Official Workbook report source text
Official Workbook source-navigation report record. No analysis has been added.
- Report number/id
- R14.5
- Report title
- R14.5 Concordia University Wisconsin and Ann Arbor
- Workbook start page
- 93
- Workbook end page
- 95
- Source pages
- 93, 94, 95
- Source status
- source_checked
- Committee
- Not available
R14.5 Concordia University Wisconsin and Ann Arbor A. Introduction As of the fall 2025 census, Concordia University Wisconsin and Ann Arbor (CUWAA) serves 5,025 students at its two campuses and online. The university’s six schools offer 84 undergraduate ma- Feet Mission Conference and a CSP-specific winter vocation retreat. • Receiving the 2025 Formal Visitation Report from the CUS which “affirmed without concerns Concordia University, St. Paul, and each of its implemented church work programs.” • Calling the Rev. Dr. Mark Koschmann to serve as CSP’s Chief Mission Officer and Vice President of Faith and Min- istry. • Calling Joshua Schumacher (LCMS commissioned teacher) as head football coach. • Calling the Rev. Dr. Kendall Davis to serve as Assistant Pro- fessor of New Testament Studies. • Calling DCE Shelly Schwalm as Assistant Professor of Christian Ministry and Director of Christian Education pro- gram director. • Calling the Rev. Dr. Ryan Peterson to serve as Senior De- velopment and Church Relations Officer, where he engag- es donors and the broader CSP community and leads CSP Sundays. • Calling Dr. Paul von Kampen as Director of Choral Activities and Director of Church and School Engagement Through the Fine Arts, where he engages with the church through music. • Holding events through the Center for Biblical Studies—un- der the direction of the Rev. Dr. Reed Lessing—to provide ongoing training and resources for clergy, commissioned workers, and laypeople. More than 850 unique individuals have attended these events since the center launched in 2021. • Sponsoring participant Bibles for the 2025 LCMS Youth Gathering. • Visiting LCMS congregations for CSP Sundays, where the Rev. Dr. Ryan Peterson or another faculty member preaches and leads Bible studies. CSP led 20 Concordia Sundays in the 2024–25 academic year and will lead another 20 or more by the end of the 2025–26 academic year. • Offering the Lutheran Higher Education Seminar for new faculty and staff to explore the richness of Lutheran theology and how it shapes their vocations at CSP. • Hosting the annual Gundermann Reformation Lecture and Confessio: A Retreat on the Lutheran Confessions. • Partnering with LCMS organizations like the Association of Lutheran Secondary Schools, Lutheran Education Asso- ciation, and National Association of Directors of Christian Education. • Attending numerous district conventions and pastors’ con- ferences throughout the eight-district region that surrounds CSP. D. Conclusion God has richly blessed Concordia University, St. Paul, through- out the past triennium as we continue to “prepare students … in the context of the Christian Gospel.” While we celebrate our successes, we also acknowledge the challenges that lie ahead. The following SWOT analysis summarizes our current position as we look for - ward to our next 133 years under God’s grace. 2026 Convention Workbook 94 OFFICER, BOARD, AND COMMISSION REPORTS D. Health Professions Overall, our various healthcare studies programs play a primary role at both campuses and remain a strength of the university. These programs include nursing, athletic training, physician assistant studies (in Ann Arbor), occupational therapy, and physical therapy. They attract highly qualified students and strengthen the academic reputation and financial position of our university. E. Core Revisions The faculty is in the process of revising the core curriculum to provide a unified, coherent educational foundation for all under - graduate students and to be more transfer friendly. F. Artificial Intelligence The faculty has developed undergraduate and graduate pro- grams that prioritize professional and ethical applications of artifi- cial intelligence. A faculty task force is also developing policies and practices to guide the implementation and management of artificial intelligence across the domains of teaching and learning. G. Campus Master Plan The Synod’s Board of Directors has approved a new campus master plan for the university. The first phase of the plan covers the next five years and includes these projects at the Mequon campus: a revitalization and expansion of the nursing facilities, a revitaliza- tion and expansion of fine arts space, development of new space and place for engineering, the transformation of the library into a learning commons, and the renovation of the chapel to include a baptistry, an expanded narthex/gathering space, and a bell tower. The next projects envisioned for the Ann Arbor campus include the development of the Maier Center and a fitness center. H. Strategic Plan For the past two years, the university has followed its strategic plan, Wholeheartedly, We Will, with these four strategic pillars: 1. Live our mission. 2. Create transformational student experiences. 3. Secure resources for mission. 