Ken Starr named president of Baylor University
By Tim Woods Tribune-Herald staff writer
Complete coverage
- Local leaders voice reactions to selection of new Baylor president
- Q and A with Ken Starr: A new Baylor chapter
- IMO: Ken Starr a good choice?
Slide show
Photos from our Q&A at Baylor with the university's new president.
Kenneth Starr at a glance
1946
Born in Vernon, about 170 miles northwest of Fort Worth
1956
Starr family moves to San Antonio
1964
Attends Harding College in Arkansas
1966
Transfers to George Washington University in Washington, D.C.
1968
Earns bachelor of arts degree from George Washington
1969
Earns master of arts degree from Brown University
1970
Marries Alice Mendell
1973
Earns law degree from Duke University
1973
Law clerk for U.S. Circuit Judge David W. Dyer
1975
Law clerk for Chief Justice Warren Burger
1981
Appointed counselor to Attorney General William French Smith
1983
Appointed federal judge to U.S. Court of Appeals, D.C. circuit
1989
Appointed solicitor general of the United States
1994
Appointed independent counsel in the Whitewater probe into real estate deals involving President Bill Clinton and his wife, Hillary
1998
Is authorized to expand investigation of President Clinton into Monica Lewinsky scandal
1999
Resigns as independent counsel
2004
Appointed dean of Pepperdine School of Law
2010
Appointed president of Baylor University
Ken Starr, a nationally renowned appellate law expert who oversaw the investigation that led to Bill Clinton’s impeachment, was formally named Baylor’s 14th president Monday.
The announcement came on the heels of a unanimous vote by Baylor’s board of regents Friday in Houston.
Starr, currently dean of Pepperdine Law School, will take the reins at Baylor on June 1, taking over for interim president David Garland.
Starr, 63, comes to Baylor with an attractive record of success in academia, having raised Pepperdine Law’s U.S. News & World Report ranking 45 spots to 55th nationally in just six years.
Ken Starr, dean of the Pepperdine Law School and a former independent prosecutor who investigated President Bill Clinton, was named president of Baylor University on Monday. He will take office June 1. In the background (left) is Dary Stone, chairman of the Baylor board of regents.
Rod Aydelotte/Waco Tribune-Herald
He has also been a lightning rod for controversy, serving as the independent prosecutor who investigated the Whitewater and Monica Lewinsky scandals that led to former president Bill Clinton’s impeachment in 1998.
As Baylor’s president, Starr will be tasked with, among other things, raising funds and uniting a Baylor community that has splintered during the past decade.
A Texas native — he was born in Vernon, near the Oklahoma border — Starr’s stature and extensive list of high-powered, high-net-worth relationships across the country may serve him well in his fundraising endeavors.
First things first, though, Starr told the Tribune-Herald on Monday in his first interview since being named president.
“Until I have completed the listening and learning process, which will obviously be continuing long after June 1, I would be loath to make any bold pronouncements,” Starr said of his immediate plans as Baylor president.
Starr said he embraces the goals of Baylor 2012, the school’s 10-year vision designed to catapult the school into the top tier of national universities.
But, he added, “It’s also time to thoughtfully assess the goals of 2012 and to begin strategic thinking of what lies beyond in Baylor’s storied history. What’s the next chapter? That’s yet to be determined through deliberate conversation and very respectful understanding and listening to the entire array of Baylor constituencies.”
‘An unhappy chapter’
Starr acknowledged his controversial role as independent prosecutor. While making no apologies and expressing no regret, Starr said he was happy to move on.
“That was an unhappy chapter in the nation’s history,” Starr said of the Whitewater and Monica Lewinsky investigations. “I was called to serve, and I did serve with my colleagues for that season. We lived up to our duties and responsibilities. But I’ve been very blessed for the last almost six years to be full time in higher education. . . .”
Reaction to the announcement of Starr’s hiring was visceral.
