Baylor Board Approves $320 Million Budget

May 16, 2003

by Larry D. Brumley

Baylor University regents today approved a $320.5 million budget for 2003-04, endorsed modifications to four graduate programs and voted to construct a new parking garage to service the Baylor Sciences Building, which will be completed by fall 2004.
The 2003-04 budget, which includes funding for several major components of Baylor 2012, is a $37.8 million, or 13.3 percent, increase over the current operating budget.
Key features of the new budget, which takes effect June 1, are 43 new faculty and staff positions; a 27 percent increase in scholarships and fellowships; and $3 million for various renovation and deferred maintenance projects.
"In the higher education arena, we are very blessed to be looking at a 13 percent increase in our budget when many other institutions across the country are facing flat, or even reduced, budgets," said David R. Brooks, vice president for finance and administration "This budget allows Baylor to continue making progress in implementing the objectives of Baylor 2012 while taking into account the current economic environment."
The board endorsed changing the degree title of Ph.D. in applied sociology to Ph.D. in sociology. The recommendation was based on a determination that the generally accepted title of Ph.D. in sociology will reflect a more accurate description of the current program and its future direction. Applied sociology will remain a major focus within the degree program, however.
Other graduate program changes approved by the board include suspending the admission of new students into the Ed.D. programs in K-12 administration and higher education administration, as well as the M.Ed. principal preparation program in the School of Education. The decision to discontinue the programs was based on a recommendation to reallocate resources to study and develop new graduate programs to more effectively serve public and private education.
"Baylor has a long and proud history of preparing school principals, superintendents and other leaders in public and private education," said Baylor President Robert B. Sloan Jr. "While we believe it is necessary to discontinue these current graduate programs in the School of Education, we are committed to continuing our efforts to develop new approaches in the preparation of leaders to serve in public and private education, both at the K-12 and higher education levels."
Baylor's third parking garage to be constructed in four years will be located on the site of the Mark Twain Apartments, which will be razed this summer to make way for the 1,170-car facility. Bounded by Cottonwood and Daughtrey Avenues and First and Second Streets, the $10 million garage will provide much-needed parking to support the 508,000-square-foot Baylor Sciences Building and the McLane Student Life Center.
In other action, the regents re-elected Drayton McLane Jr., chairman of the Houston Astros and Temple-based McLane Group LP, as chairman of the Board. Randy W. Ferguson, president of RWF Investments in Austin; Brian L. Harbour, pastor of First Baptist Church, Richardson; and Laree Estes Perez, vice president of Loomis, Sayles and Co. and a resident of Albuquerque, N.M., were elected vice chairs of the board for 2003-2004, effective June 1.
Nine regents were re-elected to three-year terms, effective June 1. They include Mary Chavanne-Martin, Houston; David Sibley, Waco; Donell Teaff, Waco; Carl Bell, Dallas; Toby Druin, Waxahachie; Phil Lineberger, Sugar Land; Drayton McLane, Temple; Belinda Reyes, San Antonio; and Jim Turner, Dallas.
Also taking office June 1 will be new regent Bobby Dagnel, pastor of First Baptist Church, Lubbock. Dagnel, a graduate of the University of Texas at Tyler and Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, was elected to the board last November by the Baptist General Convention of Texas. Current BGCT-elected regents Howard Batson, pastor of First Baptist Church, Amarillo, and Duane Brooks, pastor of Tallowood Baptist Church in Houston, were re-elected to three-year terms last November.