4. Enhance the CUWAA strategic model. At the time of the writing of this report, the majority of plan initiatives are completed or nearing completion. The university in- tends to begin the next iteration of strategic planning in 2026. I. Conclusion While the university continues to face the same disruptions and challenges as any other university in the nation, it is financially stable, strong in its missional commitments, and, most importantly, faithful to the truths of Holy Scripture. In fact, during the 2025 formal Concordia University System visit to assess the universi- ty’s ability to address the Synod’s Lutheran Identity and Mission Outcome Standards (based on 2023 Res.7-04B), the team identified no major concerns. CUWAA, as a Lutheran university community, will continue to prioritize the Christian tradition, foster a culture of thoughtful innovation, and prepare students—grounded in Christ— for lives of faithful service in their vocations, serving the Church and loving their neighbor in the world. Erik P. Ankerberg, President jors and programs, 19 graduate/master’s degrees and programs, 9 doctoral/professional programs, 2 associate degrees, and 43 certifi- cate programs. The university’s largest programs include business, education, computer science, nursing, and rehabilitation science programs. CUWAA is strongly committed to preparing profession- al church workers as described in section C. B. Changes at Ann Arbor Campus In 2013, Concordia University Wisconsin (CUW), out of a sense of generosity and support for the work of the Church, ac- quired Concordia University Ann Arbor (CUAA). Because of that acquisition, CUAA ceased to exist legally as an independent entity, and instead served as a branch campus of CUW. In 2023, CUW’s internal financial review determined that the university had, over the past decade, experienced $4–5 million (M) (~16.5 percent) in annual operating losses at the Ann Arbor campus. The review also documented that from 2013–23, CUW invested more than $90M in the Ann Arbor campus. An external evaluation of the finances of the Ann Arbor campus in 2023 determined that the financial model for the Ann Arbor campus was unsustainable and recommended that the campus should be reduced or closed. The board of regents, after exploring numerous options, voted in 2025 to reduce operations and move all remaining programming to the North Building, which is approximately 1.5 miles from the Geddes Road campus. The uni- versity is actively fulfilling these four commitments: 1. Continuing physical presence in Michigan 2. Delivering academic programs that align fully with the mis- sion of the university 3. Delivering high-quality academic programs 4. Achieving a financially sustainable model for the Ann Arbor campus In addition to the online Lutheran Ed program, the university will continue to pursue the reintroduction of face-to-face church work programs in Ann Arbor if the university is able to achieve the fourth commitment. At the time of the writing of this report, the university has not finalized any plans for the sale or development of the Geddes Road campus. The university has determined to retain the property the Michigan District office occupies and maintain its lease with the Michigan District. C. Church Work CUWAA remains deeply committed to preparing professional church workers for service in the Synod. The university’s church work programs include Pre-Seminary, Lutheran Teacher Diploma, Parish Music, and the Synod’s only Director of Christian Ministry (DCM) program. As of the fall 2025 census, the university serves 235 church work students in those programs as follows: 47 pre-seminary, 122 Lutheran teacher, 34 DCM, and 4 parish music. As these numbers indicate, CUWAA continues to promote and prioritize its church work programs. In the 2025–26 academic year, the average church work student paid $0 out of pocket for tuition. In order to support the students enrolled in those programs, the university is continually evaluat - ing and enhancing its commitment to its church work scholarship program and seeking new ways to partner with the church broadly. 2026 Convention Workbook 95 OFFICER, BOARD, AND COMMISSION REPORTS o Rotating history exhibits in the exhibition hall in the CHI building on the campus of Concordia Seminary, St. Louis • The 80-page, illustrated Concordia Historical Institute Quarterly (CHIQ), the longest-running journal of Lutheran history in North America, now in its 99th year • A redesigned, smartphone-friendly website with access to the CHI catalogs and offering an expanding array of down- loadable historical resources • An annual awards program—now in its 53rd year—recog - nizing excellence in publishing Lutheran historical scholar - ship • A newly launched CHI Monograph Series, making signif- icant research in historical topics available in English and other languages • Hill of Peace Lutheran Memorial in Friedenberg, Missou- ri—a historic touchstone of 19th-century Lutheran faith and life B. Major Accomplishments Over the Last Triennium B.1. Developed and Shared Resources to Observe/ Commemorate Synod-Related Anniversaries Over the past three years, CHI has produced and shared a wide range of resources to commemorate key anniversaries in Synod his- tory, including the following: • Fall 2021: A museum exhibit marking the 500th anniversary of the first numismatic portrait of Martin Luther, featuring more than 70 artistic portrayals of Luther, Katharina von Bora, Philip Melanchthon, and Frederick the Wise • Spring 2022: The 175th anniversary of the LCMS, observed through a special full-color CHIQ issue, a commemorative bronze medal, 49 downloadable biographies, new publica - tions, and Walther Roundtable XXXIII • Fall 2022: Online museum exhibit commemorating the 500th anniversary of Martin Chemnitz’s birth • 2022–2023: Multiple CHIQ essays and issues recognizing LCMS World Relief and Human Care, Deaf Ministry, the Evangelical Lutheran Synodical Conference, and the 1973 New Orleans convention • 2024: Extensive observance of the 50th anniversary of the 1974 Concordia Seminary walkout, including bibliogra - phies, special issues, and a major scholarly publication • 2024–2026: Commemorations of KFUO Radio, missionary journeys, global mission work, the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod, and Lutheran history in the United States CHI is preparing to commemorate upcoming ethnic ministry and mission anniversaries in Brazil, Latin America, and Japan in the next three years, supported by museum exhibits, multilingual publications, and special presentations. B.2. Expansion and Greater Accessibility of CHI’s Archival Collection CHI has continued to prioritize the retrieval and preservation of records from closed Synod congregations, institutions, and church leaders. Significant progress includes the processing of archival