Starr’s success at Pepperdine has even some of the most skeptical liberals on Baylor’s campus brimming with hope and optimism that Starr can achieve similar results at Baylor.
“I started out, frankly, disinclined to like him,” said Baylor Law School professor Mark Osler. “As a former federal prosecutor, I really had some problems with the Clinton investigation and the way that played out. But as an academic, and seeing what he’s done at Pepperdine Law, I’m really an admirer now.”
Osler said he has known Starr on a personal basis since 2003 and grown more impressed by Starr’s integrity and personal conviction with each encounter, even when those convictions stand in contrast to Osler’s own.
“I’m definitely supportive (of the decision to hire Starr),” Osler said. “I know I’m taking a risk and am going to take some flak from people on that, but I’m willing to take those hits. This is one of those situations where there’s a lot of people who are moderate or liberal where I think it’ll mean something that I like the guy. I don’t agree with him (politically) on a lot of things, but I can see the strengths that he’s going to bring to this job.”
Challenges ahead
Person after person repeated the same words when describing Starr on Monday. Words like “humble” and “engaging” and “strength.”
Those attributes are likely to serve him well as Starr takes on some of his greatest challenges — fundraising and unifying the Baylor community — when he assumes Baylor’s presidency.
“The ability to raise funds for a university turns on the ability of those within the university, most notably the president and deans, to form friendships and relationships with prospective donors,” said Baylor Law School dean Brad Toben. “Friendships and relationships come before major gifts, and he has the ability to form those friendships and relationships.”
Photographers focus in on Independent Counsel Ken Starr as he testifies on Capitol Hill on Nov. 19, 1998, before the House Judiciary Committee’s impeachment hearing regarding President Bill Clinton.
Joe Marquette/Associated Press, file
Osler said Starr has “a disarming warmth” that will lend itself well to his ability to form relationships with potential donors. He said Starr’s warmth, coupled with an impressive résumé, will open a lot of doors.
Osler also noted a bit of irony in Starr’s personality.
“The other person in public life who really was that way was Bill Clinton,” Osler said.
Starr’s ability to break down barriers, political or otherwise, in forming relationships is seen in his long list of endorsements for the Baylor job. They range from former President George H.W. Bush to Nadine Strossen, former president of the American Civil Liberties Union.
Engaging alumni
Though Starr has impressive relationships across the country, his success in fundraising likely will hinge on his ability to engage Baylor’s own alumni base, according to Ed Davis, president of the Texas A&M Foundation, who served as interim president at Texas A&M University for nearly a year and a half after Robert Gates’ presidency.
“I think that people’s passion tends to link to the institution and not the person, necessarily,” Davis said. “Obviously, he’s a nationally known figure, but I don’t know how many of his friends are very devoted to Baylor University. Now, you can convert some of those, perhaps. . . . But most of the time, the president’s role is to forget where he’s been and sell where he is.”
Pepperdine University president Andrew Benton said Starr has a proven fundraising track record and may bring more converts to Baylor than Davis or others could anticipate.
“He is a consummate friend-raiser, and there will be people who will be attracted to support Baylor because of the way Ken enters their lives and cares genuinely about them,” Benton said.
Bob Pushaw, a constitutional law professor at Pepperdine Law School, expressed similar confidence in Starr’s ability to grow Baylor’s endowment.
“It is remarkable, the amount of money he has raised in his time as dean here. . . . I think it goes back to his Christian faith — he really believes in stewardship and giving back,” Pushaw said. “He walks the walk and is open and honest in trying to get people onboard by being generous himself.”
Pushaw said Starr’s leaving Pepperdine “is definitely a huge blow to us and a coup for Baylor.”
Healing a rift
Beyond fundraising, Starr is faced with the challenge of healing a rift between the Baylor Alumni Association and the school’s administration and regents. Last year, Baylor asked the BAA to dissolve as an independent entity and become an arm of the university’s alumni communications — an offer that later was withdrawn.
