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LCMS Convention Workbook St. Louis, Missouri — 2016, Page 365

Scan: The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod
Transcription machine transcription, uncorrected

UNIVERSITY EDUCATION
California-Nevada-Hawaii District; Michigan District;
Board of Directors, Michigan District; St. Luke, Haslett,
MI; First Trinity, Tonawanda, NY; Salem, Tomball, TX;
Salem, Buffalo, NY; First, Hanford, CA; Redeemer, Fresno,
CA; King of Kings, Round Rock, TX; Bethany, Menlo
Park, CA; Board of Directors, Nebraska District
7-05

To Effect Consistency in Board of Regents
Member Appointments
Whereas, The boards of regents of the Synod’s seminaries may
have appointed, not elected, members and the boards of regents of the
Synod’s colleges and universities must each have at least four and as
many as eight appointed members; and
Whereas, The members appointed to seminary boards are
appointed by vote of the elected members of the board (Bylaw
3.10.4.2 4), while members of the college/university boards are
appointed by both the elected and the appointed members of the board
(Bylaw 3.10.5.2 [3]); and
Whereas, The method of appointment for college/university
boards has the effect of making these boards in part self-perpetuating,
even to the extent where appointed board members are able to vote to
reappoint themselves; and
Whereas, The Synod which owns the colleges/universities no
less than the seminaries elects a significant number of members to
each college/university board: at the national level four members and
at the district level five members, including the president of the geographic district in which the institution is located; and
Whereas, The elected members of college/university boards are
no less capable of appointing members to their boards than members
of seminary boards; and
Whereas, It will help to keep the colleges/universities close to
the Synod when the board members who are responsible to the Synod
via election, either at the national or the district level, are specifically
tasked with appointing the appointed board members, as in the case
of the seminary boards; and
Whereas, The Missouri District adopted an overture calling upon
the Synod to reaffirm the current system of election even though it was
generally acknowledged in the discussion on the district convention
floor that no particular case had been made to reaffirm this particular
arrangement at this time; therefore be it
Resolved, That a second sentence be added to Bylaw 3.10.5.2 (3)
as follows:
PRESENT/PROPOSED WORDING
3.10.5.2 The board of regents of each college and university shall
consist of no more than 17 voting members.
…
3. No less than four and no more than eight laypersons shall be appointed as voting members by the board of regents. Appointed members may not vote on the appointment of any members of the board.
…

Carrollton Circuit Forum
Missouri District

365

7-06

To Regionalize Governance of CUS Colleges
and Universities
Whereas, To survive and thrive in today’s highly competitive
and complex environment, Christian institutions of higher education
require informed, specialized, and experienced boards of regents with
a commitment to education in the context of the Gospel, an understanding of and passion for the unique missions of the institutions
they govern, a multiplicity of skill sets to support the specific needs
of the institutions they govern, and the capacity to support these institutions with their time, talents, treasures, and other resources; and
Whereas, The current system of Synod elections of regents does
not always provide regents who are as informed, skilled, and experienced as is necessary to meet the needs of the colleges and universities
of the Concordia University System (CUS) and the challenges that
these institutions face; and
Whereas, The size, scale, and complexity of the Concordia
colleges and universities, now exceeding 35,000 students and half
a billion dollars in combined budgets, require executive leaders of
academic background who support and promote a Christ-centered,
values-oriented education and possess a diverse set of fund-raising,
organizational and managerial, higher education law and compliance,
financial, and other abilities; and
Whereas, The boards of directors of the individual CUS colleges
and universities are subject to applicable local law and accreditation
standards; therefore be it
Resolved, That the governance structures of the individual CUS
colleges and universities be changed to provide that
•

the board of each college or university shall determine the total number of regents, all of whom will be appointed by the board;

•

each board of regents shall include among its members the president
of the geographic LCMS district in which the college or university
is located;

•

each board in its appointment of regents shall consider candidates
(including ordained, commissioned, and lay individuals) recommended from the Synod’s districts and President, as well as any
other recommendations that such board considers appropriate;

•

all regents must be active members of congregations of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod within the region in which the college
or university is located;

and be it further
Resolved, That the process of selecting the presidents of the individual CUS colleges and universities be changed to provide that each
board of regents will choose its institution’s president after it conducts an appropriate search process from among a qualified pool of
members of good standing of LCMS congregations; and be it further
Resolved, That the Synod President or his representative shall have
one vote; and be it finally
Resolved, That the Synod’s Bylaws be amended to reflect such
changes to the governance structure and presidential selection process of the individual CUS colleges and universities.
Board of Directors
Southeastern District
2016 Convention Workbook