Official Handbook Source Text
Handbook page 139
Source: LCMS Handbook 2023, page 139.
This page reproduces text from the 2023 LCMS Handbook for study and navigation. Readers should verify procedural, legal, parliamentary, or governance questions against the official LCMS Handbook and appropriate LCMS authorities.
initial application, or initiate withdrawal of affirmation; or (5) initiate further investigation, with the same or a new visitation team.
(d) The institution reviewed may within 30 days of being notified of Concordia University System’s visitation determination(s) submit a written appeal and/or response to Concordia University System’s determination. Once Concordia University System has, within 30 days of its receipt, considered and acted upon any such appeal, its determination is final and not subject to further appeal.
(e) Within the above 30-day period for request of an appeal or within seven days of receipt of Concordia University System’s negative action on a requested appeal, an institution may state a corrective action plan and request Concordia University System, acting in its sole discretion, to grant a delay of up to six months in the publication of a negative visitation result to allow initiation of the plan. Concordia University System may at its option require a summary of the action plan, composed by the insti tution and approved by Concordia University System, to be published with any revised visitation outcome.
(f) At the conclusion of the above, the visitation status of each institution and its programs, together with summary reports of visitation reviews, any imposition(s) of notice or probation, and any withdrawal(s) of affirmation, shall be timely made available to the Synod through a publicly accessible website. The information presented shall be of a depth and character that would allow members of the Synod to evaluate the churchly character, relative value, and mission effectiveness of each institution and program, and to understand concretely the steps being taken to improve the same.
(g) Visitation teams, composed of members of member congregations of the Synod and assembled and organized by Concordia University System, shall include representation from peer boards of regents, administrations, and faculties, and a district president having ecclesiastical supervision of peer institution faculty, all with demonstrated excellence in advancing and achieving the Standards.
They shall also include representation drawn from the member congregations and ministerium of the Synod and representati ve of their interests in the institutions. The Institution Advisory Council, the Council of Presidents, the Board for National Mission, the Synod Board of Directors, members of the Concordia University System Board of Directors, and President of the Synod may nominate visitors. Each visitation team will be constituted of not less than four members and not more than seven members.
(h) An institution receiving a visitation team shall be notified in advance of the membership of the team. Either the institution or any member of such a team may challenge the participation of any member on the basis of actual partiality or the appearance the reof. Concordia University System shall have in place a procedure for responding to any such challenge within 30 days. A finding by Concordia University System of actual partiality or the appearance thereof shall disqualify the member from participating in the visitation. Concordia University System may at its option replace any member so disqualified or continue with the reduced visitation team.
