LCMS Convention Workbook St. Louis, Missouri — 2007, Page 219

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SEMINARY AND UNIVERSITY EDUCATION 219

Resolved, That the Texas District memorialize the 2007 LCMS
convention to make appropriate changes in the Synod’s Bylaws re-
garding these issues.

Texas District

5-18

To Clarify Responsibility of Board for Pastoral
Education re Recognized Service Organizations

WuerEAs, The Board for Pastoral Education is a program board
of the Synod (Bylaw 1.2.1 [1]); and

WHEREAS, Recognized service organizations that extend the
mission and ministry of the Synod but are not part of the Synod as
defined by its Constitution and Bylaws may request recognized ser-
vice status from the board of the Synod to which the organization
desires to relate (6.2.2); and

WHEREAS, Boards of the Synod may determine those organiza-
tions to which recognized service organization status will be
granted (6.2.2 [b]); and

WuerEAS, The Board for Pastoral Education has adopted poli-
cies for granting recognized service organization status under the
common policies of the Board of Directors of The Lutheran—
Church Missouri Synod (6.2.1 [b] and [c]); and

WHEREAS, The Board for Pastoral Education in its 2004 forma-
tion by the Synod was not assigned the monitoring function for the
board (3.8.2.3); therefore be it

Resolved, That The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod in con-
vention assign to the Board for Pastoral Education the responsibil-
ity to monitor recognized service organization status standards and
follow up in cases of inadequacy (6.2.1) as is the case for the Board
for University Education (3.8.3.4 [m]).

Board for Pastoral Education

5-19

To Strengthen Seminary Boards of Regents

WHEREAS, The boards of regents of Concordia Seminary and
Concordia Theological Seminary are to be commended for their
fine work within the inherited configuration of seminary boards of
regents; and

WuerEAS, The seminaries of The Lutheran Church—Missouri
Synod find that new challenges and opportunities are facing them
as they seek to sustain their service to the Synod in an increasingly
difficult educational environment; and

WHEREAS, The local campus leaders and boards of regents must
exercise a higher level of governance and leadership in response to
the needs and opportunities presented by campus constituencies
while remaining faithful to the mission and needs of The Lutheran
Church—Missouri Synod; and

WHEREAS, The seminaries total over 1,500 students and fac-
ulty/staff personnel, resulting in legal and human resource man-
agement challenges; and

WHEREAS, The seminaries manage operational budgets between
$12 million and $20 million, requiring strategic decision making
to maintain fiscal viability; and

WHEREAS, The seminaries insure facilities in excess of $150
million, some of which is financed through state and local bond is-
sues requiring management, maintenance, financing, and schedul-
ing of multiple facilities to minimize capital debt; and

WHEREAS, There must be sufficient board of regents members
with commitment to the mission and purpose of the respective in-
stitution; knowledge regarding the region in which the institution is
located; and commitment to allocating time, talent, and treasure to
the institution and assisting with the identification and encourage-
‘ment of donors; and

WHEREAS, The BPE encourages the adoption of the following
changes so that seminary education can serve the Synod’s mission
and ministry needs more effectively; therefore be it

Resolved, That Synod Bylaw 3.8.2.5.2 be amended to read as
follows:

PRESENF/PROPOSED WORDING
The board of regents of each theological seminary shall consist of
sie no more than thirteen voting members, with lay members provid-

1. Three ordained ministers, one commissioned minister, and three
laypersons shall be elected by the convention of the Synod.
(a) Elected and appointed Sseminary boards of regents members
may be-eleeted-te serve a maximum of two consecutive six-year
terms and must hold membership in a member congregation of
the Synod.
(b) Not more than two of the elected members shall be members
of the same congregation.

2. A vice-president of the Synod shall be designated by the Presi-
dent of the Synod.

3. A district president i
shall be appointed by the Council of Presidents.

LCMS Board for Pastoral Education

5-20

To Retain Nine-Member Seminary Boards of Regents

WHEREAS, The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod has two
seminaries that have trained pastors for the Synod for over 125
years; and

WHEREAS, The two seminaries have long had boards of regents
that presently each consist of five ordained ministers, one commis-
sioned person, and three laypersons, such size having existed for
several decades; and

Wuereas, Chapter 3 of the Synod Bylaws sets out the duties of
the boards of regents; and

WHEREAS, The overall functions of the boards of regents of the
seminaries have not materially changed in recent years; and

WHEREAS, The operational budgets of the two seminaries range
from under $11 million to approximately $20 million, thus result-
ing in one board member for approximately $1.3 million to $2.2
million in revenue; and

WuereEaS, There have been proposals to enlarge the boards of
regents, including a proposal of 13 members; and

‘WHEREAS, There has been no showing of evidence that existing
boards of regents are lacking in competency; and

WHEREAS, There has been no showing that enlarging boards by
adding wealthy persons materially advances a seminary, let alone
the church at large; and

WHEREAS, An analysis of representative boards of directors of
American companies shows, for example, W. W. Wrigley with
sales of over $4 billion and 9 directors, Bristol-Myers-Squibb
with sales of $6.78 billion and 11 directors; Stryker Corporation
with sales of $2.8 billion and 7 directors, 3M with sales of $21.2
billion and 11 directors; and

WHEREAS, The evidence clearly demonstrates that it is compe-
tency of directors and management that is of great importance
rather than numbers; therefore be it

Resolved, That the Synod refrain from enlarging the boards of
regents.

Faith
Chesapeake, VA