I saw several notices about a newly forming university that will try to be more conservative - the University of Austin, Texas. The ALPB Online Forum principals looked up from their Ovaltine to discuss the possibilities there. One the most liberal college presidents, Nunes, came from the LCMS or ELCA, or both. You can tell where that is going if he is going to be a leader there.
Grand Canyon University has shown that a tiny school, mired in debt, can steal a march on established institutions by breaking with all the assumptions of modern education - by being Christian, retro, and not saddling students with enormous loans to pay for a country club campus. School spirit comes from an accepting and inviting student body, great leadership, and an attitude about doing things a new way.
My sister-in-law almost fainted when she heard Augustana College in Rock Island is now charging about $55,000 a year for room, board, and tuition. The tuition fee was about $1,000 per year when we were all there (Christina, Maria, and I) 50 years ago.
The mainline denominations (which include LCMS-WELS) have made the same mistake as the old universities. They have invested far too much money in buildings while expecting students to pay for elegance and comfort through outrageous, constantly increasing tuition costs.
WELS' Martin Luther College currently has basic costs of $27,000 per year. The 2022-23 year will be closer to $30,000. That makes people wonder whether they want to invest their loan money in a school that may not last.
The variables include the net cost with scholarships. One young lady turned down the $100,000 sports scholarship she was offered at GCU because her "friends" wanted her to go to "their" school. No, she did not tell her parents before sending the rejection letter.
Everything is political and based on family ties in WELS, so the right last name is the key to scholarships and perks, not to mention immunity from discipline.
