News

A group of Baylor University alumni and supporters held a rally Friday, Aug. 29, in Waco to show support for Baylor, its regents and President Robert B. Sloan Jr. Read the story from

Family members and friends gathered with Baylor University students and faculty to remember Patrick Dennehy during a campus-wide memorial service Aug. 28. The service was held in the Powell Chapel at Truett Seminary.

Baylor University will hold a campus-wide memorial service for Patrick Dennehy at 8 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 28, in the Powell Chapel at Truett Seminary on the Baylor campus.

Bill Cosby will stage a rally for Baylor University students, faculty, staff and the Central Texas community at 8 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 4, at Floyd Casey Stadium. "Baylor is a great university, and I want to come do this rally to lift the spirits of the Baylor and Central Texas communities after the tragic and difficult summer that the university has experienced," Cosby said.

Baylor University is positioned to be involved in nation-rebuilding, according to three Baylor professors who just returned from a needs assessment mission to two Iraqi universities.

Jim Wilkinson, who served the last 10 months as Director of Strategic Communications for Gen. Tommy R. Franks at U.S. Central Command, was honored with the 2003 Baylor Communications Award during the annual President's Media Luncheon Aug. 25 at the Waco Convention Center.

Baylor University added one of the nation's most recognizable coffee stores to its newly completed Dutton Avenue Office and Parking Facility, when a full-service Starbucks opened for business on Monday, Aug. 25.

Funeral services for Dr. Helen Hailey Ligon, emeritus professor of information systems at Baylor University's Hankamer School of Business, were held Sunday, Aug. 24, in the Paul W. Powell Chapel at George W. Truett Theological Seminary. Ligon passed away Friday, Aug. 22, in a Waco hospital.

Baylor University and its business, entrepreneurship and engineering programs received high marks in the 2004 edition of America's Best Colleges, compiled by U.S.News & World Report. The survey, announced Friday, Aug. 22, showed Baylor placing 78th out of 248 top national doctoral-granting universities included in the rankings.

Backlash fueled by media reports of impending Faculty Senate no-confidence vote

Baylor University introduced Scott Drew as the Bears' new head men's basketball coach during a news conference Friday, Aug. 22, at the Ferrell Center. Drew arrives in Waco after 10 seasons coaching at Valparaiso University. 

Sushi, couscous salad, artichoke spinach dip, cheesecake, truffle cookies. These were just a few of the selections offered at the first Taste of Baylor, an event that faculty and staff hope is repeated in the years to come.

Baylor law student Traylor Rains and the Alexander Senate of Delta Theta Phi Law Fraternity International at Baylor Law School were honored at the fraternity's recent biennial convention in Los Angeles.

More than 150 past steering committee members will attend a dinner to commemorate the 25th anniversary of Baylor University's Welcome Week at 6 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 23, in the Bobo Baptist Student Center.

Baylor University students returned to campus Aug. 21, with about 2,700 freshmen making the big move into the university's 11 residence halls. While students and their parents struggled with boxes, trunks and bulks of food and toiletries, the labor was eased quite a bit by Baylor Welcome Week staff, who greeted the incoming freshmen and their families with warm smiles and helping hands.

Former Dutch astronaut Wubbo J. Ockels will deliver the inaugural lecture in the Vice Provost for Research 2003 Fall Colloquium Series from 2 to 3 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 28, in the Beckham Room of Baylor University's Bill Daniel Student Center. The presentation, "Space Perspectives," is jointly hosted by the Baylor Institute for Air Science and Dr. Truell Hyde, vice provost for research.

Baylor University will hold its annual Welcome Week activities Aug. 21-24 for Baylor freshmen and transfer students. The four-day event will include concerts, seminars to introduce students to Baylor, and a group community service project. Classes will begin Monday, Aug. 25.

Baylor University Athletic Director Tom Stanton announced today that he is stepping down immediately to pursue other opportunities outside the university. Baylor President Robert B. Sloan Jr. announced on Aug. 8 that Stanton was resigning but would stay on until a replacement was hired.

The prayers of the entire Baylor University family are with the family of Patrick Dennehy during this difficult time. Baylor will hold a campus-wide memorial service for Patrick Dennehy at 8 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 28, in the Powell Chapel at Truett Seminary. A live webcast of the service will be available at

Baylor University will hold a campus-wide memorial service for Patrick Dennehy at 8 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 28, in the Powell Chapel at Truett Seminary. Funeral services to celebrate Patrick's life were held Aug. 7 in San Jose, Calif.

