LCMS Convention Workbook St. Louis, Missouri — 2023, Page 145

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OFFICER, BOARD, AND COMMISSION REPORTS
action by or on behalf of Synod in the property of an affiliate. They expressly state in their governing documents that
the Word and will of God call them to common mission with
the congregations and other ministries of their confession,
including their sister affiliated schools, so that the diversity
of gifts may serve for the common good (Const. Preface),
and they act accordingly. They respect, uphold, confess, and
propagate the doctrine and practice of the Synod, foster and
extend the mission and ministry of the Synod, and conduct
themselves in harmony with the programs of the Synod. In
this connection, they each may use the common name, permitted through and contingent upon Synod affiliation, Concordia.
(ab) Agency: An instrumentality other than a congregation or
corporate Synod, whether or not separately incorporated,
which the Synod in convention or its Board of Directors has
caused or authorized to be formed to further the Synod’s Objectives (Constitution Art. III).
(1) Agencies include each board, commission, council, seminary, university, college, district, Concordia Plan Services,
and each synodwide corporate entity. Neither affiliated nor
disaffiliated colleges and universities are agencies of the
Synod.
(2) The term “agency of the Synod” does not describe or imply the existence of principal and agency arrangements as
defined under civil law.
…
(jk) Ecclesiastical supervision: The responsibility, primarily of the President of the Synod and district presidents, to
supervise on behalf of the Synod the doctrine, life, and administration of its members, officers, and agencies, and affiliated colleges and universities. Such supervision, subject
to the provisions of the Synod’s Constitution, Bylaws, and
resolutions, includes visitation, evangelical encouragement
and support, care, protection, counsel, advice, admonition,
and, when necessary, appropriate disciplinary measures to
assure that the Constitution, Bylaws, and resolutions of the
Synod are followed and implemented. Thus, ecclesiastical
supervision is also the presenting, interpreting, and applying
of the collective will of the Synod’s congregations. Ecclesiastical supervision does not include the responsibility to
observe, monitor, control, or direct the day-to-day activities
of individual members of the Synod, whether in the conduct
of their work or in their private lives (cf. Bylaw 2.14.1 [a]).
Further, those constitutional articles and bylaws pertaining to
ecclesiastical supervision shall determine the full definition
of ecclesiastical supervision.
…
And be it further
Resolved, That Bylaws 3.10.6.4–7 be added as follows, to specify the benefits of affiliation and how the affiliation of a college
or university with the Synod may be established or withdrawn,
with existing Bylaws 3.10.6.6–3.10.6.7.5.2 renumbered as Bylaws
3.10.6.8–3.10.6.9.5.2:
3.10.6.4
Affiliation with the Synod affords a college or
university: (1) access to the services of the various synodwide
corporate and trust entities of the Synod; (2) participation in the
Synod’s life together, through continued affiliation and accreditation by the Commission for University Education, as specified in these Bylaws; (3) acknowledgement and endorsement by

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the Synod, through the same accreditation, as an institution of
higher education effectively serving the mission of the Synod’s
member congregations and, therefore, worthy of their full utilization and support; and (4) opportunity to collaborate with the
other affiliated colleges and universities, united by their common confession and engaging in synergetic pursuits.
3.10.6.4.1 The Board of Directors of the Synod may, in consultation with the Commission for University Education, adopt,
modify, or rescind additional benefits of affiliation or accreditation.
3.10.6.4.2 Each affiliated institution shall acknowledge in a written agreement, supplied by the Board of Directors of the Synod,
the paramount right, title, and interest of the Synod in the name
Concordia, agreeing that in the case of disaffiliation it shall
immediately cease to represent itself as a college or university
in any sense affiliated with The Lutheran Church—Missouri
Synod and shall within one year permanently cease using, and
transfer and assign to the Synod any rights involving, any name
including the word Concordia or any derivation thereof.
3.10.6.5
Upon a college or university’s proposal of affiliation
with the Synod, the Commission for University Education may
by its two-thirds vote recommend, and either the convention of
the Synod, by a majority vote, or the Board of Directors of the
Synod, by a two-thirds vote, may grant, such affiliation, subject
to all the requirements and privileges pertaining to affiliated
colleges and universities, except that the initial composition of
the board of regents may deviate from that specified in Bylaw
3.10.6.2. Such proposal must indicate a definite plan of no more
than 12 years’ duration to bring the composition of the board of
regents of the institution into compliance with Bylaw 3.10.6.2,
and continued affiliation shall be contingent on execution of
said plan.
3.10.6.5.1 The affiliation of a college or university resulting from
the consolidation of an affiliated school with a nonaffiliated
school, if the governance structure of the resulting school differs from that of the affiliated school, shall be subject to the
requirements of Bylaw 3.10.6.5.
Affiliated colleges and universities are free and are en3.10.6.6
couraged to pursue among themselves efficient collaboration;
sharing of administrative and educational resources; and consolidation of operations, academic programs, or institutions, as
opportunities present themselves to their respective boards of
regents and in consultation with the Commission for University
Education. In the event of a proposed consolidation of two or
more affiliated colleges or universities:
(a) Prior to effecting a proposed consolidation, the boards of regents of consolidating schools shall jointly present the Commission for University Education and Board of Directors of
the Synod with their consolidation plan. Such a plan shall be
consistent with the requirements of these Bylaws for an affiliated college or university, except that it may involve a consolidated board of regents deviating from the composition
specified in Bylaw 3.10.6.2, provided that the ratio of elected
to appointed regents is not decreased and that all members of
the resulting board of regents are members of member congregations of the Synod. Such plan must indicate a definite
plan of no more than 12 years’ duration to bring the composition of the board of regents of the institution into compliance with Bylaw 3.10.6.2, and continued affiliation shall be
contingent on execution of said plan.
2023 Convention Workbook