BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (ABP) — Andrew Westmoreland, president of Arkansas Baptists' Ouachita Baptist University, is the leading candidate to become president of Samford University in Birmingham, Ala.
Westmoreland visited the Samford campus Dec. 6 to meet with three constituent panels — faculty/staff, students and alumni/donors — as well as university leaders, according to a campus-wide e-mail from the Samford administration. A similar announcement was placed on the Ouachita website.
No date has been announced for the election of a Samford president. Although the Samford search committee recently announced it had narrowed the search to a short list, sources say Westmoreland is the committee's first choice.
In a Dec. 1 e-mail to Ouachita faculty, staff and students, Westmoreland said he became “open to the possibility” of the Samford presidency in late October, after several conversations with the committee. After prayer, he said, he realized “this move might be best for all concerned.”
“The matter is in God's hands,” he added. “… I cannot explain what God is doing here, but I have surrendered.”
If elected, Westmoreland would complete the presidential carousal at three of the largest Baptist universities. On Dec. 2, Mercer University in Macon, Ga., elected as president Bill Underwood, interim president of Baylor University. Underwood was a leading candidate for the Baylor presidency before removing his name from consideration. Trustees of the Texas Baptist school in Waco elected Nevada educator John Lilley as president Nov. 3.
Samford's next president will replace Tom Corts, who is retiring. Samford, affiliated with the Alabama Baptist Convention, reports 2,882 undergraduate students, 1,558 graduate students and 264 faculty members.
Westmoreland, in his late 40s, has served his entire career at Ouachita, in Arkadelphia, Ark. President since 1998, he has been an administrator at the Arkansas Baptist school for more than 19 years. He is best known for his successful fund-raising for the 1,700-student school. He served as vice president for development until 1995, when he became executive vice president.
A graduate of Ouachita, Westmoreland received a bachelor's degree in political science in 1979. He earned a master's degree in political science from the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville and a doctorate in higher-education administration from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock.
A native of Arkansas, Westmoreland is married to Jeanna Westmoreland, associate professor of education and dean of Ouachita's School of Education. The Westmorelands have one daughter, Riley Elizabeth.
In addition to his duties as president, Westmoreland serves as professor of political science and education. He is the author of Leading by Design, published in 2005.
In recent years, conflict between many Baptist universities — including Baylor and Mercer — and their Baptist constituents have led to severing or reducing historic ties. But Ouachita and Samford have not experienced significant conflict with Baptists in their state.