I would like to applaud Baylor President Ken Starr for his leadership and his call for transparency, accountability, and dialogue in the ongoing conversations the University of Texas and Texas A&M University are having with regard to the Big 12 Conference.
As I read Judge Starr’s recent op-ed columns in both the Waco Tribune-Herald and USA Today, the themes of Baylor University’s founding mission jumped off the page, clearly echoing in his words and encouragements: Pro Ecclesia, Pro Texana (For Church, For Texas).
Grounding his message in “the spirit of the venerable biblical tradition,” to use his phrase, Starr noted that a resolution of the issues at hand through input from “all those with a vested interest” would provide a moral roadmap for all parties involved.
His call to affirm the importance of “signed solemn agreements” and the stability that such contracts bring to historic institutions and their extended communities should remind all officials of the accountability that is expected of them by those whom they serve.
Grounding institutional values and practices in both the morality of the church and the accountability of the law has been Baylor University’s practice since it was founded by preachers and lawyers in 1845.
I appreciate that Baylor’s president has chosen to remind his colleagues, as well as all of us with vested interests, of the need to talk and work together for the greater good despite the potential distractions of power, money, and raw politics.
For 152 years, the Baylor Alumni Association has been unwavering in its support of Baylor University. I thank each of you for your continued support, and I encourage each of you to support Judge Starr in his message and in his efforts as he leads our alma mater through these uncertain times.
Jeff Kilgore
Executive Vice President and CEO
Baylor Alumni Association
