Workbook page: 419
PDF page: 454
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LCMS 2026 Convention Workbook: Reports and Overtures, PDF page 454
of the Synod (or a designee) shall review and verify that nominees are qualified to serve as stated above. 3.69.6.3 The presidents (including interim presidents) of Synod’s colleges and universities in good standing shall, along with two nonvoting members designated by the Concordia University System Board of Directors Commission for University Education, comprise the Concordia University System Institution Advisory Council. The Institution Advisory Council shall, as specified elsewhere in these bylaws and upon request, provide advice, consultation, and access to information as necessary to facilitate Concordia University System Commission for University Education ecclesiastical review, on the Synod’s behalf, of the schools’ Lutheran identity and mission outcomes under the Standards (Bylaw 3. 69.6.1 [a] and 3.69.6.4). It shall also, as bylaws elsewhere specify and upon request, advise Concordia University System the Commission for University Education in its responsibilities as they relate to programs leading to candidacy for commissioned ministry and to seminary enrollment. Lutheran Identity and Mission Outcomes Standards, Ecclesiastical Visitation 3.69.6.4 The Concordia University System Board of Directors Commission for University Education shall, after input from its Institution Advisory Council, define and adopt the Lutheran Identity and Mission Outcomes Standards (“Standards”), a regularly published policy document containing standards for ecclesiastical visitation and affirmation of institutions and of programs leading to candidacy for commissioned ministry or to preparedness for seminary study. (a) The Standards shall express the Synod’s expectations for its college or university, including fidelity of campus curriculum and culture intended to propagate the faith, strong theology and campus ministry programs having positive and intentional interaction with the entire faculty and student population and with all curricular programs, and success in preparation of church workers for the Synod and of Lutheran laypeople for distinctively faithful lives of service to church and neighbor and in conveying to all students a clear understanding of the essentials of the faith, generally and in specific relation to their particular vocations. (b) The Standards shall be elaborated to support both formative and summative functions. They shall engender local development and provide for outside monitoring of formative processes, engaging all institutions fully in intentional and measurable programs intended to advance their expression of Lutheran identity and accomplishment of mission outcomes. They shall also enable the drawing of summative conclusions, concretely identifying strengths and weaknesses in institutions and programs, ultimately to prov ide clear rationale for decisions about continuation or termination of affirmation. (c) In addition to the standards with institution- wide applicability, the Concordia University System Commission for University Education shall develop and maintain supplemental program standards specific to each type of program intended to result in candidacy for one of the Synod’s categories of commissioned ministry or in preparedness for seminary study. Such program standards shall specif y, for example, the instructional and practical curricular requirements expected to be satisfactorily completed prior to qualification for first call or for granting of credit by a seminary for pre- seminary studies. The Concordia University System commission shall develop pre- seminary curricular standards after input from the seminaries of the Synod. (d) The Standards shall be made publicly available on the Synod’s website and as otherwise determined by Concordia University System Commission for University Education. 3.69.6.4.1 Synod colleges and universities shall undergo Synod visitation with respect to the Lutheran Identity and Mission Outcomes Standards, both comprehensively as institutions and with regard to the specific requirements of each implemented program intended to result in candidacy for one of the Synod’s categories of commissioned ministry or in preparedness for seminary study. (a) Ordinarily each college or university shall receive a formal institutional and program visitation at least once in each Synod national convention cycle. These regular, formal visitations shall attend to both formative and summative elements, evaluating present performance relative to the Standards but also fostering, monitoring, and advancing initiatives in pursuit of the Standards. A focused review of a specific alleged breach of the Standards, however, may be initiated by Concordia University System the Commission for University Education at any time. (b) Concordia University System The commission may, if a regular or focused review finds that an institution or program is at risk of not fulfilling the Standards, place the institution or program under a notice of concern, which may, at Concordia University System the commission ’s option, be made public. Concordia University System The commission may lift the notice at any time it determines the risk has been satisfactorily addressed. (c) Concordia University System The commission may, upon finding an institution to be in breach of the Standards, either on the basis of a regular visitation report or a focused review, place the institution on probation for up to a two- year period. If Concordia University System the commission determines that substantial progress has been made and that verifiable plans and resources are in place to bring the institution into compliance, then Concordia University System the commission may extend probation once for one year, but to no more than three years total. Concordia University System The commission may lift the probation earlier if the institution is brought into compliance. An institution not in compliance at the conclusion of the probationary period is no longer affirmed by the Synod, can no longer declare graduates qualified for placement, and is no longer commended by Concordia University System the commission to the church. (d) Concordia University System The commission may, upon finding a church work preparation program to be in breach of the Standards, either on the basis of a regular visitation report or of a focused review, place the program on probation for up to a one - year period. If Concordia University System the commission determines that substantial progress has been made and that verifiable plans and resources are in place to bring the program into compliance, then Concordia University System the commission may extend probation once for up to one year, but to no more than two years total. Concordia University System The commission may lift probation earlier if the program is brought into compliance. A program not in compliance at the conclusion of the probationary period is no longer affirmed by the Synod and therefore its graduates cannot be declared as qualified for initial placem ent and the program cannot be commended or acknowledged as a suitable program of pre-seminary preparation. (e) An institution or program under probation has not lost affirmation but is not “in good standing with the Synod” for purposes of these Bylaws. 3.69.6.4.2 After input from its Institution Advisory Council, the Concordia University System Board of Directors Commission for University Education shall implement and maintain policies governing, and shall supervise, the process of formal visitation for the Synod’s colleges and universities on the basis of the Lutheran Identity and Mission Outcomes Standards. (a) In preparation for visitation and affirmation review, each institution and church work program shall provide, on the basis of a thorough self-study, a written report evidencing compliance with the criteria and core components of the Standards, as evaluated by the stated measurable factors, as well as indicating 2026 Convention Workbook 419UNIVERSITY EDUCATION