Collection › LCMS Convention Workbook (St. Louis, Missouri) › 2023 · 68th Convention, Milwaukee › Page 350
LCMS Convention Workbook St. Louis, Missouri — 2023, Page 350

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

350
•

•
•

UNIVERSITY EDUCATION
What happens when the CUS is dissolved? What entities
would retain any remaining assets or liabilities? How will all
of the endowment funds currently overseen by the CUS be
managed? As members of the CUS, would the schools now
be liable for any debt that might remain? What are the legal
implications of dissolving the CUS?
What is the difference between being accredited and
affiliated? Can a university be affiliated and not accredited?
While an institution is on probation for up to five years, it
can no longer certify graduates for placement on the Synod
roster. How do those students become certified for
placement? Additionally, while a church work program is on
probation for up to three years, would students within the
program need to transfer to a Concordia with an accredited
program?

and
WHEREAS, The Governance and Administration Floor
Committee for the 2021 Texas District Convention made an initial
assessment of the CUS Governance Model Proposal to foster
feedback and comment to the 2019 Res. 7-03 committee as
requested of districts; and
WHEREAS, Previous complex proposals involving many changes
to Synod bylaws have benefitted from the information-sharing and
consensus-building that occurs when those proposals are widely
discussed across the Synod (the proposals of the Blue Ribbon Task
Force on Synod Structure and Governance [BRTFSSG] discussed
in regional conferences prior to being acted upon at the 2010 Synod
convention being a recent example); therefore be it
Resolved, That the Texas District in convention submit the
previously stated affirmations, concerns, and questions to the 2019
Resolution 7-03 Committee; and be it further
Resolved, That the Texas District recommends to the Resolution
7-03 Committee that a process for Synod-wide introduction to,
discussion of, and consensus concerning these significant changes
be designed and implemented by the Synod BOD, with the
concurrence of the Council of Presidents, to be completed no later
than six months prior to the convention of the Synod during which
these proposals will be considered, using the regional conferences
held by the BRTFSSG as a model; and be it further
Resolved, That this resolution should also constitute an overture
from the Texas District in convention to the 2023 Synod
Convention to further study and/or amend the 2019 Res. 7-03 CUS
Governance Model Proposal; and be it finally
Resolved, That congregations and circuits also be encouraged to
submit comments to the Res. 7-03 Committee.
Texas District
Ov. 7-02

To Provide Comment to 2019 Res. 7-03 Committee
concerning CUS Governance Model Proposal
WHEREAS, The 67th Regular Convention of The Lutheran
Church—Missouri Synod (LCMS) adopted 2019 Resolution 7-03,
“To Direct a Collaborative Process to Propose a New Governance
Plan with respect to University Education” (2019 Proceedings,
171–72); and
WHEREAS, 2019 Res. 7-03 resolved:

2023 Convention Workbook

That the proposed new governance plan specifically address the
objectives of 2013 Res. 5-01A and 2016 Res. 7-02B by
continuing to:
• strengthen all Concordia University System (CUS)
institutions’ connection to the Synod;
• strengthen the confessional Lutheran identity of all CUS
institutions;
• review the composition, size, and selection of boards of
regents;
• review the process for selecting presidents of
institutions;
• review the overall governance of CUS and the boards of
regents of the CUS institutions;
• review the financial models for the institutions;
and
WHEREAS, 2019 Res. 7-03 further resolved “That a report on the
initial governance model proposals be disseminated to the Synod
for a six-month period of comment commencing not later than 15
months prior to the start of the 2022 convention of the Synod; and
WHEREAS, At the Feb. 19, 2021, meeting of the LCMS Board of
Directors (BOD) the Board approved dissemination of the initial
governance model proposal, “setting the stage” for the “built-in sixmonth period of comment by the Synod’s congregations, districts
and circuits, the universities themselves, and others” (Reporter,
March 8, 2021); and
WHEREAS, The Texas District in convention adopted Res. 02-0721a, “To Provide Comment to the LCMS 2019 Res. 7-03
Committee Concerning the CUS Governance Model Proposal”; and
WHEREAS, Res. 02-07-21a directed the Texas District Board of
Directors to “provide additional comments to the LCMS 2019 Res.
7-03 Committee as necessary, with any additional comments to be
submitted as an overture to the 2023 LCMS convention to further
study and/or amend the LCMS 2019 Res. 7-03 CUS Governance
Model Proposal”; and
WHEREAS, The Texas District Board of Directors has further
reviewed the proposal, the Lutheran Identity and Mission Outcome
Standards (LIMOS), the affirmations, concerns, and questions from
Texas District Res. 02-07-21a, and feedback from the Concordia
University presidents and boards of regents; and
WHEREAS, The Texas District Board of Directors has additional
concerns about the level of control exercised by the Synod in
university governance, the complexity of these bylaw changes, the
ambiguity and vagueness prevalent in the bylaw changes, the
potentially onerous burden on both universities and the Commission
on University Education from the LIMOS, and unresolved financial
questions; and
WHEREAS, To date there have been no other resolutions set forth
on this subject by any other district conventions, giving anecdotal
evidence that there has not been synodwide feedback to the LCMS
2019 Res. 7-03 Committee as sought; therefore be it
Resolved, That the Texas District Board of Directors affirms the
affirmations, concerns, and questions outlined in Res. 02-07-21a
adopted by the Texas District convention; and be it further
Resolved, That the Texas District Board of Directors requests the
LCMS 2019 Res. 7-03 Committee withhold any resolutions to the
2023 Synod convention to implement the LCMS 2019 Res. 7-03