Asked about that relationship Monday, Starr said he was aware of the situation but said he needs to learn more before making any decisions.
“I don’t want to be premature in coming to judgment about a particular course of action,” he said. “But the engagement of alumni is just vital, both morally and in a tangible way, to any university.”
In a statement Monday, BAA executive vice president Jeff Kilgore welcomed Starr back to Texas.
“I look forward to working with and helping President Starr to the fullest extent possible,” Kilgore said.
Starr said he was first approached about the Baylor presidency in November of last year by retired Chief Justice of the Texas Supreme Court Thomas Phillips, a member of the school’s presidential search advisory committee,
Phillips said, “He has a personality that simply brings people together and causes people to want to put aside their petty differences and work together for the common good.
“That’s an important asset for any leader,” said Phillips, who has known Starr since 1988. “Particularly for one coming into a situation where, at least among the alumni, there have been some persistent disputes.”
After his discussion with Phillips, Starr had several conversations with presidential search committee chairman Joe Armes, a Baylor regent, and said “the process then unfolded fairly rapidly.”
Armes said Baylor’s regents didn’t have a set time frame in which to hire a permanent president but added that it didn’t take long for the committee to realize they had found their man, out of more than 100 initial candidates.
“What I saw was someone with an outstanding academic record, with a long record of achievement in everything he’s done — in the law, public service, in the academy — and then recently, Pepperdine School of Law has made great strides under his leadership,” Armes said.
Armes said Starr’s “vibrant Christian faith makes him a great fit for Baylor.”
Baylor regent chairman Dary Stone said, in Starr, regents saw a candidate who bridged two spheres — the private sector and academia — and has achieved great success in both.
‘A servant leader’
As many others did Monday, Stone lauded Starr as a “servant leader,” a man who proudly wears his Christian faith on his sleeve and makes decisions in accordance with his faith.
Currently a member of the Church of Christ, Starr said he plans to join a Baptist church in Waco, “where I’ll be very comfortable, theologically and otherwise, prior to June 1.”
He said he’s been getting plenty of advice about churches in Waco and was “invited to preach before I was even invited to make a stewardship commitment.”
Getting to know Waco
Starr said he is eager to embrace the Waco community overall. The former federal judge spent the day meeting with Baylor constituents but ended the day with a dinner among city leaders at Jim Hawkins’ home.
“The judge’s wife is part of the answer,” Stone said. “Alice Starr, in and of herself, has a résumé almost equal to Judge Starr’s. Everywhere they go, they’re a huge part of the community. She ran the development (department) for the McLean (Va.) Chamber of Commerce.”
Starr said his wife specializes in advising nonprofit groups.
Benton agreed with Stone’s assessment of Alice Starr’s community contributions.
“A lot of attention is going to be given to president-elect Starr, but his wife, Alice, is a dynamo,” he said. “In hiring Ken Starr, you’ve acquired a ‘twofer.’ ”
Said Pushaw of what Baylor has to look forward to under Starr’s guidance: “He’s done just amazing things for Pepperdine Law School, greatly increasing our academic reputation. So, if he can do for Baylor University what he’s done for Pepperdine Law School, Baylor can expect to rapidly climb the rankings.”
Known as a workaholic, Starr’s professional beginnings were a portent of future success. After graduating from Duke University Law School, Starr clerked for U.S. Supreme Court Chief Justice Warren Burger.
In 1982, he took a position in the Reagan administration as aide to then-Attorney General William French Smith, willing to confront controversial issues.
The next year, at 37, he was nominated to the bench of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit, widely known as the second-most influential appeals court in the nation, behind only the U.S. Supreme Court.
twoods@wacotrib.com
757-5721
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How in the world did things come to this pass! A Campbellite to head the largest Baptist Univ.! George Truett and many others must be spinning in their graves!!!
