Dr. Larry Lyon Appointed Senior Vice Provost

by Lori Scott Fogleman

Baylor University President Robert B. Sloan Jr. and Provost David L. Jeffrey today announced the appointment of Dr. Larry Lyon, dean of the Graduate School and professor of sociology, as senior vice provost, effective June 1.
"We are all very pleased that Larry Lyon will assume these responsibilities in addition to being our graduate dean," Sloan said. "Larry's long tenure at Baylor and his leadership in many faculty capacities make him eminently qualified for this role. I look forward to this additional opportunity to work closely with Dr. Lyon."
"Larry Lyon is one of the most experienced of Baylor's senior administrators, and his thoughtful initiatives as dean of the Graduate School have been only one feature, albeit a central one, of his many contributions to this intellectual community," Jeffrey said.
"In appointing him as senior vice provost in addition to his present tasks, I am anticipating that Dr. Lyon will be especially valuable in the operationalization of 2012 objectives and, as we prepare for our forthcoming SACS (Southern Association of Colleges and Schools) accreditation review, that he will play a role as important as he did in the 1994-96 self-study and review," Jeffrey added.
Lyon graduated from Baylor in 1971 with a bachelor's degree in sociology. He joined the Baylor faculty in 1975 after completing his doctorate in sociology at The University of Texas. He was named director of the Baylor Center for Community Research and Development in 1979, chaired the Faculty Senate in 1990-91, directed the university's self-study in 1994-96, and was appointed dean of the Graduate School in 1998. The recipient of the University's Outstanding Tenured Professor Award in 1989, Lyon currently teaches graduate courses in the sociology department and in the Graduate School's interdisciplinary doctoral proseminars.
Lyon is the author of two books, edited another and published scores of articles in journals such as the American Sociological Review and the American Journal of Sociology in the area of community sociology. More recently, his research interests have focused on faith-based higher education, resulting in articles in journals such as the Sociology of Religion and the Journal of Higher Education.
During the six years of Lyon's leadership, graduate education at Baylor has prospered, reaching new heights in enrollment, entrance scores, doctoral production and program rankings.
"I have worked with Dr. Jeffrey and everyone in the Provost's Office since becoming dean of the Graduate School," Lyon said. "David has assembled a strong team of remarkably dedicated and highly skilled professionals. I look forward to working even more closely with them than I have in the past."
Lyon said the combination of responsibilities as Graduate School dean and in his new role as senior vice provost will be a challenge, but not an unprecedented one.
"Because graduate education includes all the university's colleges and schools, it has much of the same purview as the Provost's Office," Lyon said. "That is why so many graduate deans across the nation have appointments that include a position in the Provost's Office."
Lyon and his wife, Carol, are active members of Columbus Avenue Baptist Church. They have two children, Laura and Lisa, who are both Baylor graduates.
For more information, contact Jeffrey at (254) 710-3601 or Lyon at (254) 710-3588.