Baylor University President Robert B. Sloan Jr. and Board of Regents Chairman Drayton McLane Jr. released the statements to the media Saturday, concerning the latest developments in the men's basketball program. Both statements also can be viewed via streaming video on BaylorTV.com.

Baylor University President Robert B. Sloan Jr. today (Aug. 12) released the names of individuals who will serve on a search committee for a new athletic director and head men's basketball coach.

Baylor University President Robert B. Sloan Jr. and senior Matt Sayman each spoke to the media Monday, Aug. 11, following a two-hour meeting with members of the men's basketball team and their families.

By Carol Dawson • Photos by Clark Baker

Baylor President Robert B. Sloan Jr. held a news conference today (Aug. 8) to announce the resignations of men's basketball coach Dave Bliss and athletic director Tom Stanton. Read the president's statement here.

Five Baylor University libraries will be closed Monday, Aug. 11, while the libraries' online catalog, BearCat, is moved to a new computer.

Baylor University will confer degrees on more than 500 graduates during summer commencement exercises at 10 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 9, in the Ferrell Center on the Baylor campus.

Baylor University and the Baylor Alumni Association invite all new Baylor graduates and their families to a reception immediately following summer commencement Saturday, Aug. 9.

Throughout August, Baylor alumni are invited to hear the latest on Baylor football with new head coach Guy Morriss during appearances in Houston, Dallas, Fort Worth, San Antonio and Austin.

The Baptist Standard and Baylor University will honor three of the state's most outstanding vocational and lay ministers during the Baptist General Convention of Texas annual session this fall.

Camp Success, a language and literacy summer camp benefiting Central Texas children, will hold an awards ceremony 10 a.m. Tuesday, August 5 at the Waco Scottish Rite Bodies building at 2801 W. Waco Drive. Baylor University's Communication Disorders Clinic received $29,240 from the Waco Scottish Rite Bodies to operate the special needs camp, which ran from July 7 through August 4.

Dr. Larry Vanlandingham, the only professor of percussion that Baylor University has ever had, will retire from the School of Music, effective Aug. 31.

Baylor University and the Baptist General Convention of Texas will host more than 170 volunteer church youth workers during the annual Youth Worker University Aug. 1-2 on the Baylor campus.

Funeral services to celebrate the life of Baylor University student-athlete Patrick Dennehy will be held at 11 a.m. (PT) Thursday, Aug. 7, at the Jubilee Christian Center, 105 Nortech Parkway, in San Jose, Calif. Baylor will hold a campus-wide memorial service during the first week of classes.

Forty-six graduates of Baylor University School of Law are scheduled to receive juris doctor degrees during commencement ceremonies at 10 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 2, in Jones Concert Hall at the Glennis McCrary Music Building.

Baylor University President Robert B. Sloan Jr. released a statement July 28 regarding the latest developments in the Patrick Dennehy case. The statement also is available at

Waco Scottish Rite Bodies presented a check for $29,240 to Baylor University's Communication Disorders Clinic to benefit "Camp Success," a summer camp that helps Central Texas children overcome language and literacy problems.

Tickets for the Ferguson-Clark Author Lecture by Pulitzer Prize-winning author David McCullough are on sale at the Baylor University ticket office in the Bill Daniel Student Center. McCullough will speak at 7 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 9, at Waco Hall.

Baylor University President Robert B. Sloan Jr. released the following statement July 28 regarding the latest developments in the Patrick Dennehy case. A videotaped statement also is available at BaylorTV.com.

Baylor Director of Athletics Tom Stanton released a statement Saturday, July 26, regarding latest news on Baylor basketball player Patrick Dennehy.

Baylor University held a news conference Friday, July 25, to provide information about how the investigation into the men's basketball program will be conducted. The news conference also is available at

Construction crews will begin taking down the fountain located in Baylor University's Vara Martin Daniel Fountain Plaza next week after outside engineering studies determined significant structural and safety problems.

Children can participate in a number of special activities during National KidsDay celebrations from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 2, at Baylor University's Ollie Mae Moen Discovery Center.

Baylor Director of Athletics Tom Stanton released a statement to the media Wednesday, July 23.

Baylor head men's basketball coach Dave Bliss spoke to the media Tuesday, July 22, about recent news regarding missing Baylor basketball player Patrick Dennehy.

Tommye Lou Davis, associate professor of classics and Master Teacher, has been appointed special assistant to Baylor University President Robert B. Sloan Jr., effective Aug. 1.

