November 11, 2002

EDITORIAL:
In Waco, it's 'pro ecclesia, pro Texana, pro Baylor'
___The eyes of Texas--Texas Baptists, at least--are on Waco this week. The Baptist General Convention of Texas' annual session meets in "Jerusalem on the Brazos," and you can't look at Waco without seeing Baylor University. Anyone who walks on the campus, or drives down I-35 for that matter, can't help but recognize the school colors. Lush green foliage and gold-crowned cupolas. How could those Bears wear anything else?
___Baylor made national news twice last week. Administrators fired football coach Kevin Steele about the same time subscribers to Christianity Today read a major article on Vision 2012, the university's decade-long plan to achieve nationally recognized excellence. In Texas, of course, football makes bigger news than academics. Never mind that Baylor consistently ranks near the top of the Big 12 Conference when all sports are evaluated. Out here, football is king, and ain't it a shame the Bears can't win? Still, despite what Sports Illustrated or guys at the Dairy Queen say, Vision 2012 is the bigger story.
___Vision 2012 proposes to vault Baylor into the "top tier of American universities while reaffirming and deepening its distinctive Christian mission." That means becoming one of the 50 most prestigious universities in the nation while deepening its faith commitments. That's the academic equivalent of winning a national championship in football by recruiting only Baptists.

Because attempts at bringing the five agencies back under control of the state convention have failed, the convention should "treat them as heathens," one messenger argued.

___Baylor presented the details of Vision 2012 in a 100-page book. Among 72 stated goals: Recruit and retain a world-class faculty who balance scholarship and Christian faith as well as research brilliance and classroom prowess. Create an Honors College that will incorporate four advanced-study undergraduate programs. Reduce the faculty-student ratio to 13:1. Strengthen admissions standards and recruit "tier one" students. Increase the number of doctoral programs from 17 to 27. Build enough housing to create a "truly residential campus." Construct state-of-the art facilities, such as the $103 million science building. Increase endowment to $2 billion. Finish in the top five in all Big 12 Conference sports.
___Right from the start, Vision 2012 attracted nay-sayers. After all, Baylor is Baylor, and no Baptist institution anywhere generates more interest--positive or negative--than Baylor. Some people always will accuse Baylor of being liberal just because it is a significant university with serious scholarly aspirations. Others will accuse it of being fundamentalist because it takes faith seriously. Some resent its wealth. A few hate President Robert Sloan and refuse to affirm anything his administration proposes. And some can't like anything that comes out of Pat Neff Hall unless the football team is winning.
___Most of the specific criticism developed because Vision 2012 reflects what Baylor always has been--ambitious. With the Texas economy lower than the Brazos in mid-drought, now's a rotten time to raise hundreds of millions of dollars, some said. With a focus on world-class faculty and top-flight research, the students in the classroom will get shunted aside, others added. Brick and mortar do not build a great university, some observed. The notion of athletic dominance is about as realistic as Baylor turning out a Heisman Trophy winner, still others noted. Sloan offered answers for these and other protests: You can't raise money until you start asking, and the economy won't stay down forever. Even with an emphasis on research, smaller faculty-student ratios will produce richer classroom experiences. Outstanding buildings are educational tools, and a university needs solid tools to train strong students. A university builds athletic success one contest at a time.
___The concern that has resonated with many of Baylor's friends is that the university will price itself outside the range of Texas Baptists. A Baptist kid with good grades ought to be able to afford Baylor, even if her Mama or Daddy isn't a corporate CEO. Sloan has pledged to raise enough money for scholarships to help students afford Baylor. This is vital.
___Texas Baptists should pray Vision 2012 will be a glorious success. Baylor is uniquely positioned to impact the Baptist General Convention of Texas, the Lone Star State and the kingdom of God. The greater Vision 2012's success, the greater Baylor's impact. We need Baylor to succeed brilliantly. Here are a few reasons why:
___ Strength. Of course, the BGCT's seven other universities, Hispanic Baptist Theological School and state schools provide many convention leaders, and some come from out of state. But Baylor has and always will provide the plurality of lay and clergy leaders in our churches and our convention. The more Baylor succeeds in shaping strong-minded and faithful young people, the stronger we'll be.
___ Leadership. Baylor's success as a faith-formulating university with a large and strong graduate program could be hugely significant. As Baylor produces top-level scholars who have an integrated Christian worldview, they will contribute significantly to other schools. Many may teach at other BGCT institutions. Many also will take their skills and commitments onto state university campuses.
___ Example. Baylor is a Baptist bellwether. It sets trends and explores possibilities that others follow. The BGCT's other schools won't be able to replicate all Baylor accomplishes, but as it has done before, it will help pave the road on which they travel. They will be stronger, freer because Baylor is strong and free.
___ Witness. Vision 2012's audacious over-arching goal is to fully integrate faith and learning. It calls for Baylor to attain academic status that is second to none while holding high the Cross. If the university succeeds, it will take the light of the gospel where few have dared to go for more than a century--for the glory of God.
--Marv Knox
E-mail the editor at marvknox@baptiststandard.com


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