LCMS Convention Proceedings St. Louis, Missouri — 2001, Page 147

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HIGHER EDUCATION
the Lutheran Confessions, the Synod’s doctrinal statements, and the policies of the Synod.
d. The Board of Regents may decline to renew the
appointment of an initial-level appointment faculty
member without tenure at its discretion and without
formal statement of cause. If reappointment to the
teaching staff is not contemplated, the Board of Regents
shall so notify the faculty member in writing through
the president of the institution at least six months prior
to the expiration of the current appointment. In the
case of individuals under consideration for permanent
tenure such Notice of nonreappointment shall be made
at least 12 6 months before the expiration of the current appointment termination of an initial-level appointment of a faculty member.
e. The Board for Higher Education shall state standards of good practice that provide uniform procedures
for renewing faculty employment contracts.
f. Each institution shall state policies regarding faculty appointments, tenure, employment contracts, contract renewal, and contract termination for all employees within Board for Higher Education guidelines.
6.25 Promotion of Faculty to Continuing
Appointment Status Permanent Tenure
Each educational institution of the Synod shall normally shall have at least 35 percent of its full-time faculty serving at the continuing appointment level. award
tenure to a minimum of 40 percent and maximum of 60
percent of its faculty. Each institution shall require specific action by the Board of Regents for promotion from
an initial-level appointment to a continuing-level appointment.
a. Standards or qualifications for granting tenure
moving a faculty member from initial-level appointment to continuing-level appointment shall be as follows the following:
1. The faculty member shall ordinarily have completed four to six five years of creditable service (periods
of leave are not included) as a member of the faculty of
one or more educational institutions of the Synod, at
least the last two years of which shall have been in the
institution currently served. However, the said
five-year requirement may be waived in exceptional
cases if the unanimous consent of the electors is given.
2. The faculty members shall, as determined by
their academic discipline, regularly continue to demonstrate scholarly achievement which may be institutionally funded as determined by the Board of Regents.
3. The faculty member’s reputation, character, concern for students, and ability to honor leaders shall present a good reflection on the institution and the church.
4. The faculty member’s aptness to teach has been
demonstrated by effective communication in the classroom.
b. Steps toward granting tenure in moving a faculty
member from an initial-level appointment to a continuing-level appointment shall be as follows the following:
1. If the Board of Regents, on recommendation of the
president of the institution, determines that a faculty
member meets the above requirements and is still at
the initial-level appointment, has not been granted permanent tenure, it shall either carry forward the procedure for promotion to a continuing-level appointment
granting permanent tenure or inform the faculty member of its decision not to do so, grant tenure, in which
case the individual either may continue at the initiallevel appointment or be terminated contract may either
be renewed or terminated. Any continuation of employment at the initial-level appointment shall be on a yearto-year basis. Faculty employment during the initiallevel appointment period may be terminated without
disclosure of cause. In cases in which the decision is
made to terminate the individual’s contract, the contract shall be extended for at least six months beyond

147
the time at which notice is given. If the Board of Regents does not take up the question of promotion to a
continuing-level appointment permanent tenure at
least nine months prior to the end of the sixth year of
service, the faculty member may petition the Board of
Regents to do so take up the question of permanent
tenure.
2. Notice of intent to promote to continuing-level appointment status grant tenure shall be announced in
an official periodical of the Synod.
3. The faculty member shall be given the opportunity to respond to any comments or concerns that may
have been raised relative to promotion to continuinglevel appointment tenure.
4. At least six weeks after the notice is published,
consent of the electors of the institution shall be given.
5. If the above steps have all been met, after final
review the Board of Regents may promote to continuing-level appointment status grant tenure.
c. Promotion to continuing-level appointment status
The granting of permanent tenure shall in no case be
construed as requiring or indicating advancement in
rank or increase in salary.
d. Other types of faculty appointments may be established by institutions as the need arises.
6.27 Performance Review
A formal procedure shall be in place to carry out performance reviews for all faculty on a regular basis.
a. These reviews shall have two purposes:
1. To help faculty identify their strengths as well as
areas in which improvement is needed (formative).
2. To provide the information needed to make a decision about future employment status (summative).
b. A show of cause shall be required if a decision is
made to terminate involuntarily or otherwise discontinue the employment of faculty members who have
been awarded continuing-level appointment status.
c. The only causes for which continuing-level appointment faculty members may be terminated are
those identified in 6.43.
6.29 Performance Review Guidelines Salary
Guidelines
a. Performance reviews shall be based on a set of
clearly articulated criteria that are shared with faculty
prior to their employment and current assignment.
b. All faculty on initial-level appointments shall be
reviewed at least triennially.
c. All faculty on continuing-level appointments shall
be reviewed at least every five years.
d. The president of an institution may call for a formal review of any faculty member at any time.
e. The review shall involve input from peers.
f. A written summary of the results of the review
shall be prepared.
g. This summary shall be shared with the faculty
member involved and he/she shall be given an opportunity to respond.
h. A final decision about any action to be taken as a
result of the review shall be made by the Board of Regents of the institution upon recommendation of the
president of the institution.
i. An appeal process shall be in place for use by faculty members with a continuing-level appointment
(those who already have been granted continuing-level
appointment status) who wish to challenge a termination decision. The appeal may be about the substance
of the decision or the procedures followed in reaching
the decision.
j. Faculty members with an initial-level appointment (who have no expectation of continued employ-

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