LCMS Convention Proceedings St. Louis, Missouri — 2023, Page 189

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7. UNIVERSITY EDUCATION
Proposed Action
Therefore be it
Resolved, that Bylaws 3.10.6.7–3.10.6.7.5.2 be renumbered
and revised as follows:
PRESENT/PROPOSED WORDING
Concordia University System Faculties
3.10.6.79 The faculty of each college or university of the
Synod shall consist of the president, the full-time faculty
and the part-time faculty.
(a) Part-time or temporary faculty members are
distinguished by an appropriate title.
(b) Part-time or temporary faculty members shall hold
nonvoting membership on the faculty.
(c) Only the voting or full-time faculty who are in good
standing as individual members of the Synod or are
members in good standing of a member congregation of
the Synod shall participate in faculty decisions regarding
the qualification of graduates or colloquy program
participants for rostered service.
3.10.6.7.1 The Concordia University System Board of
Directors shall maintain in its policies a list of subject
matters that each educational institution must address in
its own policies and procedures, to include faculty
appointments, employment contracts, contract renewal,
contract termination, faculty organization, modified
service, sabbaticals, and dispute resolution.
3.10.6.7.29.1
Except as otherwise provided in these
bylaws, the board of regents on recommendation of the
president of the institution shall appoint all full-time
members of the faculty. The terms and conditions of every
appointment shall be stated in writing and be in the
possession of both the institution and the prospective
faculty member before the appointment is consummated.
Limitations of academic freedom because of the religious
and confessional nature and aims of the institution shall be
stated in writing at the time of the appointment and
conveyed to the person being appointed. Faculty members,
full- and part-time, shall pledge to perform their duties in
harmony with the Holy Scriptures as the inspired Word of
God, the Lutheran Confessions, and the Synod’s doctrinal
statements.
3.10.6.7.39.2
All initial appointments to persons serving
on theology faculties, or teaching classes in or cross-listed
with the theology department, shall require prior approval
by a majority vote of the President of the Synod (or his
designee), the chairman of the Council of Presidents (or his
designee), and a member of the Concordia University
System board selected by the chair, and shall include a
thorough theological review. The three voters shall be
ordained. The process shall be facilitated by the president
of Concordia University System. Initial appointment refers
to the initial engagement of any person to teach one or
more theology courses, regardless of assigned academic
department, other than faculty who teach theology courses
no more than one academic year in any three-year period.
3.10.6.7.49.3
A formal procedure shall be in place to carry
out performance reviews for all faculty on a regular basis.
Resolutions

3.10.6.7.59.4
Other than honorable retirement,
termination of faculty employment may only be the result
of the following:
(a) professional incompetency;
(b) incapacity for the performance of duty;
(c) insubordination;
(d) neglect of or refusal to perform duties of office;
(e) conduct unbecoming a Christian;
(f) advocacy of false doctrine (Constitution Art. II) or
failure to honor and uphold the doctrinal position of the
Synod as defined further in Bylaw 1.6.2 (b);
(g) discontinuance of an entire program (e.g., social
work, business);
(h) discontinuance of an entire division or department
(e.g., modern foreign language) or college (e.g., college
of business) of a college or university;
(i) reduction of the size of staff in order to maintain
financial viability in compliance with policies
concerning fiscal viability;
(j) discontinuance, merger, or consolidation of an entire
college or university operation;
(k) expiration of the term of a contract of employment;
and
(l) for those whose position requires membership in a
Synod congregation, if the person ceases to be a member
of a Synod congregation.
3.10.6.7.5.19.5
A faculty or staff member who is on a roster
of the Synod is under the ecclesiastical supervision of the
Synod. In the event a member is removed from membership
in the Synod pursuant to procedure established in these
Bylaws, then that member is also considered removed from
the position held and shall be terminated forthwith by the
board of regents.
3.10.6.7.5.29.6
An appeal process consistent with the
Model Operating Procedure Manual for Faculty and
Administration Complaints and Appeal of Termination:
Colleges and Universities (developed by the Commission on
Constitutional Matters in consultation with the Concordia
University SystemBylaw 3.6.6.1 [d]) shall be in place for use
by faculty members who wish to challenge a termination
decision. Notwithstanding the provisions of any such
policy, any person connected with an institution who is a
member of Synod shall also remain under the ecclesiastical
supervision of the Synod, and nothing in any such CUS
institution policy shall be construed to limit or constrain
any action that may be taken, or the rights or
responsibilities of any party, pursuant to the Synod’s
Handbook with respect to a member of Synod.
G. TO ENCOURAGE AND FACILITATE
SYNOD COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES’
BUSINESS CONSULTATION AND EFFICIENT
COORDINATION AND COLLABORATION
IN SHARED PROGRAMS AND SERVICES
Rationale
In the impression of the 2019 Res. 7-03 committee, the CUS
institutions’ success in the present environment—certainly
PROCEEDINGS OF THE 2023 (68TH) LCMS CONVENTION | 189