There are so many different views concerning Mr. Starr and his decision to come to Baylor. In my opinion we must give this man a chance to show the University and Waco that he will do a good job. As far as his past, well, he was hired to do a job and he did it. It really wasn't Starr who went after Clinton it was the Republican House of Representatives and Senate. They had their heart set on Clinton. We all must give this man a chance to do a good job. If it doesn't work out then I trust Baylor will do the right thing. The "past is prologue" is a quote by William Shakespeare from his play The Tempest meaning that history repeats itself and continually influences the ...present days. Full quote goes like this. "Whereof what's past is prologue, what to come, In yours and my discharge." So, when using that quote one should take in mind the entire line. It is not only that events of the past have led to what we see happening today, but also that it is up to us what the future will bring. We cannot allow the past to own us. Wipe the slate clean and welcome Ken Starr to Waco and to Baylor University. Mr. Starr, we welcome you and trust that you will go a wonderful job.
There are so many different views concerning Mr. Starr and his decision to come to Baylor. In my opinion we must give this man a chance to show the University and Waco that he will do a good job. As far as his past, well, he was hired to do a job and he did it. It really wasn't Starr who went after Clinton it was the Republican House of Representatives and Senate. They had their heart set on Clinton. We all must give this man a chance to do a good job. If it doesn't work out then I trust Baylor will do the right thing. The "past is prologue" is a quote by William Shakespeare from his play The Tempest meaning that history repeats itself and continually influences the ...present days. Full quote goes like this. "Whereof what's past is prologue, what to come, In yours and my discharge." So, when using that quote one should take in mind the entire line. It is not only that events of the past have led to what we see happening today, but also that it is up to us what the future will bring. We cannot allow the past to own us. Wipe the slate clean and welcome Ken Starr to Waco and to Baylor University. Mr. Starr, we welcome you and trust that you will go a wonderful job.
Qoute, "A few years after leaving as the independent counsel, Starr took the job at Pepperdine in Malibu (he had been offered it in the 1990s but turned down the seaside school as the Lewinsky scandal took shape,this is a quote from this link: http://blogs.laweekly.com/ladaily/city-news/kenneth-starr-leaves/ He was offered the job at at Pepperdine in the 1990's, but said no until he knew which way the Lewinsky ordeal was going. What an insult to Baylor, a University asked him to come to work, they were turned down because it was more important to be involved in the attack on a president than to come and serve as PResident of Peperdine. That shows who he really is. I will never give another dime to Baylor University. I spoke directly to a friend at Pepperdine and he had nothing but negative things to report about Star, especially his reactionary far right views and his conduct on campaus. Bad choice......at least put him on probation, we have lost so much money having to fulfill these contracts when the person doesn't work out. Again.....I don't know who picked this guy but they have tarnished Baylor University in my opinion...
Qoute, "A few years after leaving as the independent counsel, Starr took the job at Pepperdine in Malibu (he had been offered it in the 1990s but turned down the seaside school as the Lewinsky scandal took shape,this is a quote from this link: http://blogs.laweekly.com/ladaily/city-news/kenneth-starr-leaves/ He was offered the job at at Pepperdine in the 1990's, but said no until he knew which way the Lewinsky ordeal was going. What an insult to Baylor, a University asked him to come to work, they were turned down because it was more important to be involved in the attack on a president than to come and serve as PResident of Peperdine. That shows who he really is. I will never give another dime to Baylor University. I spoke directly to a friend at Pepperdine and he had nothing but negative things to report about Star, especially his reactionary far right views and his conduct on campaus. Bad choice......at least put him on probation, we have lost so much money having to fulfill these contracts when the person doesn't work out. Again.....I don't know who picked this guy but they have tarnished Baylor University in my opinion...
