Established by the 1992 Synod convention, the Concordia University System (CUS) unifies the universities of the Synod around our central mission to educate students for godly vocations in the Church and the world, with a biblical foundation and the Lutheran confession of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. The 2023 convention further refined this role by relieving CUS of operational responsibilities, allowing us to focus on our universities’ Lutheran identity and mission. CUS, under the leadership of its board of directors and new staff, has taken up the challenge of this mission and made great strides toward an established, lasting approach that implements the Synod’s convention decisions while honoring the academic freedom and autonomy of our institutions. CUS, as a synodwide corporate entity, serves as a buffer between corporate Synod and the five Synod universities, implementing the directions of the Synod’s conventions while maintaining the degree of separation required by national accrediting boards for our institutions. CUS accomplishes this delicate task through a system of visitation in accordance with Synod Bylaws and the best practices of the Lutheran educational tradition. Under the direction of our board of directors, the CUS staff has diligently maintained open lines of communication with our institutions and demonstrated the Synod’s care for our universities through extensive visits and financial support. Throughout our history, the Synod has entrusted us with the stewardship of a large endowment comprising many funds to support our institutions and student scholarships. The CUS staff also facilitates coordinated efforts among our universities to promote Lutheran higher education, recruit students, and drive collaborative improvement. CUS maintains a small staff to handle assigned tasks. The Rev. Dr. Dean O. Wenthe retired after ten years of service to CUS in 2024. Following the restructuring after the 2023 Synod convention, the CUS Board of Directors called the Rev. Dr. Jamison Hardy to serve as president, the Rev. Dr. Douglas Spittel to serve as vice-president, and the Rev. Dr. Paul Philp to serve as executive director of Concordia University System Education Network (CUEnet). CUS has completed the formal visitations to the universities. All have received the highest affirmation that CUS can give its schools. This first round of formal visitations has gone very well, and our schools are in a strong place regarding the Lutheran Identity and Mission Outcome Standards (LIMOS). In 2024, we overhauled our website, cus.edu. Visitors to the site now have access to information about all our universities; links to admissions departments; protocols, policies, and procedures governing our work; news from across the system; scholarship applications; and a donor portal. This report references several documents available on the website. Readers are encouraged to visit the site. CUS has successfully awarded 120 $5,000 scholarships to LCMS church work students in 2025. This effort has been an excellent new step towards funding church work education throughout the system. We are also seeking to expand our endowment funds to increase the number of scholarships we award. CUS staff have completed a new asset allocation across the portfolio with the LCMS Foundation to maximize returns on endowment funds. We are now working with the LCMS Foundation to expand our asset class and investment opportunities.
CUS, in partnership with Set Apart to Serve, held its first admissions summit at Concordia University Chicago in October. This event was grant-funded and brought together representatives from all the CUS schools and both seminaries. This event was highly productive and demonstrated the importance of the CUS operating more as a system rather than as a collection of independent universities in affiliation. Many great ideas and next steps emerged from the summit, and we will follow up on them. We continue to find ways to sponsor church events to gain recognition and build partnerships. CUS is now a sponsor of KFUO Radio’s The Coffee Hour, the Higher Things summer youth conferences, various district youth conferences, and the theological symposia at both of our seminaries. These sponsorships provide us with visibility among youth, pastors, and members of our beloved Synod. This has been a very successful endeavor. We look forward to the opportunities ahead in the coming triennium. We are working with all the universities on the CUS exhibit area for the Synod convention. Delegates and guests are invited to visit us. CUS has held discussions and conducted district visits to explore micro-campus options for church worker preparation. This is a district initiative through which we serve as a conduit for cooperation with the universities. We have worked with the Iowa East, Mid-South, Southern, and Southeastern districts to investigate sites and partnerships. This initiative is progressing well, and opportunities are increasing. We are focusing specifically on the “desert” areas of the country where we have no university campuses. Representatives from CUS met with Luther Classical College officials and the Wyoming district president to continue discussions on a potential partnership and CUS membership. Currently, Luther Classical College has articulation agreements with two of the five Concordia universities, allowing graduates to complete their education and certification at a CUS school. We are encouraging them to sign agreements with all CUS schools. CUS staff have also met with other independent educational start-ups to encourage adherence to the Synod’s biblical and confessional standards and engagement with the Synod’s existing system of universities and seminaries for the education of our roster ed church workers. Since the 2023 restructuring, renewed collaboration and partnerships between CUS and the university presidents have emerged. Our presence on campus, through visits and participation in meetings and events, has produced significant results in relationship-building and the growth of trust. The new visitation process is fully implemented, and we are already seeing positive results.