Baylor Director of Athletics Tom Stanton released a statement Monday, July 21, regarding the day's news related to missing Baylor basketball player Patrick Dennehy.

Waco Scottish Rite Bodies will present a $30,000 check to Baylor University's Communication Disorders Clinic at 1 p.m. Friday, July 18, on the second floor of Neill Morris Hall on the Baylor campus. The funds benefit "Camp Success," a summer camp for Central Texas children with language and literacy problems, including dyslexia.

The Baylor University Board of Regents today released the following statement on the investigation of Jaclanel McFarland.

Baylor University's Air Force ROTC program has been selected as the top ROTC program in the Southwest region and will compete against three other regional winners for the for the Right of Line award which goes to the nation's top ROTC program.

It was standing-room-only at Baylor Law School's Kronzer Appellate Advocacy Courtroom July 9 as hundreds of people attended a Texas congressional redistricting hearing. The event proved to be a marathon session, lasting until midnight. as elected officials and members of the public had their say.

Steppin' Out, Baylor's bi-annual day of community service, was recognized with the Ruthe Jackson Youth Leadership Award, presented at the 36th annual Keep Texas Beautiful Conference July 8-11 in Dallas.

The first two classes of graduates of the neo-natal master's degree program at Baylor University's Louise Herrington School of Nursing achieved a 100 percent pass rate on the Neonatal Nurse Practitioner Certification Examination in 2002 and 2003. Administered by the National Certification Corporation (NCC), the exam is the nationally recognized test to enter practice as a neo-natal nurse practitioner.

On July 18,

President Robert B. Sloan Jr. and Board of Regents Chairman Drayton McLane Jr. are inviting alumni to forums July 29-31 in Houston, Dallas and Fort Worth to ask questions and address issues about Baylor 2012, the university's 10-year vision.

Baylor men's basketball head coach Dave Bliss spoke to the media Thursday, July 10, on dealing with the disappearance of Baylor basketball player Patrick Dennehy.

More than 1,500 directors and teachers will gather July 10-12 at Baylor University for the 2003 Texas Baptist Church Weekday Education Conference.

With limited parking and an overflow crowd expected at the July 9 redistricting hearings at Baylor University's Sheila and Walter Umphrey Law Center, officials are encouraging citizens to use a free shuttle service from the Ferrell Center to the law school. An additional room also will be available to accommodate the public.

Baylor Law School's impressive Kronzer Appellate Advocacy Courtroom will be a hub of activity this week as the venue for a Texas congressional redistricting hearing. The hearings are being conducted around the state to receive public comment and testimony on redistricting Texas' 32 seats in Congress.

Baylor University's FastTrac program for entrepreneurs is accepting applications for fall courses, beginning in September.

Baylor law student Paul Bailiff was named top advocate by justices of the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals at the Moot Court Tournament, sponsored by the Texas Young Lawyers Association during the recent Texas State Bar Convention in Houston.

Baylor Law School is THE place to be, according to the number of people who are clamoring to study law there. Overall applications for fall, spring and summer combined, increased 88.3 percent from 2001 to 2003, according to Dean Brad Toben.

The Baylor University School of Music and the Central Texas chapter of the American Guild of Organists will sponsor a Pipe Organ Encounter for adults July 7-11 on the Baylor campus in an effort to help solve the shortage of church organists.

Baylor University head men's basketball coach Dave Bliss released the following statement to the media today (July 2), regarding the search for missing Baylor basketball player Patrick Dennehy.

Baylor President Robert B. Sloan Jr. will make a statement today at 3:30 p.m. at Baylor Law School, regarding the disappearance of Baylor basketball player Patrick Dennehy. Sloan also will be available to take a few questions from the media.

Russian leaders involved in shaping religion policy in their country will visit Baylor University's J.M. Dawson Institute of Church-State Studies for a program on religious freedom and church-state issues on Thursday and Friday, July 3-4, through the U.S. Congress-sponsored Open World Program.

Baylor University President Robert B. Sloan Jr. with the media at 3:30 p.m. Tuesday, July 1, at the Sheila and Walter Umphrey Law Center on the Baylor campus, regarding the disappearance of Baylor student-athlete Patrick Dennehy.

Baylor University President Robert B. Sloan Jr. read the following statement during a news conference July 1 at Baylor Law School, regarding the disappearance of Baylor student-athlete Patrick Dennehy.

Baylor University Director of Athletics Tom Stanton released a statement at 8 p.m. Monday, June 30, in response to the latest news reports on the disappearance of Patrick Dennehy.

