LCMS Convention Proceedings St. Louis, Missouri — 2001, Page 149

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HIGHER EDUCATION
3. Reduction of the size of staff in order to maintain
financial viability in compliance with policies concerning fiscal viability.
4. Discontinuance, merger, or consolidation of an entire college, university, or seminary operation.
b. In the event of termination of a faculty position
by the Board of Regents, a minimum of six months advance notice to initial-level appointment contracted faculty and 12 months to continuing-level appointment
tenured faculty must be provided the terminated professor in writing.
c. The opportunity to serve the college, university, or
seminary in another capacity for which the terminated
professor has credentials and qualifications shall be offered the terminated professor if such a vacancy exists at
the time of termination or becomes available within two
academic years.
d. In identifying which specific faculty positions are
to be discontinued or terminated, the Board of Regents
shall follow the guidelines and procedures of that institution’s RIF (reduction in force) policy.
e. A terminated position may not be filled subsequently staffed by another person during the next two
academic years without first offering the last previous
incumbent who held the position with continuing-level
appointment status the position at his or her last previous salary plus average annual salary increases provided to that faculty during the interim.

Action: Adopted (4)
(The resolution was introduced by the committee in session 2,
when an amendment to change the proposed wording for Bylaw
6.29, b and c, by changing triennially to annually at the end of
paragraph b and by changing every five years to every two years at
the end of paragraph c was defeated. Discussion continued in session 4 when a motion to postpone to a definite time failed. Time
was extended for ten minutes beyond the Orders of the Day and
the unamended resolution was adopted [yes: 764; no: 288].)

To Amend Bylaws re Teacher Colloquy
RESOLUTION 5-03
Overtures 5-30–32 (CW, pp. 215–17)
WHEREAS, It has long been a value of The Lutheran
Church—Missouri Synod that teachers certified for the
teaching ministry be engaged to teach in schools operated
by congregations of the LCMS; and
WHEREAS, Over the past decade, the percentage of synodically certified teachers within LCMS schools and early
childhood centers has declined by 10 percent, so that in
1999 only 13 percent of teachers in LCMS early childhood
centers, 61 percent of teachers in LCMS elementary
schools, and 59 percent of teachers in LCMS secondary
schools were synodically certified Ministers of Religion,
Commissioned; and
WHEREAS, Over the past several years the Synod has
only been able to replace through placement, colloquy, and
reinstatement between one half and two thirds of the
teachers who leave the ministry each year; and
WHEREAS, District and synodical leaders point to the inaccessibility of colloquy education as a critical factor in the
failure of large numbers of uncertified educators in
Lutheran schools to become certified; therefore be it
Resolved, That the Board for Higher Education/Concordia University System recommends revision of the Bylaws
as noted below, to also include management and delivery
of technology-mediated colloquy modules/courses through

149

the Concordia University Education Network (CUEnet) as
an accessible alternative delivery system for colloquy
courses; and be it further
Resolved, That the interview for graduates of the technology-mediated CUEnet-managed System-wide colloquy
program as Commissioned Ministers of the LCMS be conducted by no less than one university president or his designee, a representative of the District office from which the
candidate comes, and others as determined by the governing
body of the Concordia University System; and be it finally
Resolved, That the Secretary of the Synod be directed to
make any changes in the synodical Handbook that are
needed to authorize the CUEnet-delivered teacher colloquy
program.
PRESENT/PROPOSED WORDING
G. ADMISSION TO THE TEACHING MINISTRY
BY COLLOQUY
6.105 Colloquy Committees
a. The Colloquy Committee for the Teaching Ministry shall consist of a Vice-President of the Synod and
two presidents of synodical institutions offering a bachelor’s degree in teacher education. All members shall be
appointed by the President of the Synod. The Vice-President shall be chairman of the committee.
b. Each institution that offers a bachelor’s degree in
teacher education shall have a colloquy examining committee, selected by its faculty. The Colloquy Committee
for the Teaching Ministry shall direct the synodical activity in matters of colloquies for the teaching ministry.
c. The Colloquy Committee for the Teaching Ministry and each institution colloquy examining committee shall have the authority and responsibilities described in Bylaws 6.107–117 shall also establish and
monitor academic and theological standards for admission to the teaching ministry by colloquy, and in the establishment of these standards the committee shall consult the faculties of the synodical colleges and
universities offering bachelor’s degrees in teacher education.
6.106 Eligibility for Admission to the Program
Applicants for admission to the Teacher Colloquy
Program shall be at least 25 years of age, shall possess
a bachelor’s degree, shall have completed student teaching under the supervision of a synodical institution offering a bachelor’s degree in teacher education or one
year of successful teaching in a school recognized by the
Synod, and shall be individuals for whom no valid objection is made pursuant to Bylaw 6.107. (Graduates of
the teacher-education program of Valparaiso University
need not meet the age requirement to apply for admission to the synodical teacher colloquy program.)
6.107 Functions of the Committee Publication of
Notice
a. The Colloquy Committee for the Teaching Ministry shall direct the synodical activity in matters of colloquies for the teaching ministry.
b. The Colloquy Committee shall also establish and
monitor academic and theological standards for admission to the teaching ministry by colloquy, and in the establishment of these standards the committee shall consult the faculties of the synodical colleges and
universities offering bachelor’s degrees in teacher education.
c. The Colloquy Committee for the Teaching Ministry shall approve for admission to the colloquy program for the teaching ministry those applicants who
have been recommended for admission by an institu-

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