A. Convention Actions A.1. Res. 7-03, “To Call Concordia University Texas Leadership to Repentance” The CUS Board of Directors sent a letter to President Donald Christian on September 19, 2024, reiterating Resolution 7-03 and calling on Concordia University Texas “to reverse course and undo the damage it has done to itself and the countless faithful individuals and congregations that founded, prayed for, attended, and selflessly supported the school over these many years” and to “be reconciled to the church that mothered, nurtured and sustained you for so many years.” No response was received. CUS President Jamison Hardy has met with Texas District President Jon Braun ers reuther to discuss the matter and seek ways to diffuse the situation.
A.2. Res. 7-04B, “To Revise Bylaws to Revisit and Renew Relationship of Colleges and Universities with the Synod” The CUS Board of Directors has revised and amended the Articles of Incorporation and Bylaws of CUS in compliance with the 2023 convention’s ratification of Resolution 7-04B. After review by the Synod’s Commission on Constitutional Matters, these documents were filed with the Missouri Secretary of State. The CUS Board of Directors ratified the Lutheran Identity and Mission Outcome Standards (LIMOS) in 2024. The three-page document, which may be found at cus.edu, includes specific points to define and clarify the seven main standards: Identity Standard I—Ecclesiastical Mission and Goals The institution’s ecclesiastical mission and goals appropriately center on Christ, the Holy Scriptures, the Lutheran Confessions, and the shared confession and practice of The Lutheran Church— Missouri Synod. Identity Standard II—Spiritual and Academic Life
A.3. Res. 7-05A, “To Bring Accountability to Concordia Boards of Regents and to Improve Doctrinal Fidelity and Amenability to Ecclesiastical Supervision” In keeping with Bylaw 3.10.6.2.2, CUS works with the LCMS Board of Directors to provide orientation and ongoing education for elected and appointed members of the boards of regents of our several universities. The orientation is conducted in person. Follow-up education and training are delivered in person and online to ensure all regents have ready access to the material. Meetings with regents are also included in the visitation process, in the spirit of Resolution 7-05A, to keep regents involved in the implementation of Res. 7-04B, especially LIMOS IV and V. CUS staff have also been invited to attend regular regents’ board meetings to report on CUS activities and observe university governance. This comprehensive system of visitation has strengthened the Synod’s connection with our universities.
B. CUS Institution Data B.1. Enrollment
The spiritual and academic life of the institution reflects and embraces its ecclesiastical mission and goals. Identity Standard III—Student Recruitment and Student Life Student recruitment, student affairs, campus life, and other programs reflect and embrace the institution’s ecclesiastical mission and goals. Identity Standard IV—Planning and Resourcing Planning, resourcing, and personnel reflect and embrace the institution’s ecclesiastical mission and goals. Identity Standard V—Governance, Leadership, and Administration The governance, leadership, and administration of the institution foster and embrace the institution’s place in The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod. Identity Standard VI—Assessment of Effectiveness The institution’s assessment of its achievement of the Lutheran Identity and Mission Outcomes is foundational to and effective in advancing its ecclesiastical goals. Identity Standard VII—Handling and Resolving Concerns of Constituents The institution’s handling of legitimate concerns expressed by constituents is foundational to and effective in advancing its ecclesiastical goals.
B.2. Scholarships and Institutional Support
This document is supplemented by an evaluation tool that provides discussion-starting questions for use during formal and informal visits. The formal and informal visitations form the backbone of the implementation of Res. 7-04B. The CUS Board of Directors has established protocols for conducting these visits in accordance with the Synod Bylaws. Curriculum standards for programs leading to vocations in the church have also been established. All these documents are available to view on cus.edu.
In FY2026, Direct Student Scholarships were separated from General Institutional Support to better honor donor restrictions.
