Prayer service for Concordia University-Wisconsin

[peter_speckhard]

On an ironic note, Prez H thinks Mark Polzin should resign. And who is receiving CUW's Christo et Ecclesiae award at their commencement this weekend? Mark Polzin.

Oh, me, oh my. 

Here's your award.  And here's your hat.  What's your hurry?  Don't let that door hit you on the way out.

Jim, you know some of these bylaws and their history through time.  The "Prior Approval Panel" is in the middle of this situation.  Having been through a few leadership succession phases at Bronxville, we had something like it but not quite the way it is now, and then it became the three-person version it is these days.  It was a major, major hazard at one time in the Bronxville history.  Anyway, do you know the aegis?

Dave Benke

On the other hand, the recommendation was not public. I'm sure you have worked well with President Harrison on some matters despite very clearly not thinking he should keep his job. If the award is merited, I sure the recipient will handle serious disagreement with grace.

 

[Jim Butler]

Jim, you know some of these bylaws and their history through time.  The "Prior Approval Panel" is in the middle of this situation.  Having been through a few leadership succession phases at Bronxville, we had something like it but not quite the way it is now, and then it became the three-person version it is these days.  It was a major, major hazard at one time in the Bronxville history.  Anyway, do you know the aegis?

Dave Benke

No, I don't know the history of this by-law.

I do have a problem with it. It seems to me that it gives the SP a double vote: once for prior approval and again for the vote as president of the institution.

Fortunately, all things are in the Lord's hands, not mine!

[Michael Slusser]

Good news from CUW. For the third straight year, Concordia University Wisconsin has been named among the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel's best places to work.
     "“This honor really just confirms what those of us who work here have known all along: that Concordia University Wisconsin is a very special place to work,” said CUW Interim President Dr. William Cario. “This is a result of having a group of faith-minded people striving toward a common goal, and that is to glorify Christ in everything we do.”
https://blog.cuw.edu/cuw-named-2022-top-workplace/

Peace,
Michael

[John_Hannah]

If "wokeness" is covert and secret does it do any harm? I think not. Being public and aggressive is intrinsic to "wokeness." If you can't find it, it's not there.

Peace, JOHN

What if you can find it but some people don't see it? After all, that's what wokeness says is true of racism. It's always "unconscious" or "micro-" or "systemic" or otherwise requiring woke eyes or dog-whistle-attuned ears to discern it.

Say, for example, that there is a student union set aside strictly for black students. That is neither covert nor secret, it is an advertised fact. Is that wokeness that isn't there, or is that wokeness that is public and aggressive? My guess is that people would disagree on that question. Which is an example of why people disagree on this CUWAA kerfuffle.

I guess that someone needs then to save CUWAA and to save the synod. Who will come to our rescue? I am beginning to think that exactly that question is at the heart of this episode. Who will save the synod from the Woke people? Wait and see who it is that the powers that be put in.

Peace, JOHN

[peter_speckhard]

If "wokeness" is covert and secret does it do any harm? I think not. Being public and aggressive is intrinsic to "wokeness." If you can't find it, it's not there.

Peace, JOHN

What if you can find it but some people don't see it? After all, that's what wokeness says is true of racism. It's always "unconscious" or "micro-" or "systemic" or otherwise requiring woke eyes or dog-whistle-attuned ears to discern it.

Say, for example, that there is a student union set aside strictly for black students. That is neither covert nor secret, it is an advertised fact. Is that wokeness that isn't there, or is that wokeness that is public and aggressive? My guess is that people would disagree on that question. Which is an example of why people disagree on this CUWAA kerfuffle.

I guess that someone needs then to save CUWAA and to save the synod. Who will come to our rescue? I am beginning to think that exactly that question is at the heart of this episode. Who will save the synod from the Woke people? Wait and see who it is that the powers that be put in.

