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LCMS Convention Workbook St. Louis, Missouri — 2019, Page 465

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

UNIVERSITY EDUCATION
WHEREAS, Each Concordia is located in a unique part of the
United States and faces legal challenges, cultural opportunities, and
economic diversity which may differ from other CUS schools; and
WHEREAS, The schools of the CUS are valued partners of the
LCMS; therefore be it
Resolved, That the LCMS in convention give thanks to God for
the treasures it has in its eight colleges and universities; and be it
further
Resolved, That the governance of the individual colleges and
universities of CUS be changed to the extent that
• Each college or university will determine the number of
regents it chooses to appoint to its board of regents;
• Each board of regents will be responsible for appointing its
own members from within a pool of candidates consisting of
the members of member congregations of the LCMS;
• Each board of regents will include among its members:
• the president of the LCMS district in which the college
or university is located,
• a regent who resides in the Synod geographic region of
the university, appointed by the LCMS president,
• a regent who resides in the Synod geographic region of
the university, appointed by the LCMS Board of
Directors,
• a minimum of two regents who are members in good
standing on the LCMS roster of ministers of religion—
ordained,
• a minimum of two regents who are members in good
standing on the LCMS roster of ministers of religion—
commissioned;
and be it further
Resolved, That the Commission on Handbook be directed to
make the appropriate changes to the Bylaws of the Synod in
accordance with Bylaw 3.9.4.2 (b); and be it finally
Resolved, That Christ Lutheran Church, Scituate, MA
memorialize the Synod in convention with this resolution.
Christ, Juniata, NE; Christ, Scituate, MA;
Concordia, Lakewood, CO; Our Savior, Rehoboth Beach, DE;
Trinity, Houston, TX; Zion, Mayer, MN
Ov. 7-05

To Affirm that the Concordia University System
Colleges and Universities Exist to Educate
Both Church Workers and Lay People
and to Modify their Governance System
Preamble
Higher education is in a time of significant change, including but
not limited to demographic shifts in prospective student
populations, increasing market competition from non-profit and forprofit providers of education, ongoing innovations in technology
and academic program delivery models, increasing accountability
to public and private entities, and growing financial complexities.
Christian colleges and universities face the additional challenge to
be faithful to their confession in an increasingly secular culture.
The desire of our Synod has always been to provide training for
church workers and education for all of its members: pastors,

465

teachers, deaconesses, directors of Christian education, and other
commissioned ministers of the Gospel as well as laypeople who will
serve the Lord Jesus in their various vocations. Our Synod needs
our Concordias to serve all of our Synod, both church workers and
lay people, as well as the people reached through the Gospel by the
witness of our Concordia faculty, staff, and students to those who
attend our Concordias as secular students.
To survive and thrive in today’s highly competitive, complex, and
secular environment, Christian institutions of higher education
require informed and talented boards of regents, with a common
commitment to education in the context of the Christian Gospel.
Regents’ 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, talent, treasure, and other
resources is critical.
WHEREAS, The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod has been
blessed by our Concordia colleges and universities for more than
100 years; and
WHEREAS, The colleges and universities of the Concordia
University System (CUS) desire to preserve and extend their
identity as Lutheran institutions of higher education, which offer
quality, affordable education, and have therefore renewed their
commitment to Lutheran higher education by signing the Lutheran
Identity Statement; and
WHEREAS, Our CUS colleges and universities continue to
provide the highest quality of education and faith development in
the midst of a highly competitive higher education market; and
WHEREAS, Concordia University Texas received negative
feedback through their process of reaffirmation of accreditation
from the off-site committee of the Southern Association of Colleges
and Schools Commission on Colleges in the governance structure
portion of the university’s report because of “undue influence from
external bodies,” and other Concordias are reporting the same
accreditation concerns; and
WHEREAS, Synod currently provides no direct financial support
to Concordia colleges and universities, giving the Synod “undue
influence” with no financial responsibility or liability; and
WHEREAS, Each Concordia is located in a unique part of the
United States and faces legal challenges, cultural opportunities, and
economic diversity which may differ from other CUS schools; and
WHEREAS, The schools of the CUS are valued partners of the
Synod; therefore be it
Resolved, That the Synod in convention give thanks to God for
the treasures it has in its nine colleges and universities; and be it
further
Resolved, That the Synod in convention state our intention to
prepare church workers and lay people for service to the Lord Jesus
in their various vocations, each of which advance Christ’s Kingdom
work here on earth, and our intention that our Concordias provide a
Gospel witness to students and the communities they serve; and be
it further
Resolved, That the governance of the individual colleges and
universities of the CUS be changed to the extent that:
• Each college or university will determine the number of
regents it chooses to appoint to its board of regents;

2019 Convention Workbook