Taken from this article: . "A few years after leaving as the independent counsel, Starr took the job at Pepperdine in Malibu (he had been offered it in the 1990s but turned down the seaside school as the Lewinsky scandal took shape." http://blogs.laweekly.com/ladaily/city-news/kenneth-starr-leaves/ Clearly he did not have his heart and soul on coming to Baylor University...His heart and soul was directed at taking down a president. I just dread the problems we will have. That statement alone should send a strong meesage, this man has an agenda....I don't care how sweet or cute his family is, I just want a qualified man to step into the positon. There were plenty of people out there who were not so ocntraverisal. Baylor, we did it aqain! I have been bouncing back and forth on this decision made by Baylor to select Ken Star as the new "President" of the college. It has been reported that Pepperdine was very pleased to know they finally got rid of Star, after one year. In the quote below: "While I look forward to the honor of serving as Baylor's next president, my wife Alice and I know how much we will miss Pepperdine,'' Starr stated. So we picked up the culls and now we have a man who couldn't last a year at his last job. KEN Starr is the worst person for this job. Sad, but true. If he doesn't perfomr some kind of miracle he will be removed like the others. Maybe it would be good idea to hol the money and put him on some kind of probation. Sad day for Baylor .
Taken from this article: . "A few years after leaving as the independent counsel, Starr took the job at Pepperdine in Malibu (he had been offered it in the 1990s but turned down the seaside school as the Lewinsky scandal took shape." http://blogs.laweekly.com/ladaily/city-news/kenneth-starr-leaves/ Clearly he did not have his heart and soul on coming to Baylor University...His heart and soul was directed at taking down a president. I just dread the problems we will have. That statement alone should send a strong meesage, this man has an agenda....I don't care how sweet or cute his family is, I just want a qualified man to step into the positon. There were plenty of people out there who were not so ocntraverisal. Baylor, we did it aqain! I have been bouncing back and forth on this decision made by Baylor to select Ken Star as the new "President" of the college. It has been reported that Pepperdine was very pleased to know they finally got rid of Star, after one year. In the quote below: "While I look forward to the honor of serving as Baylor's next president, my wife Alice and I know how much we will miss Pepperdine,'' Starr stated. So we picked up the culls and now we have a man who couldn't last a year at his last job. KEN Starr is the worst person for this job. Sad, but true. If he doesn't perfomr some kind of miracle he will be removed like the others. Maybe it would be good idea to hol the money and put him on some kind of probation. Sad day for Baylor .
Although a divisive choice, Judge Starr is and will be Baylor's president for several more years. So the left, especially the monied left will soon cozy up and want to be his backer. Some who have not completely burned their bridges, Bill Nesbitt comes to mind, will hang their head in true old fashion baptist hypocracy. Bernard didn't make his millions by hating people, he befriended his enemies and became friends. As someone said, keep your friends close, keep you enemies closer. Bernard is also true to his beliefs and has given back to Waco for th benefit of the truly needy. God bless the man. An open mind goes far. Personally I didn't like the choice or the the way the board conducts business. I will live with it, welcome him to waco and move my bank accounts to Community Bank and Trust, a real Waco owned bank or any other banks that pay dividends to residents of McLennan County. Bob Dylan said everybody has to serve somebody, Rodney King said, can't we all just get along. Go Bears in 2010
K.Starr deserves no welcome. He has spent his life representing big oil, big banks,big tobacco, etc..and his saddling up with the Mormon church in the Prop 8 affair was disgusting..having said that, he will be a perfect fit for Baylor.
As an alumnus of Baylor, I am appalled and deeply disturbed by this choice.
Welcome home, Ken Starr and family. I am sorry that Central National Banks' divisive pseudo-leader Bill Nesbitt is in such a rage. Only a man ruled by emotional outbursts could be so rude in his remarks about you, not willing to give a fellow Texan a fair chance. Law without grace makes Nesbitt as mean as a rattlesnake. Since the 1970's I have had accounts at CNB, but no more...I can no longer abide the hatefullness of the bank's ownership. Anyone recommend a new bank ?
