Baylor University Names Doug Welch Chief Compliance Officer

WACO, Texas (Oct. 7, 2016) – Baylor University announced today that Doug Welch, who has served as Associate General Counsel at Baylor University since 2006, has been named as the University’s Chief Compliance Officer (CCO).

The CCO position, which will help identify compliance needs in a range of areas, assess the effectiveness of existing systems, procedures and controls, and create and deliver robust training to ensure compliance, was among the 105 recommendations from the external Pepper Hamilton investigation that focused on improving Baylor’s prevention of and response to sexual violence.

"Doug Welch is a highly qualified attorney with an expertise in the areas of compliance and higher education," said Baylor Interim President David E. Garland. "His leadership will enable the University to continue to make rapid progress on the recommendations and foster a culture of compliance throughout the University."

As CCO, Welch will lead the development of a centralized compliance center of excellence to equip and support the University’s work in the areas of research, athletics, Equal Employment Opportunity, Title IX and Clery compliance. His additional responsibilities will include developing training and awareness programs for staff, faculty and students in areas of compliance and regulatory oversight; collaborating with University administration, deans and department leaders to design effective policies and processes that ensure compliance with all federal and state statutory and regulatory standards; implementing effective checks and balances; and assessing the overall effectiveness of these initiatives.

"I am honored to accept the role of Chief Compliance Officer and humbled by the trust the senior administration has placed in me," Welch said. "I look forward to this new challenge, which will allow me to continue fostering solid working relationships already in place across campus, as well as building new ones in the effort to carry out the University’s mission. I have thoroughly enjoyed my 10 years in the Office of General Counsel and am proud to have been part of a great team that serves Baylor well. As an alumnus, I am grateful for the opportunity to serve in another role at the school I love."

Welch graduated from Baylor in 1986 with a B.B.A. in accounting. After three years in public accounting, he entered law school and earned his law degree in 1992 from Texas Tech University School of Law, where he served as editor-in-chief of the Texas Tech Law Review. Following law school, Welch served two years as briefing attorney for U.S. District Judge Sam R. Cummings. He is licensed to practice law in Texas and admitted to practice before the United States Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals and United States District Courts in Texas. He is a member of the American Bar Association and State Bar of Texas in the employment, litigation and appellate sections. In addition, he is a certified public accountant.

Welch joined Baylor’s Office of General Counsel in 2006 from a private law practice in Lubbock, where he also served as an adjunct professor of law at Texas Tech University School of Law. His primary areas of responsibility have been in employment law, real estate, athletics and international programs.

Welch and his wife, Nadine, B.S.Ed. ’86, M.S. (Speech Pathology and Audiology) ’87, Clinical Assistant Professor in the department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, have three children. They are members of First United Methodist Church of Waco.

ABOUT BAYLOR UNIVERSITY

Baylor University is a private Christian University and a nationally ranked research institution. The University provides a vibrant campus community for more than 16,000 students by blending interdisciplinary research with an international reputation for educational excellence and a faculty commitment to teaching and scholarship. Chartered in 1845 by the Republic of Texas through the efforts of Baptist pioneers, Baylor is the oldest continually operating University in Texas. Located in Waco, Baylor welcomes students from all 50 states and more than 80 countries to study a broad range of degrees among its 12 nationally recognized academic divisions.