wfn.org | Results of Study on Lutheran Colleges and Universities Reported

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ELCA NEWS SERVICE

October 8, 1999

RESULTS OF STUDY ON LUTHERAN COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES REPORTED
99-246-MR

     CHICAGO (ELCA) -- Lutheran colleges are far more effective than
leading public  universities at involving students in the classroom,
according to "Reclaiming Lutheran Students," a study prepared by the
Lutheran Educational Conference of North America (LECNA).  The board of
the Division for Higher Education and Schools (DHES) of the Evangelical
Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) received results of the study at its
meeting here Sept. 24-26.
     The 28 colleges and universities of the ELCA are also more
effective than leading public universities at creating interaction
between students and professors;  engaging students in internships,
foreign study and other applied learning opportunities; generating
student participation in music, theater, athletics, student service and
other extracurricular programs; and integrating consideration of values
and ethics in classroom discussions, providing students of all faiths
with greater opportunities for the development of faith and values, said
Lee Johnson, director of admissions at Concordia College, Moorhead,
Minn.  Johnson delivered the findings of the study to the DHES board.
     The study's project committee, composed of presidents and
directors of Lutheran colleges and universities, concluded that Lutheran
institutions compete for students with public and other private
institutions.
     "Recapturing a market share of Lutheran students will effectively
address admission challenges at many LECNA member colleges," Johnson
said.  ELCA colleges and universities are members of LECNA.
     The study was undertaken "because relatively few Lutheran high
school students choose to attend a Lutheran college," said Arne Selbyg,
ELCA director for colleges and universities.  "The proportion of
students (at ELCA higher education institutions) raised in Lutheran
congregations has been decreasing."
     Most ELCA colleges have increased their total enrollment, and "are
in healthier financial situations than a few years ago," said Selbyg.
     "Presidents of Lutheran colleges and universities wanted to know
how the educational experience at their institutions compared to the
education offered by other private and public institutions.  They also
wanted to know how it compared to what parents of Lutheran high school
students were looking for and what church leaders were looking for from
ELCA colleges and universities," Selbyg said.
     Researchers asked 640 church leaders and 900 parents of ninth- and
10th-graders what their expectations were for an undergraduate
education.  About 600 alumni of Lutheran colleges, 600 alumni of other
private colleges, 600 alumni of leading public universities, and 600
alumni of other public colleges and universities were asked to what
extent undergraduate experiences influenced their careers and lives.
     More than 85 percent of Lutheran college and university graduates
surveyed said they benefitted from small classes (an average of 20
students per classroom), while 35 percent of leading public institution
graduates surveyed said they experienced small classes, Johnson
reported.
     Sixty percent of Lutheran college graduates said one or more of
their professors served as mentors, while 40 percent of public
university alumni provided a similar response.
     More than 80 percent of Lutheran colleges examined reported
personal interaction between students and faculty, while 50 percent of
public colleges studied reported faculty and student interaction,
Johnson said.
     "There was a stronger sense of community among students attending
Lutheran higher education institutions than students attending public
colleges and universities," Johnson said.
     More than 90 percent of Lutheran colleges surveyed employ high
quality, teaching-oriented faculty, whereas 76 percent of public
institutions reviewed said they employ high-quality, teaching-oriented
faculty.
     "Claims Lutheran colleges and universities can make about the
undergraduate experience include a commitment to good teaching and a
personalized learning experience, a strong sense of community and the
value of involvement beyond the classroom, and the integration of faith
and values into the college experience," Johnson told the DHES board.
     "We can claim that graduates of Lutheran colleges and universities
are better prepared for vocations, express a different set of values,
and are more involved in their churches and communities than alumni of
larger public universities," Johnson said.
     "Lutheran college graduates from the classes of 1958 to 1993
reported themselves to be better prepared with career skills than public
university graduates," said Johnson.
     "Lutheran college graduates demonstrate a set of personal values
that place greater importance on concerns for social justice, raising
families and moral and ethical considerations," Johnson said.  "In their
communities and congregations, Lutheran college graduates are more
frequent contributors as members, volunteers and donors than graduates
of public institutions."
     About 85 percent of Lutheran colleges and universities surveyed
placed an emphasis on personal values and ethics, while 35 percent of
the public institutions examined placed an emphasis on personal values
and ethics.
     Students at Lutheran colleges learned more about their faith and
helped integrate faith into other aspects of life during their college
years more than students did at public institutions, Johnson said.
     "Students at Lutheran colleges aspire to use their best skills and
abilities, provide direction through leadership roles, and have the
opportunity to learn new information and skills at a higher percentage
than students at public colleges," Johnson said.
     "Compared to graduates of public universities, Lutheran college
graduates express a different set of values.  They place a higher value
on family, ethical and religious concerns than financial advantage.
Lutheran college graduates are also more active in their churches and
communities," Johnson said.
     The parent research component of the "Reclaiming Lutheran
Students" study show that while Lutheran parents are willing to consider
Lutheran colleges, most did not attend a private, let along Lutheran
college, said Johnson.
     "Lutheran parents considering Lutheran colleges do not understand
the importance of student involvement (resources such as faculty,
reputation and facilities are a surrogate), and do not believe that
these involvement factors are more likely to be found at Lutheran
colleges.  They have a low level of familiarity with Lutheran colleges
(they can only name a few of the ELCA's 28 colleges and universities)
and, consequently, they do not believe that Lutheran colleges are worth
the tuition they charge," Johnson said.  Further, they underestimate the
available financial aid, he said.
     Through the "Reclaiming Lutheran Students" study, "we've learned
that Lutheran college graduates are significantly more likely to
graduate in four years, are just as likely to have earned an advanced
degree, have similar income levels as their public university
counterparts, and are more satisfied with the overall quality of the
education they received," said Johnson.
     With analysis of "Reclaiming Lutheran Students" now available, the
project's committee sees a "strategic opportunity to educate Lutheran
parents and other constituents, close the gap between the reality of
Lutheran college performance and constituent perception, and increase
the market share of Lutheran students attending Lutheran colleges from
less than 5 percent to 6 percent," said Johnson.  "This one point
increase in market share would translate to an increase of 20 percent in
the actual number of Lutheran students enrolled on our campuses."
     Dr. Joel J. Cunningham, president of Susquehanna University,
Selinsgrove, Pa., said Lutheran colleges and universities tend to have
"a stronger focus on international connections and service project
opportunities."  He said the church provides "a frame of reference" for
education.  "The support and ties between colleges and universities and
the church is visible and enriching.  Lutheran students serve the larger
society and the church," Cunningham said.
     For six consecutive years, Susquehanna University has been ranked
first among regional liberal arts colleges in the northeastern United
States, according to the U.S. News and World Report's 2000 edition of
"America's Best Colleges" issued Aug. 30.  The college also appears in a
top-10 list of "Great Schools at Great Prices," where it is ranked 10th
among regional liberal arts colleges in the northeastern United States.
     Founded in 1910, LECNA's purpose is to encourage, assist and
promote cooperation among Lutheran colleges and universities in the
United States and Canada. The study was funded by Aid Association for
Lutherans, a fraternal benefits society based in Appleton, Wis.

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