Davis announces retirement at Wayland
___By Teresa Young
___Wayland Baptist University
___PLAINVIEW--Wallace Davis will retire as chancellor of Wayland Baptist University May 31.
___Davis has served as chancellor of the Wayland University system since July 2000, when trustees voted to expand the university structure into a system with distinct leadership for various campuses. Davis previously served as president of the university, taking office in 1991.
___Davis announced his retirement to university trustees at their March meeting in Plainview.
___Quoting passages from the book of Ecclesiastes, he explained he had decided to retire in order to pursue other passions, including painting, spending time with his grandchildren and teaching.
___"In serving Wayland, I have saved the highest point in my educational career for the last," he said. "Wayland has been the capstone of my career. The trustees have been supportive, trusting and uplifting. The faculty has been caring and concerned. And the students have made even the worst days worthwhile."
___Trustees regretfully accepted the resignation, according to Delbert McDougal, chairman of the board. "Dr. Davis has brought this university to another level, one that many of us might never have thought possible."
___In his 11 years with Wayland, Davis has overseen a number of building projects, including completion of the Mabee Learning Resources Center in 1996 and several phases of the Spanning the Centuries campaign. The first phase dealt with maintenance issues across the campus. Other phases have included renovation of the Van Howeling facility into a new education complex, construction of a new women's dormitory and campus aesthetic improvement outside Harral Auditorium and Hutcherson Center.
___Also during Davis' tenure, Wayland's enrollment has more than doubled, from 2,300 to 5,781 this year. He led the university to expand through creation of satellite campuses in Texas and beyond. The largest of those campuses operates in San Antonio. The most far-flung operate in Hawaii and Alaska.
___Before coming to Wayland, Davis served as vice president for academic affairs at Texas A&M University Corpus Christi and held many positions in teaching and educational administration. A native of Olney, he holds degrees from Baylor University and the University of Texas.
___In other business, trustees approved renamed the new boulevard entrance being constructed on Smyth Street Igo Boulevard in honor of Harry Igo and his late wife, Annette, who contributed $200,000 toward the project. The proposal is still before the city council for approval.
___Trustees also approved new tuition rates for the coming school year, with Plainview tuition rising $10 per hour to $270 for undergraduate courses and $275 for graduate courses. The summer term tuition will be reduced, with rates approved for $140 for undergraduate and $165 for graduate level. Rates at Wayland's external campuses will remain the same.
___The budget also approved a for 2002-03 budget of $29 million, a 2.5 percent increase over the current fiscal year.
___At a luncheon, two board members received the Keeper of the Flame Award, recognizing gifts of $100,000 or more. Yvonne Franklin of Amarillo and Joe and Terri Jesko of Arlington received crystal pieces commemorating the honor.
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