Following a Waco Police Department news conference June 30, Baylor Assistant Athletic Director for Communications Scott Stricklin released the following statement, as the university continues to assist in the search for missing basketball player Patrick Dennehy.

Baylor Head Men's Basketball Coach Dave Bliss released a statement to the media June 28 regarding the disappearance of Patrick Dennehy.

Baylor University Athletic Director Tom Stanton released a statement June 27, regarding the latest developments involving the disappearance of Baylor basketball player, Patrick Dennehy.

The Waco Police Department released a statement June 27 pertaining to a previous missing persons report regarding Baylor basketball player, Patrick Dennehy.

Baylor Head Men's Basketball Coach Dave Bliss released a statement to the media June 26 regarding the disappearance of Patrick Dennehy.

Baylor Theatre will unveil a series of plays in repertory June 19-29 in Theatre 11 in the Hooper-Schaefer Fine Arts Building on the Baylor University campus.

The Waco Police Department issued a news release Wednesday asking anyone with information regarding the whereabouts of Baylor men's basketball player Patrick Dennehy to contact their office at (254) 750-7500. He has not been seen or heard from since June 11.

WCI Texas (formerly Waco Construction Inc.) has won an Outstanding Construction Award from the Texas Building Branch of Associated General Contractors of America for the company's work on the new Sheila and Walter Umphrey Law Center at Baylor University.

Baylor University conferred degrees on more than 1,600 graduates in mid-May, capping off an emotional week of commencement traditions, ceremonial pinnings, an honorary doctorate presentation and the awarding of a business degree more than 60 years in the making for one Baylor student.

The White House announced today that Jerome R. Loughridge, chief of staff to Baylor University President Robert B. Sloan Jr., has been appointed a White House Fellow for 2003-04, effective Sept. 1. The bipartisan program, founded in 1964 by President Lyndon B. Johnson, is the nation's most prestigious program for leadership and public service.

More than 50 years after his meritorious service at Iwo Jima during World War II, Baylor University Regent Emeritus J. Harry Jeanes was presented the Bronze Star during a ceremony June 17 at the Hughes-Dillard Alumni Center.

Texas First Lady Anita Perry announced a new scholarship program made possible by the Texas Conference for Women (TCW) during her June 16 visit to Baylor University. The wife of Gov. Rick Perry, accompanied by Baylor First Lady Sue Sloan, was in Waco to meet with more than 40 Central Texas women who serve on the TCW steering committee.

Dr. Max Shauck, director of the Baylor Institute for Air Science (BIAS), demonstrated the Sniffer, the Institute's newest aircraft development, at the International Show of Aeronautics and Space, also known as the Paris Air Show, June 18-22 in Paris, France.

First Lady Anita Perry will announce a new scholarship program made possible by the Texas Conference for Women during a news conference at 1 p.m. Monday, June 16, in Kronzer Great Hall at the Baylor University Hughes Dillard Alumni Center located at 1212 South University Parks Drive.

Julie A. Springer, an attorney with the Austin law firm of Scott, Douglass & McConnico, L.L.P. and a 1987 Baylor law graduate, was honored June 12 as the 2003 Baylor University Young Lawyer of the Year. She received the award from Dean Brad Toben at the annual reception of the Baylor Law Alumni Association, held in Houston during the Texas State Bar Convention.

Dr. Judy Wright Lott, dean of Baylor University's Louise Herrington School of Nursing, has announced the appointment of Steve Chisolm as the school's director of student services, effective immediately. Chisolm has served at the nursing school for eight years as director of student ministries.

The Baylor campus looked more like the Air Force Academy last week, as the university's ROTC program hosted the regional Junior Air Force ROTC Summer Leadership Camp. Approximately 180 high school students from throughout Texas to as far away as Kansas participated. A number of Baylor ROTC cadets, as well as cadets from the University of Texas, served as support staff and "flight" (a group of 27 to 30 students) leaders.

Three noted scholar-teachers have been selected as finalists for Baylor University's 2004 Robert Foster Cherry Award for Great Teaching. The award winner, who will be announced in spring 2004, will receive $200,000 plus $25,000 for his or her home department and will teach in residence at Baylor during the 2005 spring semester.

Baylor University Provost David L. Jeffrey has announced the appointment of Dr. Gregory A. Benesh, professor of physics, to the newly created position of University Ombudsman for Faculty.

Respected Dallas attorney James "Blackie" Holmes tackled professionalism within the legal profession in a recent speech at Baylor Law School, telling his audience of more than 100 attorneys, "the problem is with us, and it is up to us to slay the dragon."