Brothers and Sisters:
I am grateful for the outpouring of love and concern from so many about the future of Concordia University Ann Arbor (CUAA). As you are well aware of, many changes have already taken place and many more are to come. We look to the Lord of the Church to guide the ministry of the Ann Arbor campus of Concordia Wisconsin and all our Concordias.
In response to a desire to sustain the trajectory of CUAA, earlier this year many participated in the effort from the Michigan District to raise $5,000,000 for the District to support the anticipated operating deficit for the 2024-2025 school year. That effort included contingencies related to distribution of those funds as determined by the Michigan District Board of Directors relative to developments of CUAA’s direction. As reported in August, the District Board determined that Concordia would not receive the funding because it had fallen short of those contingencies and the funds that had been received would instead be directed to District scholarship programs as was indicated on pledge materials.
The Board of Directors directed my office to contact all donors and give them the following options:
- Have their gift go toward scholarships.
- Have their gift directed to the operating deficit at CUAA.
- Have their gift sent to their local congregations.
- Have their gift applied to other District ministries.
- NOTE: Due to IRS regulations gifts could not be returned.
Any donors who did not respond would have their gifts applied to the scholarship category.
We have been in touch with financial officers at Concordia Wisconsin who have worked with us to identify the number of full-time students (48 church work and 565 other) at CUAA and given us a path to provide financial assistance to them. Our intention is to provide $2,000 to all full-time church work students and $1,750 to all other full-time students.
We are glad to announce that the following funds will be distributed accordingly. (All numbers rounded.)
There is an additional $1,500,000 that was committed to this effort that we do not anticipate collecting.
We are grateful that so many journeyed with us on a path that (ultimately) proved disappointing. We will work together toward the future of Lutheran Christian higher education in the Michigan District.
…eyes on Jesus…
Rev. David A. Davis
President, Michigan District, LCMS
