To Request Transparency from Concordia University Wisconsin—Ann Arbor

Official Workbook overture source text

7-29 
To Request Transparency from Concordia 
University Wisconsin—Ann Arbor  
WHEREAS, The common goal of the Concordia University 
System (CUS) is to develop Christian leaders for the church, 
community, and the world; and 
W
HEREAS, Concordia University Wisconsin—Ann Arbor 
(CUWAA) has been developing Christian leaders for the church, 
community, and the world since 1963; and 
W
HEREAS, In a report dated Feb. 1, 2024, CFO Colleague, a 
financial consultancy for higher education institutions, analyzed 
recent financial performance for the university and concluded: 
The structural deficit for the combined entity of CUW and 
CUAA requires immediate and substantial attention. … It is 
difficult to see a way forward for CUAA, given its enormous 
deferred maintenance needs, inadequate [net tuition revenue] per 
student and the use of net tuition to fund athletic costs. … The 
time is now to craft a multi -year plan that addresses these clear 
challenges. (CUAA Task Force Report, May 31, 2024, 6–7) 
and 
W
HEREAS, Synod Bylaw 1.5.3.4 states, “All mission boards, 
commissions, and governing boards may appoint standing 
committees of specialists to provide professional or technical 
assistance to the board or commission and may delegate certain 
responsibilities to such committees while retaining supervision. 
Standing committees may be made up of or include non -board or 
commission members. The creation of standing committees shall be 
reported to the President and the Board of Directors of the Synod”; 
and 
W
HEREAS, In response to the CFO Colleague Report, the 
CUWAA Board of Regents, on Feb. 29, 2024, adopted a resolution 
for “a special subcommittee to explore the possibility of the Ann 
Arbor campus applying for self -governance within the Concordia 
University System” (CUAA Task Force Report , May 31, 2024, 7); 
and 
WHEREAS, Members of the special subcommittee reported that 
their work veered outside of the scope of the board’s resolution; and 
WHEREAS, Members of the subcommittee were either required to 
sign non-disclosure agreements (NDAs) or were removed from the 
special subcommittee; and 
WHEREAS, Synod Bylaw 1.5.3.5 states, “All agencies of the 
Synod shall develop policies and procedures for making available 
official minutes of their meetings. All mission boards and 
commissions shall develop policies and procedures to make 
available upon request and at a reasonable price a verbatim copy of 
the official minutes of their meetings except for executive sessions. 
Any member of the Synod may request a copy of any official 
minutes of mission boards or commissions by submitting a written 
or electronic (via email) request to the Secretary of the Synod, who 
shall provide such minutes according to the policy of the Board of 
Directors”; and 
WHEREAS, Synod Bylaw 3.10.6.1 (o) states, “In fulfilling its 
commonly understood fiduciary duties owed to the institution, and 
its governance responsibilities, the board of regents shall: maintain 
effective internal controls and operate with financial transparency, 
annually reviewing and approving the institutional budget and 
providing, within 30 days of board acceptance and final issuance of 
the institutional audit, audited financial statements and other 
information as specified in the policies of the Synod Board of 
Directors and to congregations of the Synod upon request”; and 
WHEREAS, Congregations of the Michigan District have 
requested these financial statements and have not received them 
from the CUWAA board; and 
WHEREAS, The congregations of the district desire to bear with 
CUWAA in love, eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the 
bond of peace (Eph. 4:1–5); and 
WHEREAS, The congregations of the district desire to walk as 
children of light and expose things done in secret to the light so that 
Christ would shine on all things (Eph. 5:8b–14); and 
W
HEREAS, The 2025 Michigan District convention directed 
formal requests to the CUWAA board to: 
• rescind the NDAs signed by the special subcommittee 
members as a sign of good faith and to restore the sacred 
trust and confidence in the process; 
• make available the verbatim copies of the official minutes 
and the video recordings of the meetings of the special 
subcommittee to the district presidents for the benefit of 
building national consensus on this issue; and 
• respond to the previous and all subsequent congregational 
requests for audited financial statements; 
therefore be it 
Resolved, That the Synod in convention encourage transparency 
in the financial states of the CUS schools and the Synod at large. 
Michigan District 
 
2026 Convention Workbook
436 UNIVERSITY EDUCA TION