LCMS Convention Workbook St. Louis, Missouri — 1983, Page 251

Transcription machine transcription, uncorrected

⤓ Download .txt · copy text

~~

PROFESSIONAL EDUCATION

Faculty

The faculty continues to be a credit to the institution and to
synodical higher education in general. Vibrant faith and
Scriptural loyalty adorn the faculty members’ insights and
preparation and performance, whether teaching, pursuing
advanced studies. leading worship, delivering papers. counsel-
ing students, arranging and directing campus events. or
participating in a variety of boards, committees, or other
enterprises in the larger setting of the church. They also
willingly accept assignments for review and refinement and
supervision of developing programs and facilities. Personal
satisfaction continues to be a significant part of their
compensation.

Those who joined the faculty in 1981 are Eric R. Gerstmann,
John D. Jungemann, and Norris G. Patschke; in 1982, John H.
Frahm. O. Bernard Gastler. and E. Glenn Vorwerk: and in
1983, Arthur E. Sekki. Called away to another role in 1982 was
William F. Meyer.

The full-time faculty of 28, including several ad hoc
appointees, is augmented by 10 part-time instructors.

Administrative and skilled positions were filled during the
biennium with Arthur M. Ahlschwede. Elizabeth F. Alyea,
Raye Green, Kevin Pieper, Linda R. Placke, and James M.
Wade. Lost to other callings were Fred A. Bleeke, Jack Gillam,
and Peter Wille. Martin Ramming was called to be with his
Lord in heaven.

Student Body

The clearest evidence of the new era of Concordia of Texas is
to be found in the number, quality, and commitment of its
students. The 1982—83 enrollment of 437 suits its place on the
projected line which anticipates 500 in 1983—84 and 600 in
1985—86. Of the total, juniors and seniors account for 156,

~ “moving to follow the 33 who received the Bachelor of Arts in the

spring of 1982 and the 14 in December of 1982.

Enrollment in church work programs is 154, including 95in
the Lutheran elementary education major and 50 preseminar-
ians. This number is dramatically larger than the 50 or so of
five years ago and even the 114 of two years ago. Happily. the
count of the spring semester again includes seven who had
been enrolled as general students until now. In a number of
ways, then, the presence of Concordia’s church work programs
is attracting students from the Sun Belt.

Finances

Concordia continues to operate without deficit under God’s
blessing through growing enrollment, synodical subsidy, and
the generous commitment of individuals and groups through-
out our area. Creative management has succeeded in using
available resources to maintain what is necessary to effective
operation.

Modest salaries and limited funds for amenities place too
large a burden on patient and dedicated faculty and staff. All
levels of synodical structure must bring their best efforts to
bear on relieving these professional workers from the size of
their contributions to maintaining solvency.

Capital efforts have been funded in excess of $3,500,000.00
for the construction of Founders Library and Woltman
Activities Center and the remodeling of Hirschi Hall into a
faculty and administrative center. Funds from Forward in
Remembrance have added both life expectancy and efficiency
to other structures. Construction is remarkably costly. That it
is funded is a testimony to the joy and enthusiasm of our
constituency in investing in the futures of our young people.

The Future

Concordia Lutheran College of Texas will grow and prosper
precisely to the extent that God gives the increase. Humanly
speaking, we benefit by a home area always more populous and
affluent and by constituent Districts of the Synod whose
development challenges us to keep pace. At the deepest level,
we benefit by a God who strengthens our hands and a church
whose commitment to higher education has no peer. We are
pledged to a future in which such resources meet their potential.

Board of Regents
Ray F. Martens, Executive Officer

251

6-06
Concordia College, Bronxville, N.Y.

It all began on a September morn in 1881—September 5. to
be precise—when 12 boys. no doubt as apprehensive as 14-year-
olds get when entering a new school. walked into classroom G
of St. Matthew’s Academy in New York City and were
welcomed by Director Edmund Bohm. They were enrolling in
something called Concordia Pro-Gymnasium, and one day. or
so they hoped. all would be Lutheran pastors. Their head-
master, faculty, and staff were epitomized in one man, Lehrer
Bohm, on double duty. since he was also a teacher in St.
Matthew's parochial school.

Concordia College has come a long way in the 102 years
since then. While its location has been changed twice. its
mission and purpose have remained as constant and un-
changed as the Gospel on which the college is built. A concise
statement of Concordia’s mission might be worded as follows:
Concordia College is a Lutheran higher educational institution
which exists to equip God's people for service to Him in church
and society. It fulfills this mission by exposing students both to
the commands and promises of the Lord and by providing for
individual growth and professional competence through a
program of academic excellence in a caring, Christian environ-
ment.

A Growing Student Body

Many of the realities surrounding Concordia are blessings
from a gracious God. Foremost among these is a growing
student body. Despite the decreasing pool of available high
school graduates, Concordia has halted its enrollment decline
of the late ‘70s and is growing again. In 1982—83 Concordia-
Bronxville had 457 students on campus, a full-time equivalency
of 425, and prospects for a further increase this fall.

We have representation from 17 states other than New York
and from 16 foreign countries—a real plus for a small educa-

tional community. Further diversity is provided by the

gradually increasing numbers of racial and ethnic minorities
oncampus—up from 10": of the student body in 1976 to 19.2" in
1982. A selective admissions process, including a required
interview, has resulted in marked improvement in the academic
quality of the student body. Thirty-five honor students with an
academic GPA of 3.3 or better are members of Alpha Chi, a
national honor society with a chapter based on campus.

The declining proportion of Lutheran students, especially
of church vocation students, on campus matches the experience
of other Concordias and is a matter of constant concern. The
church needs many more pastors and teachers in the coming
years than we are presently producing. Church vocation
students are special, for their call is to equip others for work in
His service. They deserve and they receive extra attention both
in recruitment efforts and in nurturing on campus.

A Dedicated Faculty and Staff

In a time of economic retrenchment, continuing efforts are
being made to maintain academic integrity and the quality of
educational programs. Faculty enrichment programs have
been undertaken on the Bronxville campus, as well as jointly
with other synodical schools, to encourage growth and develop-
ment of the faculty. A new academic major, the Judeo-
Christian Heritage, has been introduced especially for pre-
ministerial students. A revision of the teacher education
curriculum has been completed. Studies preliminary to the
reaccreditation of the social work program by the National
Council of Social Work Education were carried out during the
1982—83 academic year; Concordia is one of five colleges in the
innovative Westchester County Social Work Consortium.
Attention has been given to developmental courses, particu-
larly in English and mathematics, areas in which some
students otherwise qualified for college work, have been found
deficient.

The following faculty left during the biennium for other
positions: Myron Boettcher, Donna Costabile, Kenneth Doka,
Lynn Gearhart, and Stephen Muller. These and prior vacancies
were filled with appointments extended to Doris Anthony.
Robert Hennig, Mary Huebner, Sandra McClinton, Fred Meyer,