Students show their support of new president: http://www.facebook.com/baylor.yct
About that neck tie...maybe a light gray suit and white shirt would make the neck tie work...I see a lot of critical comments...but none hold merit as much as the neck tie/suit/blue shirt combination issue. This is alarming.
that is an odd choice of neck tie....
I hope that Judge Starr finds time to take a strong interest in the new Baylor Research Innovation Collaborative. He is here in time to be on the ground floor of the planning for this facility. I suspect that he will be able to gain more funds to support for it. That would be great for Baylor, Waco, MCC, TSTC, and the other participants. Thanks for coming, Judge Starr
There is nothing wrong with the people of Waco and Baylor alumni having different reactions to the appointment of Ken Starr as the new president. Personally, I feel it was a bad choice to pick a right wing conservative; but it will probably raise BU endowments. It appears that is what BU is all about.
All: Notice that no one who has actually met Ken Starr has anything bad to say about him, conservative or liberal and in between. So how about you all give him the benefit of the doubt here and see how it works out?
clinton was never impeached because he starte a little war in kosovo therefore the impeachment could have never happene
the only reason why baylor hired ken star is to get support in the community to push out chet edwards
Brandy you may be confused. Clinton was impeached by the House. He was acquitted of the impeachment charges in a 21 day Senate trial.
Brandy, Clinton was impeached. He was impeached by the House in 1998 and cleared by the Senate in early-1999, so he wasn't removed from office. He was, however, impeached.
Despite this man's efforts President Clinton was never actually impeached. Get your facts straight. Anyone who thinks this is not a political hire, you're sadly mis informed. It's always about politics!
Interesting choice. I would think the "largest Baptist University in the world" would be able to find a President who was Baptist and had more administrative experience than being a dean of a small law school. Maybe his experience as a judge will be helpful navigating through all of the politics, legal issues, low expectations, and divisivness among faculty, administrators, and alumni. Baylor has already lost a number of top faculty to bigger and better institutions. Good luck Judge Starr, you will need it!
Make no mistake, Starr was brought into this position for one purpose and that is to crush the Alumni Association, and he will be relentless in it. He has changed his core beliefs so that he could convince the regents he is sincere. But like the rattle snake told the tender hearted animal lover he had just bitten, don't aksed surprised, you knew what I was when you first picked me up.
by all means, make him feel very welcome..just keep him out of California..PLEASE!!!!
No matter how well Mr. Starr does as BYU Prez, his very presence will be divisiveat first. Clinton was impeached, but not convicted and has gone on as one of America's best former presidents. Starr has moved on and done well. His policies as BYU Prez is all that matters now. Will he move to make BYU tuition affordable for more deserving Waco graduates or will Baylor continue to remain within it's "bubble" and leave middle-income Wacoans out of it's future? Let's all give this man a fresh start. He's no longer a prosecutor. Let's give him the benefit of the doubt and welcome him to Waco.
K.Starr kinda surprised me..after he saddled up with the Mormons in Prop 8 , I thought he might have been looking to be Prez of BYU..
Baylor Student, don't worry...Prez Starr will run off all the malcontents June 1st..can't have any free thinkers in Baptistville..
Matthew; If you feel so badly about BU...then get your sorry ass out!!
Matthew, your comment really makes you look like a fool. If you really believe that Baylor is a failure then leave. It looks to me that you have issues with authority.
Bobby Sloan did nothing but take out loans and in addition angered many longtime faculty members along with Baylor's board of regents. His 2012 plan was nothing but a bunch of publicity hype in hopes to boost his own public image that in return brought nothing but debt and disgrace to the university and its reputation. Finally, he admitted that he was nothing more than a total failure, he left the university in ruins in hopes that future presidents could take the blame for the many problems he created. Thank God the door hit him in the back and knocked him and his family clear out of Waco. I feel sorry for the folks at HBU. They gained a total loser. What a jerk he is! I just hope Baylor can recover now that they have Kenneth Star as the university's new president.
