WACO, Texas (ABP) — John Lilley may be the latest endangered leader at the world's largest Baptist school, according to reports in the local newspaper.
The Waco Tribune-Herald reported May 17 that Baylor University leaders declined to discuss whether the school's regents took a vote on Lilley's fate during a board meeting the previous day. The paper reported earlier that, according to unidentified board sources, such a vote would be held.
Lilley came to Baylor in 2005 after the stormy 10-year tenure of Robert Sloan. Baylor officials hoped at the time that Lilley would help heal a rift that had developed under Sloan between the faculty and administration over ideological and educational issues. They also hoped Lilley could calm tensions between the independent Baylor Alumni Association and the regents.
But controversy over several recent denials of tenure to faculty members, despite the recommendations of their departments, and other issues has raised questions in recent weeks about Lilley's fate.
The Tribune reported May 14 that the meeting would include a vote to fire Lilley. But the school issued a press release following the May 16 meeting that mentioned nothing about any such vote.
According to the newspaper, Lilley, Baylor Regents chairman Harold Cunningham and Vice President for Communications John Barry refused to say if the meeting had included a vote on Lilley's fate, repeatedly noting that they would not comment on anything that happened in executive session.
Asked for further information by an Associated Baptist Press reporter May 19, Baylor spokesperson Lori Scott Fogleman reiterated other school officials' statements. “We can't talk about confidential executive session matters, but what I can tell you is that Dr. Lilley is Baylor's president,” she said, noting that Lilley “has a full schedule of business he is attending to on behalf of the university” in the next few weeks.
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Read more:
Neutrality in Baylor fray gives new 'reconciler' president advantage (11/8/2005)
Baylor elects Nevada educator, alum John Lilley as president (11/4/2005)