Peace, JOHN

I think that’s a tad overwrought. There are always societal and academic trends and always people for and against them. Sometimes they’re good trends and resistance to them is problematic, and sometimes they’re bad trends and lack of resistance to them is problematic. This is one such case, and it is a matter of discernment whether the Concordias should be known as universities like others but with a Lutheran flavor or whether they should clearly aim to be a substantive alternative to other universities. Wokeism is what other universities offer with near uniformity. If you think that is good, you think CUWAA should be normal. If you think that trend is bad, you think CUWAA should be an alternative to it.

[Rob Morris]

Grove City College fills out Federal forms? I thought that they had eliminated that requirement by getting rid of all federal funds.  I don't know why you keep referring to DEI (or is it DIE?) offices, which haven't come up in either case--CUW or GGC.

But do you, as the letter suggests, think that Grove City College is an effective model to help CUWAA get through its present difficulties?

Peace,
Michael

Accurate in the literal sense, but one of the recommendations of the Special Committee at Grove City was: Office of Multicultural Education and Initiatives...will be reconstituted and renamed to better fit its student-assistance mission, and to prevent veering into co-curricular activity.

I have kept a fairly close eye on this one: Grove City is my alma mater. I took Business Law and something else (can't remember what) from one of the members of the Special Committee asked to review the allegations of mission drift there.

[Michael Slusser]

Grove City College fills out Federal forms? I thought that they had eliminated that requirement by getting rid of all federal funds.  I don't know why you keep referring to DEI (or is it DIE?) offices, which haven't come up in either case--CUW or GGC.

But do you, as the letter suggests, think that Grove City College is an effective model to help CUWAA get through its present difficulties?

Accurate in the literal sense, but one of the recommendations of the Special Committee at Grove City was: Office of Multicultural Education and Initiatives...will be reconstituted and renamed to better fit its student-assistance mission, and to prevent veering into co-curricular activity.

I have kept a fairly close eye on this one: Grove City is my alma mater. I took Business Law and something else (can't remember what) from one of the members of the Special Committee asked to review the allegations of mission drift there.

Thanks. although I'm not sure which of the few statements in my post you think is "Accurate in the literal sense, but . . . " Probably the action of that Special Committee you refer to is what the letter-writer thought CUW should emulate. I read the documents on the Grove City College website, and I don't recall their mentioning any office such as Pr. Speckhard keeps referring to as an Office of D.E.I.

I taught 19 years in Pittsburgh and had a couple of positive encounters with Grove City College people.

Peace,
Michael

[Rob Morris]

Grove City College fills out Federal forms? I thought that they had eliminated that requirement by getting rid of all federal funds.  I don't know why you keep referring to DEI (or is it DIE?) offices, which haven't come up in either case--CUW or GGC.

But do you, as the letter suggests, think that Grove City College is an effective model to help CUWAA get through its present difficulties?

Accurate in the literal sense, but one of the recommendations of the Special Committee at Grove City was: Office of Multicultural Education and Initiatives...will be reconstituted and renamed to better fit its student-assistance mission, and to prevent veering into co-curricular activity.

I have kept a fairly close eye on this one: Grove City is my alma mater. I took Business Law and something else (can't remember what) from one of the members of the Special Committee asked to review the allegations of mission drift there.

Thanks. although I'm not sure which of the few statements in my post you think is "Accurate in the literal sense, but . . . " Probably the action of that Special Committee you refer to is what the letter-writer thought CUW should emulate. I read the documents on the Grove City College website, and I don't recall their mentioning any office such as Pr. Speckhard keeps referring to as an Office of D.E.I.

I taught 19 years in Pittsburgh and had a couple of positive encounters with Grove City College people.

Peace,
Michael

My comment about being accurate in the literal sense was to your statement: I don't know why you keep referring to DEI (or is it DIE?) offices, which haven't come up in either case--CUW or GCC.