C. Concordia University System Education Network (CUEnet) CUEnet was founded in 1996 as a collaborative effort among CUS colleges and universities to provide online teacher colloquy education. Online teacher colloquy remains the primary activity of CUEnet. CUEnet’s offices are located in Bend, Ore., while students are served throughout the entire Synod. Administratively, CUEnet is responsible to the leadership of the CUS and the CUS campus presidents. In addition to providing online teacher colloquy, CUEnet also offers colloquy courses for those pursuing colloquy in other categories of commissioned ministry through one of the CUS colleges or universities. The first six courses (Old Testament, New Testament, History of Theology, Christian Doctrine, Lutheran Confessions, and Varieties of Belief) are common to all commissioned colloquy programs. As such, students may take these six courses with CUEnet if the institution through which they are seeking certification allows. CUEnet provides a seminar program, Gemstones, and Images of Faith as additional educational resources. These programs draw on material from the colloquy courses, along with additional materials, to further enhance Lutheran education within the Synod and beyond. Additional information will be shared about each of these elsewhere in this report.
C.1. Leadership Change During the 2023–26 triennium, CUEnet experienced a leadership change. Prior to the 2023 convention, several individuals who had previously served CUEnet for many years discontinued their service. CUEnet’s founder, the Rev. Dr. Ray Halm, was called to his eternal rest. CUEnet’s chief operations officer, Dr. Heather Stueve, accepted a call to serve at another LCMS ministry. Another long-time staff member also left CUEnet to pursue a different area of service. The result of these various staff changes was a period of vacancy, which included additional staff transitions. In the summer of 2024, the Rev. Dr. Paul A. Philp was called by CUS to serve as executive director of CUEnet. Dr. Philp served the ten years prior as the CUS director of institutional research and integrity. In that role, he regularly interfaced with the CUEnet staff on various issues and served as the CUS representative to the Colloquy Committee for Commissioned Ministry (CCCM). Dr. Philp was installed in September of 2024 and continues also to serve as assistant to the CUS president and CUS representative to the CCCM. Dr. Philp’s connections to the CUS, the individual CUS institutions, the CCCM, and CUEnet enable regular interaction and partnerships to continue the work of teacher colloquy.
C.3. Curriculum As noted above, the CUEnet courses include the first six courses common to all categories of the commissioned ministry colloquy. CUEnet’s curriculum includes two additional courses specific to teacher colloquy: Lutheran Teacher I and Lutheran Teacher II. Each course in the curriculum is offered in a month-long format. The courses are offered in an asynchronous format so that students may progress at their own pace. Students watch prerecorded course videos, read from various sources, and complete assignments, which are submitted to their course mentor. Each course is mentored by an ordained LCMS pastor with expertise in the course content area. CUEnet is currently blessed to have five pastors serving as mentors. Students may take courses each consecutive month, enabling them to complete the coursework portion of their colloquy journey in as little as eight months. The current CUEnet curriculum and associated videos are due for review and upgrade. This process is beginning and will be a significant focus during the 2026–29 triennium. Res. 7-04B required the CUS to develop theological and curricular standards for all programs leading to certification as a commissioned minister. This process has been undertaken, and the over arching theological standards have been completed. Phase II of this work, to develop program-specific standards, is currently underway. The CCCM is also responsible for developing standards for all categories of commissioned colloquy. This parallel but separate process is also currently transpiring. The CUEnet curriculum will be required to be responsive to these standards as it is revised and redesigned. As such, the curriculum review process timeline depends on the work of the CUS and the CCCM on standard development. An advisory committee will be formed to facilitate the curriculum review process. This committee will draw its membership from educational leaders and subject-matter experts across the Synod’s higher education institutions. District education executives and other Synod leaders will also be important resources for this committee. The committee will advise on the curriculum redesign and assist in course development. They will also review the course delivery model and seek to determine the best means for the future of online teacher colloquy course delivery.
C.4. CUEnet Non-Colloquy Offerings • Seminar is a program of theological study designed to enhance a non-Lutheran teacher’s understanding of the distinct teachings, practices, and identity of the Lutheran school in which they are teaching. The program surveys the major doctrines of the Lutheran Church and compares and contrasts these teachings with those of other Christian denominations and other religions. Compared with colloquy, seminar is a significantly shorter, less rigorous introduction to Lutheranism. It does not lead to becoming roster ed. Neither scholarships nor college credit is available.
