Concordia University Chicago

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Concordia University Chicago

Former names	Addison Teachers Seminary, Concordia Teachers College, Concordia College, Concordia University River Forest[1]:7, 95
Motto	You shall know the Truth and the Truth shall make you free
Type	Private
Established	1864; 157 years ago (1864)
Religious affiliation	Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod
Academic affiliation	Concordia University System
Endowment	$23 million (2020)
President	Dr. Russell P. Dawn[2]
Provost	Erik P. Ankerberg[3]
Students	6,205[4]
Undergraduates	1,588[4]
Postgraduates	4,617[4]
Address	7400 Augusta Street , River Forest , Illinois , United States 41°53′59″N 87°48′34″W / 41.89967°N 87.80954°W / 41.89967; -87.80954Coordinates: 41°53′59″N 87°48′34″W / 41.89967°N 87.80954°W / 41.89967; -87.80954
Campus	Suburban, 40 acres (0.16 km2)
Colors	Maroon and Gold
Nickname	CUC, Concordia-Chicago, CUChicago
Sporting affiliations	Northern Athletics Conference, NCAA Division III
Mascot	Charlie T. Cougar[5]
Website	cuchicago.edu

Concordia University Chicago is a private university in River Forest, Illinois. Formerly a college exclusively for parochial teacher education, Concordia-Chicago now offers more than 100 undergraduate and postgraduate degrees and enrolls more than 5,000 students.^[6] The university is a member of the Concordia University System,^[7] a nationwide network of colleges and universities affiliated with the Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod (LCMS).

Concordia Chicago, originally named Addison Teachers Seminary, was founded in the Lutheran tradition by Saxon German immigrants in 1864.^{[1]:7, 9} The university continues to maintain strong ties to its faith-based heritage.

History[]

Background[]

Lutheran teacher training in the United States began in Perry County, Missouri; Fort Wayne, Indiana; and Milwaukee, Wisconsin, in 1839, 1846, and 1855 respectively.^[8]:35 In 1857, the responsibility for the operation of the teachers seminary in Milwaukee was given to the LCMS. Subsequently, the Milwaukee teachers seminary moved and merged operations with Fort Wayne's^[8]:35 uniting it with the theological seminary that had been founded there by followers of Johann Konrad Wilhelm Löhe.

In October 1863, the LCMS in convention voted unanimously to move the teachers seminary to Addison, Illinois, appointed the first Praeses of the institution, and instructed that a new building be constructed on land donated by a local Lutheran congregation.^[8]:30

Founding and Addison campus[]

Concordia University Chicago marks 1864 as its founding in Addison, Illinois. Originally called Addison Teachers Seminary, the institution is the oldest in the Concordia University System. Construction began on a new facility, with the cornerstone laying service on June 15, 1864. During the construction period, a vacant nearby two-story tavern building was rented to ensure the new teachers seminary could carry out its educational training as scheduled, beginning September 1, 1864.^[8]:43 The original buildings in Addison were demolished, but a monument built from the cornerstone and stone window sills and steps stands on the site of the seminary.^[9]

River Forest campus[]

On November 12, 1912, ground was broken for a new campus in River Forest, Illinois. More than 8,000 people attended the cornerstone laying service on December 15, 1912.^[8]:84 On October 12, 1913, the institution moved to its present campus with an estimated 30,000–45,000 people attending the dedication.^[8]:112 Prior to the dedication of the River Forest campus, much discussion took place regarding a new name for the institution. On May 20, 1913, the faculty settled on Concordia Teachers College with the official charter from the Illinois Secretary of State's office being issued on April 28, 1915.^[8]:85

In 1979, the institution expanded its education-centered program to become a full liberal arts institution and changed its name to Concordia College. Eleven years later, in 1990, having experienced tremendous growth in its graduate offerings, the school reorganized and changed its legal name to Concordia University. Since then the institution has branded itself as Concordia University River Forest^[1]:95 (1990–2006) and Concordia University Chicago (2006–present)^[1]:103

Colleges^[10][]

Concordia University Chicago has four colleges:

• College of Business^[11]
• College of Education^[12]
• College of Health, Science & Technology^[13]
• College of Theology, Arts & Humanities^[14]

Many students attend classes online or at Cohort (educational group) sites around the Chicago metropolitan area.

