To Amend Bylaw 3.10.5.7 to Address Seminary Adjunct Faculty

Official Workbook overture source text

6-10 
To Amend Bylaw 3.10.5.7  
to Address Seminary Adjunct Faculty 
WHEREAS, Both Concordia Seminary and Concordia 
Theological Seminary make use of contracted faculty,  bearing 
various titles including  “ adjunct faculty ,” “ guest instructors ,” 
“guest professors,” or “visiting instructors” (hereafter “adjuncts”); 
and  
WHEREAS, The standard procedure is that adjuncts are appointed 
by the p resident through the provost and in consultation with the 
pertinent department chairman. Their services to the s eminary are 
provided on a contractual  basis, rather than through a c all to the 
faculty; and 
WHEREAS, Adjuncts must conform to the doctrinal standards of 
The Lutheran Church— Missouri Synod by upholding the accepted 
doctrinal statements of the Synod, including Article II of the Synod 
Constitution; and 
WHEREAS, CCM Op. 23-3031, “Seminary Adjunct Faculty,” has 
determined that “No bylaw sets forth specific procedures for 
appointment of part-time or temporary faculty,” (i.e. adjuncts); and 
WHEREAS, The lack of an adjunct specific bylaw has resulted in 
CCM Op. 23-3031 stating that “[t]he [seminary] board [of regents] 
could choose to undertake such appointments directly, or it could 
choose to permit  the president to undertake such appointments 
subject to ultimate approval or ratification by the board. The board 
could also choose to delegate this task to a committee in accordance 
with Bylaw 1.5.3.3. These examples are not intended to exhaust all 
legitimate possibilities; so long as the choices of the b oard do not 
conflict with another express provision of the Bylaws, it is free to 
accomplish its task of ‘approving’ as it sees fit”; and 
WHEREAS, The lack of an adjunct specific bylaw has also 
resulted in C CM Op. 23-3031 stating “ [o]ur analysis begins with 
Bylaw 3.11. Bylaw 3.11.1 (a) provides that ‘[m]embers of the 
Synod who are appointed to positions requiring an ordained 
minister or commissioned minister shall receive a solemn call.’ If a 
specific position being filled by a part-time faculty member requires 
that the person filling that position be an ordained or commissioned 
minister (rather than merely incidentally being filled by one), then 
Bylaw 3.11.1 (a) would require that person to receive a solemn call. 
Having received a call into that specific position, the position would 
be a ‘called position’ under the Bylaws, including Bylaw 4.4.3 (a)”; 
and 
WHEREAS, Such a practice of c alling and installing adjuncts 
would be administratively cumbersome and would be 
counterproductive for the seminary and for the church; and 
WHEREAS, The ordinary delegation of this responsibility to the 
seminary president and administration is wise, and workable; and 
WHEREAS, The boards of regents at both seminaries have for 
decades, understood the Synod Bylaws to require board approval of 
regular full -time faculty members but not to require direct board 
approval of adjuncts; therefore be it 
Resolved, That the Synod in convention amend Bylaw  3.10.5.7 
as follows: 
PRESENT/PROPOSED WORDING 
Seminary Faculties 
3.10.5.7 The faculty of each theological seminary of the Synod shall 
consist of the president, the full -time faculty, and the part -time 
faculty. 
… 
(c) Adjunct instructors must conform to the doctrinal standards 
of The Lutheran Church — Missouri Synod by upholding the 
accepted doctrinal statements of the Synod, including Article II 
of the Constitution of the Synod. Such adjuncts are appointed by 
the president through the provost and in consultation with the 
pertinent department chairman. Their services to the seminary are 
provided on a contractual basis. Adjuncts are not called to the 
faculty. The president of the institution shall make known to the 
respective board of regents the names and duties of the adjuncts, 
the boards ratifying the adjuncts. 
Board of Directors 
Iowa East District 
Ov.