- Images of Faith is a set of multimedia presentations designed to supplement a congregation’s catechism program. Complete with a handbook that offers discussion points and conversation starters, this collection of 23 videos covers topics including the Ten Commandments, the Creeds, the Lord’s Prayer, Baptism, the Lord’s Supper, and more. It is available at no cost to the congregations and schools of the LCMS, WELS, and ELS.
- Gemstones is an ever-expanding, searchable library of video presentations on a variety of theological topics. It is designed
C.2. Strategic Planning CUEnet is developing a strategic plan for the future. This strategic plan will build on CUEnet’s strengths in colloquy education and explore new and expanded ways for CUEnet to partner with various stakeholders in this area. A critical component of CUEnet’s strategic future will be strengthening its relationships with the CUS institutions it serves. Closer relationships with the campuses will enable sharing of ideas with content experts, strengthening CUEnet’s offerings. CUEnet will also seek to build strategic partnerships with other entities to bolster the work of CUEnet, increase philanthropic support for student scholarships, and develop added resources for use in the congregations and schools of the Synod.for church and school leaders to supplement sermons, Bible studies, conference presentations, and other educational activities. The videos are drawn from five courses in particular: Old Testament (Rev. Dr. Reed Lessing and Dr. Mark Meehl), New Testament (Rev. Dr. Michael Mid den dorf and Dr. Mark Meehl), Christian Doctrine (Rev. Dr. Joel Biermann), Lutheran Confessions (Rev. Dr. Robert Kolb), and Varieties of Belief (Rev. Dr. Lawrence Rast and Dr. Adam Francisco). Gemstones 2.0 was reintroduced on October 1, 2025, with a completely new front end that makes it easier to browse the many videos available for viewing. Both searching and browsing by lecturer, collection, or topic is now possible. Hundreds of videos, largely drawn from CUEnet’s flagship colloquy program, are available at no cost to the congregations and schools of the LCMS, WELS, and ELS after completing an easy sign-up process.
C.5. Enrollment and Recruitment CUEnet offers courses in a continuous format so that students may begin coursework throughout the year. In January 2026, CUEnet launched a pilot program offering all eight courses each month. This pilot program is designed to make it easier for students who may need to step away from coursework due to teaching or family obligations to reenter coursework at their convenience. Previously, they may have had to wait up to a month, or, in one unique circumstance, up to four months. CUEnet recognizes that her students are busy teaching the children in their classrooms while they are taking their courses. This pilot program is one way to increase flexibility. The increased flexibility for students in the pilot program also means it is now possible to begin teacher colloquy in any month the student becomes eligible. CUEnet partnered with Set Apart to Serve (SAS) of the LCMS to develop a web in ar on the teacher colloquy process. In October of 2025, CUEnet and SAS hosted a live web in ar with over 100 participants throughout the hour-long presentation. The web in ar was recorded and is available on the SAS section of the LCMS website. CUEnet is exploring opportunities to offer web in ars of this nature on a regular and ongoing basis. In addition to opportunities such as the web in ar noted above, CUEnet recruits via mailers sent to those serving in Lutheran schools who are not on the Synod roster. CUEnet is also regularly present at events for teachers hosted by the Synod, including district and Lutheran Education Association functions and others. CUEnet leadership meets on an annual basis with the district education executives as part of its recruitment strategy. CUEnet enrollment tends to fluctuate with the time of year, reflecting the activities in which teachers are engaged. Nevertheless, the average enrollment for CUEnet has remained between 50 and 60 students per month. CUEnet will be evaluating the effect of the pilot program of monthly courses as it relates to enrollment. The current course model, with the use of mentors, allows for scaling up and down as enrollment fluctuates. CUEnet can always accommodate additional students. The chart below provides enrollment data for the 2023–26 triennium through January of 2026. Completion data is also included.
2023–25 Enrollment. The statistics for enrollment for the final months of the 2023–26 triennium were not available at the time of the publication deadline.
C.6. Tuition and Scholarships Current (academic year 2025–26) tuition is $974 per course. The total cost of the eight courses is $7,292 before any scholarships are applied. CUEnet has received a generous scholarship grant that covers $400 per course for each student in the current academic year. Many students also receive scholarship assistance from their LCMS district and the ministry in which they are currently serving. Additional fees include $50 for the endorsement process and $172 for the Logos library subscription. Tuition, scholarship amounts, and costs are subject to change.