DALLAS (ABP) — A recommendation approved by the Baptist General Convention of Texas Executive Board’s education and finance subcommittees would adjust funding guidelines to “level the playing field” for universities receiving Texas Baptist Cooperative Program funds, said Steve Vernon, associate executive director for the BGCT Executive Board.
The proposal approved by the Executive Board’s education and finance subcommittees will be considered by the institutional relations committee before the Executive Board takes any action. If approved by the board, messengers to the BGCT annual meeting in Amarillo will consider the matter.
If approved, total BGCT financial support for Baylor University will be reduced from about $2.8 million to $1.9 million. The university’s operating budget is more than $428 million this year.
Excluding funding for Baylor’s Truett Theological Seminary — which remains at about $1.1 million– BGCT support for Baylor would decrease from more than $1.72 million in 2011 to $831,175 in 2012 under the proposed guidelines. Baylor would continue to receive scholarship support for undergraduate ministerial education.
Baylor administration officials said they had not yet received formal notification of any proposed change in BGCT support of Baylor University.
“As we have said previously, Baylor cherishes its longstanding and celebrated relationship with the Baptist General Convention of Texas and is seeking ways to strengthen it,” Baylor spokesperson Lori Fogleman said.
At its May meeting, the BGCT Executive Board directed Vernon to invite Baylor University President Ken Starr to develop a process for renegotiating the agreement between the state convention and the university. That action came in response to Baylor’s decision in February to allow non-Baptist Christians on its board of regents.
At that board meeting, a nine-member task force appointed to consider the relationship between the BGCT and Baylor presented its report and recommended a renegotiated agreement. The task force report noted two items for special consideration — funding and representation.
“The BGCT and Baylor should agree on strategic funding that is mutually beneficial for shared interests," the report said. Also, “The BGCT and Baylor should revisit the policies and guidelines under which BGCT-elected regents are selected for the Baylor board of regents.”
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Ken Camp is managing editor of the Baptist Standard.