As a Baylor Alum, I like this hire. It appears rather than hiring another hee-haw pastor who was a "good Baptist", the BOR have decided to get serious and bring in someone who can take Baylor to the next level in academia. Baylor and the admin should focus on becoming a top academic institution, not a Sunday School for 18-22 yr olds (cough Sloan).
I can't believe I'm paying to attend this failure of a university. The Board of Regents need a new hobby. Their current hobby (managing what could be a great university) is bringing nothing but harm to Baylor.
God bless Texas for getting K.Starr out of California..Good Riddance.."brings people together" lol..
Congratulations on your new pet rattlesnake.
Please specifically identify all the "amazing success" Sloan created. Under Sloan, Baylor's US News rankings went from the mid-70s to...the mid 70s. He took out a bunch of loans to build a bunch of buildings. His minions tried to foist the Intelligent Design center on the school which made Baylor a laughingstock in all non-Bob-Jones-U academia. He cheesed off at least half the alumni base, including many of his former supporters. And Tom Stanton/Kevin Steele made sure everyone knew about Baylor football, too. If he was such a fantastic president, why did he have to take a huuuuge step backward to Houston Baptist for his next job? Why has he not been scooped up by Yale or, shoot, even another Tier 2 school? 2012 was a bunch of vague goals with no implementation plan and no funding. Are we going to accomplish 2012 by the year 2012? Who knows, they never bothered to make the goals measurable to identify whether Baylor "arrived" or not. Hmm, maybe that was intentional...? Because that allows folks to just say what an "amazing success" it was without having any objective criteria upon which to measure it.
This is a true embarrassment.
If Robert Sloan was the WORST president Baylor ever had, then why has Baylor enjoyed so much succes under the very 2012 plan that Sloan initiated, endorsed, and pushed against strong faculty opposition? Why has the school grown to record numbers following the blueprint Sloan put forward? Why has Baylor enjoyed amazing success following Sloan's plan? Say what you will, Sloan's 2012 is at least partially responsible for Baylor's current path of success. Like him or not, Sloan had a role in that success. I wonder if Ken Starr realizes what he stepped in when he accepted this job? Looking at the comments on here reminds me why I am glad I left Waco--I got away from negative and vengeful comments like those above (my bet is some of them are regents or faculty too!).
Anyone who says this isn't a political position doesn't know anything about the workings of universities; they are inherently political institutions.
I believe that Ken Starr is a good fit for Baylor. I also believe he will have a positive influence on the University and especially the School of Law. Welcome back home to Texas, President Starr!
Actually, Robert Sloan was a visionary and he made enormous contributions to Baylor in an attempt to move it from an undergraduate focused university with little regional or national recognition into a top tier university through the 2012 Vision. Unfortunately, the "good ole Baylor" faculty, inbred administrators, and university counsel did not realize the only way for Baylor to become academically world class was to focus on scholarship and research while staying committed to its Baptist heritage and Christian mission. Rather than welcoming highly productive scholars, the faculty and administration often ran them off bickering over the value of teaching versus scholarship or made no attempt to retain the most productive faculty members when they were lured away to real tier I universities. I pray that Kenneth Starr does well and Baylor returns to its core mission of being committed to its Christian mission in the Baptist tradition. The first thing Kenneth Starr should do is to clean house of the mediocre department chairs, deans, VP’s, and administrators who have no tier I level experience, could not merit tenure at a real tier I university, and have worked to return Baylor to a small college mentality where teaching and service is expected and research is appreciated but not supported.
Sounds like an incredible hire. For those concerned about his politics, this isn't a political position. We should be concerned about his qualifications and skills for THIS job, which have been honed durng his time as Dean of the Pepperdine Law School.
I'm with you Joe. He's ruined Houston Baptist too!!!
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