Baylor's Sloan: 'It's Time for Someone New'
Controversial president to become university chancellor in June.
By Deann Alford | posted 1/21/2005 12:00AM
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At today's news conference, Chairman Davis reaffirmed Baylor 2012 and Sloan's presidency. Davis said, "I believe if you look back over the last decade, you will see ample evidence that President Sloan has led Baylor through a period of tremendous growth and progress.
"Anyone who walks across this campus or talks to faculty, staff, students, parents, donors, and alumni, or to higher education leaders across the nation, will see and hear tangible expressions of the progress made under President Sloan."
During Sloan's presidency, Baylor University:
- Opened its new $103 million sciences building with 500,000 square feet in July 2004.
- Significantly increased the number of its doctoral and graduate programs. Graduate enrollment is at an all-time high of 1,297.
- Increased undergraduate enrollments, which between 1995 and 2004, grew from 12,202 to 13,799.
- Witnessed the average SAT score of entering freshmen improve from 1160 in 1995 to 1190 in 2004.
According to a Baylor press statement, released today: Sloan, a tenured professor of religion and founding dean of George W. Truett Theological Seminary, assumed the Baylor presidency on June 1, 1995. Sloan's greatest achievement was the September 2001 adoption of Baylor 2012, the University's 10-year vision to move into the upper echelons of American higher education, while strengthening its Christian mission.
On the Record:
During an interview with Timothy C. Morgan, CT's deputy managing editor, in mid-2004, Sloan commented:
"Any time there's change I think you run the risk of going too quickly and not communicating well enough and I think I have to confess to that. … It's important when you have change that you communicate that well and that you bring people along and that you are also not just task-oriented, but relationship-oriented.
"I have to say there's strong evidence that the overwhelming majority of our constituents strongly support the 10-year vision. But there are those who either philosophically or because with a lack of information have concerns. That's fair enough. As much as we possibly can, we bring along the full faculty of Baylor.
"I have personally made trips across campus to visit with individuals who for one or another very good reason were feeling alienated or somewhat marginalized. We sat down and tried to talk it through. As with a lot of things, personal conversation goes a long way.
"Then we can get past questioning one another's motives and really hearing one another. The scriptural pattern is still true that is we seek to go to one another in private, small groups, [and] work very hard to build community.
"I'm embracing very strongly a commitment to be at peace with all people and where there's a need for restoring relationships to take the initiative. That never leaves the agenda for anyone who tries to work in the kingdom of God. It's part of life. Relationships are always in need of strengthening. The job of loving one another and being kind to one another is never complete.
"2012 is not just a statement of a year. It actually presents our commitment to a lot of things, not the least of which is academic excellence under the auspices of a clear Christian commitment as an institution. Our Regents were clear they don't want anything to detract from the commitments of Baylor 2012. If it takes us until 2015 or 2018 or 2011, the year itself doesn't matter. It's the commitments that matter."
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Baylor University has video and transcripts from the press conference.
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