutheran
heritage scholarship for all LCMS undergraduate and graduate
2019 Convention Workbook

students, the Twelve Disciples Scholarship, a full-tuition scholarship for highly qualified students preparing for a church vocation, and a 50 percent tuition gift-aid guarantee for any student
preparing for a church vocation who meets the university’s admission requirements.
As a “university of The Lutheran Church—Missouri
Synod” (cf. Mission Statement), CSP prepares its faculty and
staff to serve “in the context of the Christian gospel” (ibid). All
new full-time faculty and staff participate in a semester-long
Lutheran Identity Seminar, which introduces new employees
to the institution’s Lutheran culture, role in the broad panoply
of Christian higher education, and alignment with mission and
promise, and reviews fundamental Lutheran doctrine.
CSP received a professional development grant from the
Network for Vocation in Undergraduate Education (NetVUE)
to conduct a unified focus on vocation known internally as
The Purpose Project, with the aim to “enhance the vocational
knowledge, skills, and abilities of Concordia University, St.
Paul, faculty and staff in their shared work to develop and support student-centered undergraduate vocational initiatives.”
CSP received a second NetVUE grant for 2019–21, to focus on
interactive assessments and planning guides for university programs to analyze the alignment of written curricula with the
university’s vocational promise statement.
In 2018, the university received reaffirmation of its accreditation by the Higher Learning Commission, thereby securing
institutional accreditation for the next ten years.
CSP continues to be recognized as one of the most racially
and ethnically diverse Lutheran institutions of higher education
in its region, with 27 percent of total enrollment being students
of color and 170 international students from 27 countries. The
university houses the Center for Hmong Studies, provides a
Hmong Culture and Language Program, and hosts a biannual
International Hmong Studies Conference.
CSP is recognized as a premier university serving the needs
of veterans and active-duty military personnel. Over 220 students with military experience are enrolled at the university and
served through the General John W. Vessey Veterans Resource
Center. CSP received the 2018–19 Military Friendly Schools
Designation.
The number of tenure-track faculty grew from 70 to 90 during the triennium, including additions in biology and chemistry,
business administration, education, kinesiology, mathematics,
music, nursing, physical therapy, and theology. Two LCMS-rostered ministers of religion joined the faculty in Academic Year
2018 and 2019: Prof. Teresa Fitzpatrick in English, and Rev. Dr.
Samuel Deressa in the Department of Theology and Ministry.
During the triennium the university made significant capital improvements to campus facilities, including classrooms,
athletic facilities, and fine arts facilities. New construction included the addition of Reformation Tower, commemorating the
500th anniversary of the Reformation, and Behm Cross Roads,
a new entrance to the Buenger Education Center and Meyer
Hall. A $10 million acquisition of a nine-story office building
adjacent to the campus will expand the campus footprint by
nearly three acres and educational and general space by 101,000
square feet in 2019.
Concordia launched the following new degree programs
during the triennium:
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Pre-licensure Nursing