Baylor Regents Approve Department Chair, New Degrees

WACO, Texas - Baylor University regents today endorsed the appointment of Dr. James M. SoRelle as chairman of the history department and approved two new degree programs in the College of Arts and Sciences.
A new B.S. degree in applied mathematics will replace the current B.A. and B.S. in mathematical sciences. Regents also approved a new M.S. in clinical psychology that will be available only to students enrolled in the doctor of psychology program.
SoRelle, who joined the Baylor faculty in 1980 as a lecturer in history, has served as interim chair of the department since former chair Dr. Wallace L. Daniel Jr. was appointed dean of the College of Arts and Sciences in May of 1996. SoRelle was promoted to the rank of professor in 1995 and holds a bachelor's degree from Kent State University and a master's and doctorate from the University of Houston.
In other action, regents approved a change in the $100 general university deposit (GUD) for incoming students. The GUD will be replaced by a $100 enrollment deposit that would be credited on a student's first semester bill. Currently, the GUD is refunded to the student after he or she graduates. The new fee structure will be more understandable to students and parents and will be less of a deterrent to students interested in enrolling at Baylor.
Other fee changes include an increase in the application fee from $25 to $35, effective in September for students applying for fall 1998 admission, and implementation of a $50 matriculation fee beginning next summer.
The board also approved the purchase of a new financial information system for the university. The current financial software, which was installed in 1989, does not accommodate year 2000 processing and is not as user-friendly as newer systems.