President Starr Announces Members of President’s Advisory Council on Diversity
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WACO, Texas (Jan. 15, 2016) – Baylor University President and Chancellor Ken Starr has announced the appointment of faculty, staff and students to the President’s Advisory Council on Diversity (PACD).
Lori Baker, Ph.D., Faculty Regent, past chair of the Faculty Senate and associate professor of anthropology in Baylor’s College of Arts and Sciences, will serve as chair of the committee. The president announced Dr. Baker’s appointment at the fall faculty meeting on Jan. 14, 2016.
Members of the committee include:
• Juan Alejandro Jr., Ed.D., vice president for governance, risk and compliance and chief compliance officer
• Andy Arterbury, Ph.D., associate professor of Christian Scriptures, George W. Truett Theological Seminary
• Michael Beaty, Ph.D., chair and professor of philosophy, College of Arts & Sciences
• Pearson Brown, student body president, senior professional selling major, Houston, Texas
• Ronald L. English, academic support advisor for referrals, Paul L. Foster Success Center
• Cindy Fry, senior lecturer in computer science, School of Engineering and Computer Science
• Erin A. Gaddis, president of the NAACP Texas Youth and College Division, senior communications specialist major, Rowlett, Texas
• Dominque Hill, assistant director of intramural sports, Student Life
• Victor J. Hinojosa, Ph.D., associate professor of political science in the Honors Program, Honors College
• Tonya B. Lewis, assistant director of media communications, Division of Marketing and Communications
• Callie A. Schrank, assistant athletics director of personnel and administration
• Jonathan Siktberg, Student Regent, senior Baylor Business Fellow from Nashville, Tennessee
• Rishi Sriram, Ph.D., assistant professor and graduate program director in educational administration, School of Education
In his Dec. 11 campus email, President Starr informed faculty and staff that he had received the report from the Provost’s Committee on Diversity and, as a logical outgrowth of the committee’s diligent work, would establish the PACD to help facilitate a contemplated period of reflection and discernment with respect to deepening the university’s unapologetic Christian commitment to racial, ethnic and gender diversity.
Based on the collaborative and inclusive model that fashioned Pro Futuris, the University’s strategic vision for the future, the PACD will advise the Office of the President on mission-consistent steps to engage the campus community actively in thoughtful and respectful dialogue. The Council will be at the forefront of the unfolding campus-wide conversation surrounding issues of diversity and, at the same time, serve as a sounding board through which the campus community can be fully engaged in the discussion.
“Indeed, a university, at its best, is a conversation,” President Starr said. “Each and every voice will be warmly welcome. To that end, it will be vitally important for all members of our community — students, faculty and staff — to enjoy the fullest opportunity to contribute their perspectives and insights as we seek collaboratively to identify the wisest path forward.”