EDITORIAL: Baylor future rests in regents’ hands

Baylor University counts 100,000 living alumni. Add to their ranks many more Texas Baptists who love their flagship institution and Texans who understand the school’s importance to the Southwest, as well as faculty and staff, plus 14,000 students. The “Baylor family” is enormous.

But the fate of Baylor University rests in the hands—and, more significantly, the hearts and minds—of just 21 people.

Baylor will rise or fall according to how the board of regents leads. Regents just fired President John Lilley for failing to “bring the Baylor family together.” No new president can direct the Baylor dissonance until the board orchestrates harmony. Bringing the Baylor family back together should be Job 1, because nothing else will matter if Baylor tears itself apart.

Any telling of the family tale omits some details, but here’s the short version of Baylor’s current calamity: The family dysfunction became painfully and publicly obvious during the administration of former President Robert Sloan and implementation of the Baylor 2012 long-range strategy adopted on his watch. As one insider noted: “There was no middle ground with Robert. You either loved him or hated him.” Ditto for 2012. The regents divided over Sloan and 2012, and the rest of the family went and did likewise.

Dysfunction took on a life of its own 

After Sloan’s departure three years ago, Baylor remained divided. Even casual observers could peg regents, faculty and active alumni as pro-Sloan/2012 or anti-Sloan/2012, or at least against the way 2012 was implemented. Lilley’s supporters and detractors can debate his strengths and weaknesses, but the fact is that by the time he arrived, the dysfunction had taken a life of its own. The new normal for the Baylor family is discord and division. (Thank goodness, the least-affected constituency is the student body.)

Now, the presidency is vacant again, and the focus for restoring healthy function to the Baylor family is back on the only people who can do the job—the regents.

Reportedly, they’re getting along better. Critics say that’s simply because one group outlasted another, and the voices of loyal opposition to 2012 have rotated off the board. Advocates say the board has grown closer together through two difficult presidencies. But the board’s ability to agree on something in a closed room is beside the point. Actually, it illustrates the point—they could celebrate the Lord’s Supper and sing “Blessed be the Tie” until Jesus comes back, but if they don’t get out and actively lead Baylor toward harmony and restoration, they’re failing Baylor.

Closed door needs to open 

The symbol of their meetings—a closed door—is a good place to start. They should open it. Obviously, legal contracts and some personnel situations need to be handled in private. But if Baylor is going to get better, then the regents need to lift the shroud of secrecy. They can start with their meetings.

But they must not stop there. The regents need to sponsor meaningful, respectful discussions among the entire Baylor family—about the future, about key issues that have caused division, about heritage and aspirations, about prospects for being the kind of school they can revere and look to with pride. They need to involve alumni, faculty, staff and students, but also donors, Texas Baptists and others from the state and community. Recent efforts to reach out to the Baylor Alumni Association and the Faculty Senate are a solid start.

Also, before another president arrives, Baylor needs to draft a new vision document. Baylor 2012 has served its purpose. This will take considerable time and effort, but Baylor won’t come together until it can share a vision that affirms, honors and embraces the whole family.

That’s a big task and difficult. But the regents should be up to it. They’ve been given Texas Baptists’ most prestigious trusteeship. They’re smart, successful leaders. They must lead Baylor to unity. It’s not just their job; it’s their duty.