While Grove City does not have a DEI office (only opponents call it DIE, a rather childish jab, in my opinion), the committee determined that the Office of Multicultural Education and Initiatives, formed within the last ten years, was beginning to serve such a role by a different name.

So, saying that no such office factored in there is literally accurate, but not entirely representative.

[Dave Benke]

Jim, you know some of these bylaws and their history through time.  The "Prior Approval Panel" is in the middle of this situation.  Having been through a few leadership succession phases at Bronxville, we had something like it but not quite the way it is now, and then it became the three-person version it is these days.  It was a major, major hazard at one time in the Bronxville history.  Anyway, do you know the aegis?

Dave Benke

No, I don't know the history of this by-law.

I do have a problem with it. It seems to me that it gives the SP a double vote: once for prior approval and again for the vote as president of the institution.

Fortunately, all things are in the Lord's hands, not mine!

Your observation is true - double vote influence.  I forget exactly how a long list of candidates was culled in the more distant past, but it wasn't through a Prior Approval Panel.  The Prior Approval Panel also is a three man apparatus, which is more cutthroat than with four on the panel.  Lots of 2-1 vote potential.

My favorite old school leader in this arena was Ralph Reinke, who was the executive for the Board for Higher Education.  He understood in a profound way the need for full and fair process in leadership selection, especially when it came to the four final votes - BHE (him), Synod President, Board of Regents and District President assigned the college. 

Dave Benke

[Mark Brown]

Grove City College fills out Federal forms? I thought that they had eliminated that requirement by getting rid of all federal funds.  I don't know why you keep referring to DEI (or is it DIE?) offices, which haven't come up in either case--CUW or GGC.

But do you, as the letter suggests, think that Grove City College is an effective model to help CUWAA get through its present difficulties?

Peace,
Michael

Accurate in the literal sense, but one of the recommendations of the Special Committee at Grove City was: Office of Multicultural Education and Initiatives...will be reconstituted and renamed to better fit its student-assistance mission, and to prevent veering into co-curricular activity.

I have kept a fairly close eye on this one: Grove City is my alma mater. I took Business Law and something else (can't remember what) from one of the members of the Special Committee asked to review the allegations of mission drift there.

Grove is also my Alma Mater.  I currently have a daughter attending.  (Her year just ended and her current major would have run across some of the names classes.)  And I'm pretty sure I've mused on here before how having an LCMS run school that was something competitive (like GCC or Hillsdale) would be a very interesting offering and task, instead of just being local credential factories.

But in regards to the GCC Special Committee, it's report was something unusual and refreshing.  It was straightforward.  It apologized for drift. And it promised accountable ways that the school was going to stop it. It was great leadership. Likewise, Harrison's letter was refreshing.  It was clear.  It said exactly where they saw problems.  These are the agreed upon rules.  Here is where those rules have been ignored.  And these are the people who have been responsible for that.  No real weasel words and actual accountability that people can follow. It gave me a slim amount of hope that as an institution we might have some actual leadership.

Now I can totally understand why those who would like to skinsuit an institution don't like such clarity.  But it is the type of thing we need to have.

[Dave Likeness]

For many decades Concordia University Wisconsin and its original
Concordia Junior College Milwaukee have been the top feeder to
our 2 LCMS seminaries.  Students who want to be church workers
as teachers or pastors are now rare indeed.  Yet CUW is still our
best provider of these dedicated students in the 21st century.

If by-laws have been broken in the search for a new CUW President,
then that situation needs to be rectified.  If members of the Board of
Regents have not acted in good faith, then they should humbly resign.
Concordia University Wisconsin deserves to get back on track as soon
as possible.  LCMS President Matt Harrison has acted in good faith.

[Steven W Bohler]

It appears that all the comments have been deleted at the Steadfast Lutheran site, although President Harrison's letter is still available.

[Dave Benke]

On an ironic note, Prez H thinks Mark Polzin should resign. And who is receiving CUW's Christo et Ecclesiae award at their commencement this weekend? Mark Polzin.

