Philosopher to Serve As Baylor's First Distinguished Professor

Dr. Carl G. Vaught, professor of philosophy at Pennsylvania State University, has been named the first Distinguished Professor at Baylor University.
Baylor officials recently announced plans to add 20 high-profile scholars to the university's faculty over the next seven years. Some of the scholars will be named University Professors with the rest being named Distinguished Professors. University Professors will teach various disciplines while Distinguished Professors will teach in a specific area.
Vaught has served on the Pennsylvania State faculty since 1967 and headed its philosophy department from 1982-92. He also has taught at Kansas State and Yale.
Books Vaught has published include The Sermon on the Mount: A Theological Interpretation and The Quest for Wholeness. He will publish Augustine's Confessions: The Language of God and the Soul in the near future.
Vaught earned his undergraduate degree in philosophy from Baylor and has served as a consultant for the Baylor philosophy department on a number of occasions.
Dr. Ralph C. Wood, distinguished professor of religion at Samford University, was named the first University Professor at Baylor and will join the Baylor faculty with Vaught this fall. Dr. Donald D. Schmeltekopf, provost at Baylor, said the university will make three more appointments during the 1999-2000 academic year.
Schmeltekopf said the new professors will contribute to the academic life of Baylor in several ways.
"These scholars will heighten the academic progress and enhance the intellectual conversation at Baylor," Schmeltekopf said. "They also will enhance the academic reputation of Baylor as well as help secure our future as a Christian institution."