LCMS Convention Workbook St. Louis, Missouri — 2001, Page 60

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60 SYNODICAL REPORTS

Pastoral Education

The Board for Higher Education coordinates and monitors pas-
toral education activity through a committee in the Board. The
Committee for Pastoral Education (CPE) develops strategic plans
that expand upon the basic educational strategies of the BHE/CUS
Board to fulfill its responsibilities for providing cducational ser-
vices and processes to prepare pastors for the LCMS.
The Director of Pastoral Education works closely with the CPE to
* recommend approval to the BHE of special studies and/or re-
search projects related to the committee’s assigned field:

* encourage enhancement of spiritual-life programs on seminary
campuses;

* evaluate assumptions and objectives related to pastoral education
and review assessment findings for corrective action;

* review annually data, statistics, and trends in theological educa-
tion;

«address requests on pastoral education issues, concerns, and op-
portunities:

* recommend proposals to the BHE for the education of pastors;

* recommend policies to the BHE for coordination of our seminaries;

* assist in recruitment for church workers.

The CPE seeks to identify ways and means to coordinate and
enhance programs and activities of the two seminaries and pre-
seminary programs at the universities/colleges. Thus they worked
on these issues in the past triennium:
¢ Programs related to recruitment of candidates for the pastoral
ministry

* Initiated a proposal for Life-Long Learning and Development for
Pastors

* Initiated a proposal for addressing Practical Issues in Preparation
for the Pastoral Ministry

* Initiated a proposal for Pre-Seminary Education

¢ Pursued a Common Agreement at the seminaries for language en-
trance requirements

* Coordinated the seminaries through regular meetings of the Di-
rector of Pastoral Education with Presidents, Deans of Students,
Academic Deans. Recruitment and Admission Officers, and
DELTO Administrators

Placement Figures 1998-2001: Commissioned Ministers, Pastors, and
Vicars

Placement Figures 1998-2001. Commissioned Ministers. Pastors, and Vicars

Piacement of Commissioned Ministers

Category

97-98

98-99

99-00

Teachers

266

268

DCE

46

Lay Ministers

5

46

| DCO

2

| Deaconess

3

3

Totals

322

317

Placement of Pastors

——_-—— .
H 97-98 _ 98-99 99-00
162 __ 157 173
Placement of Vicars
[ 97-98 98-99 99-00
182 : 154 169
Certified for Colloquy
Category 97-98 a) 99-00
Pastor _ 28 13 32
Teacher 54 52 _ 74
DCE ie] i 0
Deaconess 1 ie] 6

2001 Convention Workbook

CUEnet (Concordia University Education Network)

CUEnet is a collaborative endeavor of the ten Concordia col-
leges and universities. The mission of CUEnet is to employ collab-
oration and technology to facilitate access from a distance to the
educational programs of the congregations, high schools, colleges,
universities, seminaries, and other agencies of The Lutheran
Church—Missouri Synod.

Concordia Online Teacher Colloquy Program

The first class of online students began their studies in February
2001 with 125 students from 23 Districts enrolled. CUEnet hopes
to serve 300 students per year as it addresses the 6,650 teachers in
Lutheran elementary and high schools across the country who have
not been certified by The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod. The
ten Concordia college and university faculties will continue to eval-
uate each student for certification for a call as a Minister of Reli-
gion, Commissioned. New courses begin each month.

Delivery of Academic Courses

CUEnet continues to facilitate the delivery of academic courses
{rom our college and university campuses to our Lutheran high
schools. Fifty-nine such courses were delivered this past academic
year. The Concordia campuses also utilize CUEnet technology for
the exchange of professors and academic courses. A number of
Districts also employ CUEnet technology on a full-time or part-
time basis.

Concordia Administrative Information System

In 1996, the institutions of higher education determined that the
software currently used to operate the administrative systems on
our campuses must be replaced. Following an extensive search
process, in 1999 the Concordia University System signed a con-
tract with SCT Corporation to provide an integrated software sys-
tem. The master contract licenses this software on behalf of the
twelve colleges, universities, and seminaries, the LCMS national
offices, Worker Benefit Plans, the LCMS Foundation, and
Lutheran Church Extension Fund. By negotiating a single license
on behalf of all entitics, a very significant cost reduction was
achieved.

This software manages information in the areas of finance. pay-
rol], student records, financial aid, and development. A single data-
base system integrates these areas, and it will be possible to access
information over the Internet. Unlike older systems that primarily
stored records, this soltware enables administrators to analyze data
in a very sophisticated manner and manage more effectively.

In order to implement and maintain the software with maximum
efficiency and cost-effectiveness. al] sites are using a common base
software setup as well as compatible computers. The common base
setup involved teams of financial officers, payroll managers, regis-
trars, admissions officers, housing officers, financial aid adminis-
trators, and development personnel from cach institution. Through
the many meetings and communications. a higher level of collabo-
ration and collegiality has been achieved.

Top-level project management and technical leadership is pro-
vided by the Concordia Administrative Information Service com-
puter center in Chicago. The service center is jointly supported by
the institutions using the SCT software.

For the Sake of the Church

With sights on the year 2010, the For the Sake of the Church
initiative aims to double the number of LCMS students at the ten
Concordia University System schools while gathering a $400 mil-
lion endowment fund to help lower tuition expenses for any academ-
ically qualified member of a Synod congregation.

In December 2000 the campaign reported receiving in gifts and
pledges more than $58 million. That is $26 million more than the