Athletics[]

Concordia Chicago teams participate as a member of the National Collegiate Athletic Association's Division III. Concordia Chicago was a member of the Northern Illinois-Iowa Conference until the spring of 2006, and since 2006 has been a member of the Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference (NACC). Men's sports include baseball, basketball, cross country, football, lacrosse, soccer, tennis, and track & field; women's sports include basketball, cross country, lacrosse, soccer, softball, tennis, track & field, and volleyball. The school colors are maroon and gold.

Music^{[15][16][17][18]}[]

The current chair of the music department is Professor Johnathan Kohrs.^[19] Dr. Richard Fischer^[20] is the Director of Bands, where he conducts the Wind Symphony and University Band as well as teaching conducting and music education classes. The Wind Symphony, Concordia's premiere instrumental ensemble,^[21] has performed in 43 states, Europe, Asia, and most recently, South Africa. The group has released fourteen recordings of sacred wind music. The ensemble has given many premiere performances of compositions by current wind band composers. The Wind Symphony performed at Carnegie Hall on March 4, 2014, and again on March 13, 2019.^[22][23]

The Kapelle, under the direction of Dr. Charles Brown,^[24] is the university's premiere choral ensemble,^[25] and has performed around the U.S., Europe, and South America. The ensemble also has multiple recordings to its credit. Dr. Steven Wente,^[26] previously the chair of the music department, retired as distinguished professor of music in 2020. Wente continues to teach organ as an adjunct professor and serves as the organist for the Chapel of Our Lord. Other musical ensembles include Schola Cantorum (Chapel Choir, conducted by Jonathan Kohrs), Chamber Orchestra (Maurice Boyer),^[27] Mannerchor (Men's Chamber Choir with Charles Brown), Laudate (Women's Chamber Choir with Maurice Boyer), Jazz Band (Kirk Garrison), University Handbells (Johnathan Kohrs), Cougar Band (student-led pep band), and other ensembles.

Notable alumni[]

• Bernard Bull—American academic administrator and scholar
• Tony Harper (American football)
• Paul Walter Hauser—actor and comedian
• Richard Hillert—composer and professor of music
• Scot Kerns—Lutheran pastor and member of the Montana state legislature.
• Paul Manz—composer, organist, conductor, and professor of music
• Jim Platt—basketball coach
• Carl Schalk—composer, professor of music
• Mark Warkentien—basketball coach, recruiter, and executive

2019 Board Controversy^[28][29][30][]

In 2019 alumni voiced concerns about a member of the board of regents, Eric Arno Hiller, who had allegedly made comments that some believed were racist and sexist. More than 3,000 alumni and friends of the University signed an online petition asking for his immediate resignation or removal. The controversy drew the attention of local media which published some of the alleged comments.

According to the news media, Hiller had posted most of the controversial comments either on his personal Facebook page or on those of his friends.

• In one of the comments, Hiller wrote that women would be distracted by advanced degrees and career promotions which—according to him—would "massively distract her from her primary priorities as a single Christian woman, including finding a husband (and all the prep and activities that goes with that), serving her family, supporting her friends, serving the Church, etc.” and that, "This will be DIAMETRICALLY opposed to what society, her bosses, her crypto-feminist friends and sadly, her father, are encouraging her to do.”
• Hiller also shared his views on women in the military. In another post he said, “Many people want to blame women and ‘feminism’ for [women in the military], and there is no doubt that they all suffer from the curse and Satanic desire to usurp male authority, there is no doubt any and all forms of feminism are, prima facia, evil.”
• Hiller discussed affirmative action in another post and referred to Asian students as “Orientals,” writing that the term “minority” is “a function of how incompetent and lazy a group is.”

University Response and Outcome

In 2019, President Russell Dawn had been newly appointed to his role. The President's office issued two statements, on August 8 and 12, 2019 respectively. In the first statement the president failed to address the controversy directly, stating, “We cannot speak directly to the comments made by a particular member of the University’s Board of Regents, or to the surrounding controversy." The second statement did address the issue directly, and shared that the "decision is left to the board of regents, and the president’s office has no authority to oust Hiller unilaterally."

The controversy came to a conclusion on August 26, 2019 when a press release announced the departure of Hiller among other University regents. It is unknown if Hiller left the role voluntarily or if the board took action to remove him. Attempts by news media to reach Hiller were not returned and the University shared that they had, “no additional information to provide.”

References[]

External links[]

• Official website