LCMS Convention Workbook St. Louis, Missouri — 1975, Page 275

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HIGHER EDUCATION

responses and service; the greater interpersonal involvements
developed among and between students and faculty members as
the context and stimulus for ministerial preparation; and the
adjustment of the continuing education offerings and concepts
in keeping with the changing interests, needs, and economic
pressures.

Directors of Christian Education

The number of directors of Christian education in service
increased again during the biennium. However, many more
parishes and groups of parishes need professional help in their
educational programs. Many more students are interested in
this type of ministry. Our colleges have some of the best experi-
ences and programs of any denomination in preparing Christian
educators. It is hoped these elements can be brought together,
in spite of the current economic pressures in our nation, to use
the opportunities for improvement in educational ministries
through greater use of directors of Christian education.

Finances

One of the areas in which the convention at New Orleans
gave specific assignments to the Task Force was that of finances,
especially “the basis for synodical subsidy.” The Task Force
has indicated that it gave major attention in its work to the issues
relating to finance and will also do so in its written report and
recommendations to the Synod.

The Board for Higher Education made available to the Task
Force all information it had assembled relating to financing
Synod’s colleges and also the studies and proposals relating
to subsidy. The board feels that one of the major decisions the
delegates need to make at Anaheim will be to determine the
basis for synodical subsidy in the future.

The board would like to pay special tribute to the adminis-
trators and faculty members at all the schools for the excellent
response during the biennium to the suggestions relating to
finance that were made by the board in its report to the New
Orleans convention. The board at that time had indicated that
“the information available to the Board for Higher Education —
including the records of past financial performance by the
church, the needs and challenges faced by the Synod as seen by
its leaders, the potential income for Synod from the members
of the church, the studies and projections concerning the
future of our schools, and the opinions available from promi-
nent men in the American higher educational scene — all indicate
that our schools can move ahead, under God, and will have the
funds needed to do an even more effective job of providing
workers for the church, if vigorous and concerted efforts are
made in at least four areas involving finance.”

The four areas then elaborated upon in the report related
to economy -—an increased belt-tightening and consolidation
without limiting objectives; subsidy—reversing the trend of
sharp drops in the various subsidy categories: student aid—
finding new sources and developing increases from existing
sources; and securing funds from “other sources” —“‘other”
than synodical subsidy and student fees. The schools did an
excellent job, in the board’s opinion, in dealing with the matters
of economy, student aid, and ‘‘other” sources.

Unfortunately the trend in subsidy was not reversed, and the
drop in synodical income projected for 1975 and the years
immediately ahead make such a reversal look unlikely at the
time of writing. This increases the need for a clear definition
of policy concerning future subsidy and a determination on the
part of all our members to provide the funds necessary to con-
tinue to meet the challenges and opportunities of ministerial
education in the future.

The tuition payments by students continued their climb
upward during the biennium, as shown in Figure 2. The continu-
ing decline in the percentage of income at the schools from
synodical subsidy is indicated in Figure 3. It should be noted
that although student fees increased sharply, the percentage
of total income from fees remained constant, indicating the
extent of inflation and the increased amounts received from
“other sources.”

Student Financial Aid

As student fees continue to increase, the need for student
financial aid also rises sharply. The majority of the students in
synodical schools come from homes with low-middle to middle
level incomes. Each significant increase in fees makes it neces-

275

FIGURE 2

Average Tuition Payments by
Students at Synodical Schools

250
Year: 63-64 6465 65-66 66—67 67-68 68-69 69-70 70-71 71-72 12~13 73-74

Educational fees only. Does not include room, board, capital-use fees, student
activities fees, health fees, church-work deposit, books, travel, or personal expenses.

FIGURE 3

Percent of Current Income from Synodical
Subsidy and Student Fees

41%

id Ss CT
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a rt _
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sient —s
a feed a Oa
an re Pt
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i a a

sary for an additional large number of students to enter the
group that requires some aid. Also, summer and part-time jobs
have become less plentiful than in the past.

Colleges have been finding new sources for student financial
aid. More state governments are providing direct aid to students.
More students are receiving federal grants and loans.

Some Districts of the Synod have made significant increases
in the amount of aid available through their committees. It is
hoped more of these will be making increases.

The board would like again to encourage more congregations
to provide aid for their students. In 1967, because the available
student financial aid funds had been inadequate to meet the
demand during the preceding 2 years, the Synod passed a con-
vention resolution encouraging each congregation to “include
aid for its students at synodical schools in the regular annual
congregational budget, or from its auxiliaries .. . and that
funds so designated be made available to the colleges and
seminaries for use in general student aid if no students from the
congregation are enrolled in a given year.” Many congregations
of the Synod responded to this request. The amount of con-
gregational aid increased sharply in the 2 years following that
convention.

However, the percentage of all aid that comes from home
congregations has been dropping again since 1969. Congrega-
tions that are providing aid are encouraged to increase the
amounts, and congregations that currently have no program
are urged to begin including an amount for student aid in their
regular budgets.

Facilities

During the biennium a new library, a women’s dormitory,
and an addition to the physical education facility were com-
pleted at Bronxville as it was expanded into a 4-year school.
None of the funds were furnished by the Board for Higher
Education. Alabama Lutheran Academy and College added a