Oh, me, oh my. 

Here's your award.  And here's your hat.  What's your hurry?  Don't let that door hit you on the way out.

Jim, you know some of these bylaws and their history through time.  The "Prior Approval Panel" is in the middle of this situation.  Having been through a few leadership succession phases at Bronxville, we had something like it but not quite the way it is now, and then it became the three-person version it is these days.  It was a major, major hazard at one time in the Bronxville history.  Anyway, do you know the aegis?

Dave Benke

On the other hand, the recommendation was not public. I'm sure you have worked well with President Harrison on some matters despite very clearly not thinking he should keep his job. If the award is merited, I sure the recipient will handle serious disagreement with grace.

I watched as much as possible of the commencement and baccalaureate exercises at CUW this weekend.  What struck me was the emphasis on quality Christian education - mentioned in the first paragraph of the Harrison letter - and how gifted the institution is in both student population and faculty.  As an alumnus from a different era, I experienced the same quality and the same Lutheran Christian ingredients.  That was distributed to me among a set of course offerings dramatically more limited in the old epoch, when the student body was limited almost universally to church worker and pre-seminary course work.  For that reason, watching the graduates receive diplomas in such a wide-ranging grouping of fields was exhilarating.  To my eyes, the mission hasn't drifted - it has endured and pierced through to vocations and areas of study that can impact the world in ever-broadening ways, which is super. 

I'm still pretty confident I know who's going to be selected as the next President.  That's what this has been all about from the get-go.  At some point here in the near future, that decision will be made, and the burden and joy of carrying CUW and AA forward will fall on those shoulders.

Dave Benke

[Harry Edmon]

There is an article by Dr. Schulz in this morning's "The Federalist", which covered his suspension in March.  He argues that his suspension is an attack on academic freedom.

https://thefederalist.com/2022/05/16/christian-university-still-hasnt-reinstated-professor-it-kicked-out-after-he-criticized-identity-politics/

Is academic freedom different in a religious school versus other places? If so, how?

[John_Hannah]

On an ironic note, Prez H thinks Mark Polzin should resign. And who is receiving CUW's Christo et Ecclesiae award at their commencement this weekend? Mark Polzin.

Oh, me, oh my. 

Here's your award.  And here's your hat.  What's your hurry?  Don't let that door hit you on the way out.

Jim, you know some of these bylaws and their history through time.  The "Prior Approval Panel" is in the middle of this situation.  Having been through a few leadership succession phases at Bronxville, we had something like it but not quite the way it is now, and then it became the three-person version it is these days.  It was a major, major hazard at one time in the Bronxville history.  Anyway, do you know the aegis?

Dave Benke

On the other hand, the recommendation was not public. I'm sure you have worked well with President Harrison on some matters despite very clearly not thinking he should keep his job. If the award is merited, I sure the recipient will handle serious disagreement with grace.

I watched as much as possible of the commencement and baccalaureate exercises at CUW this weekend.  What struck me was the emphasis on quality Christian education - mentioned in the first paragraph of the Harrison letter - and how gifted the institution is in both student population and faculty.  As an alumnus from a different era, I experienced the same quality and the same Lutheran Christian ingredients.  That was distributed to me among a set of course offerings dramatically more limited in the old epoch, when the student body was limited almost universally to church worker and pre-seminary course work.  For that reason, watching the graduates receive diplomas in such a wide-ranging grouping of fields was exhilarating.  To my eyes, the mission hasn't drifted - it has endured and pierced through to vocations and areas of study that can impact the world in ever-broadening ways, which is super. 

I'm still pretty confident I know who's going to be selected as the next President.  That's what this has been all about from the get-go.  At some point here in the near future, that decision will be made, and the burden and joy of carrying CUW and AA forward will fall on those shoulders.

Dave Benke

Someone will save the synod from this blight! Good to know. "Near future" can't come too soon.

Peace, JOHN