Regents Approve Budget, New Doctoral Programs and Elect New Board Members

May 11, 2001

by Larry D. Brumley

Baylor University's Board of Regents at its May meeting today approved a $260.7 million operating budget for 2001-2002, authorized new doctoral programs in philosophy and physical therapy, and elected three new members to the board.
Elected to three-year terms as regents were Joseph B. Armes of Dallas and Tommy L. Bowman and Sue H. Getterman of Waco. Six current regents were re-elected to three-year terms, including Dale Jones, Dallas; Joe E. Coleman, Houston; Will D. Davis, Austin; Ted L. Snider, Little Rock, Ark.; Laree Perez, Corrales, N.M.; and Neal T. Jones, Falls Church, Va.
The board also elected officers for 2001-2002. John G. Wilkerson Jr. of Lubbock was re-elected chair of the board, and Drayton McLane of Temple was re-elected vice chair. Two new vice chairs were elected -- Billy Ray Hearn of Nashville, Tenn., and Charles D. Wise of Gatesville.
Next year's budget, which takes effect June 1, is a $16.1 million, or 6.6 percent, increase over the current budget of $244.5 million. It includes a $3.8 million increase in institutionally funded scholarships and fellowships and $9.7 million for capital projects, including renovation of Morrison Constitution Hall, Martin Residence Hall and various other deferred maintenance and minor renovation projects. Morrison Constitution Hall has served as home for Baylor Law School since 1955. The Law School will move into the new $30 million Sheila and Walter Umphrey Law Center, located on the banks of the Brazos River, in August. Morrison Constitution Hall will be remodeled to accommodate academic programs in the College of Arts and Sciences and selected interdisciplinary programs.
A new Ph.D. program in philosophy will admit its first students in the fall of 2003. The program is expected to strengthen Baylor's undergraduate offerings in philosophy as well as the university's existing doctoral programs in the humanities. The five-year, 78-semester-hour program will emphasize the historical aspects of philosophy, particularly in relation to ethics and religion, and will include a teaching apprenticeship. The philosophy department currently offers a master's degree in addition to its undergraduate degree program.
This summer, Baylor will add a doctor of science in physical therapy (DScPT) to its programs at Brooke Army Medical Center in San Antonio. The doctor of science in physical therapy will elevate the U.S. Army Orthopaedic Physical Therapy Residency program offered at the medical center from a certificate program to a degree program. The Army's only other residency program in physical therapy is offered at West Point. Baylor also offers a master's degree in health care administration and a master of physical therapy degree at Fort Sam Houston in San Antonio. The university's health care education programs in San Antonio date to 1951.
New Regents Armes, Getterman and Bowman will take office June 1.
Armes serves as executive vice president and chief financial officer for Southwest Sports Group LLC and Southwest Sports Realty LLC in Dallas and holds bachelor's and master's degrees in business administration from Baylor and a J.D. from Southern Methodist University. He formerly served as executive vice president and general counsel of Suiza Foods Corp., and vice president and general counsel of The Morningstar Group Inc. He currently serves on the Baylor Foundation Board of Directors and the Hankamer School of Business Advisory Board. He and his wife, Kelly, who also earned a BBA from Baylor, are members of Park Cities Baptist Church in Dallas and have two children, Annie and John.
Bowman is director of Linehaul, Central Freight Lines Inc. and earned a bachelor of arts degree in business from Baylor in 1971. He was a four-time varsity basketball letterman for the Bears. Prior to joining Central Freight Lines he was operational manager for Wal-Mart Private Fleet. Bowman has served on the boards of the Waco Chapter of the American Red Cross, YMCA, and City of Waco Parks and Recreation. He and his wife, Jacqueline, are members of First Baptist Church, N.B.C., where he serves as a deacon/trustee and Sunday School superintendent. They have two children, Tommy Jr. and Krystal.
Getterman earned a bachelor of education degree from Baylor in 1950. She and her husband, Ted, also a Baylor graduate, received the Waco Philanthropists of the Year award for 2000 and the Distinguished Service Award from Hillcrest Baptist Medical Center in 1999. She served as the first co-chair of the Junior League Charity Ball and is a former president of the Junior League of Waco. Her other community service includes formerly serving as treasurer of the Oakwood Cemetery and past membership on the boards of the United Way, Waco Girls Club, and the Regis-St. Elizabeth. The Gettermans have shown their commitment to the university by establishing scholarships in business and music and by making the largest gift in Baylor womenPs athletics history, resulting in the funding for Getterman Stadium, home of the Lady Bears softball team. Getterman is a member of Columbus Avenue Baptist Church, where she has taught Sunday School and served on the building committee. The Gettermans have two sons, Louis III and Holt, also a Baylor graduate.
In other action, the Board of Regents adopted a resolution of appreciation for Robert Reid, professor emeritus of history and master teacher, who has presented a series of Baylor historical vignettes at recent Regents meetings.