[1]Former Baylor President Ken Starr dies at 76
By Ken Camp/Baptist Standard
HOUSTON (BP) – Ken Starr, the former independent counsel in the Clinton administration Whitewater investigation who later became president and chancellor of Baylor University, died Sept. 13 at age 76.
Starr, former U.S. Solicitor General and a U.S. circuit court judge, died at Baylor St. Luke’s Medical Center in Houston due to complications from surgery, a statement from his family [2] said.
Starr was elected president of Baylor University in February 2010, and he concurrently held the title of university chancellor beginning in November 2013.
Baylor’s board of regents removed Starr as president in May 2016, citing the university’s “fundamental failure” to handle sexual violence complaints appropriately under his leadership. He soon resigned as chancellor and later stepped down as a professor at Baylor Law School.
[3]However, for six years, Starr oversaw significant expansion at Baylor, including construction of McLane Stadium, the Hart Track and Field Stadium, the Paul Foster Campus for Business and Innovation and Elliston Chapel, along with renovation of three residence halls.
He also led in fundraising for the university, beginning with his first major project – completing ahead of schedule the $100 million President’s Scholarship Initiative.
During Starr’s time as president, Baylor also took significant steps toward becoming a top-tier research university, expanding the Baylor Research and Innovation Collaborative and establishing the Robbins College of Health and Human Sciences.
Praised for public service and scholarship
“Judge Starr had a profound impact on Baylor University, leading a collaborative visioning process to develop the Pro Futuris strategic vision in 2012 that placed Baylor on the path to where we are today as a Christian Research 1 institution,” President Linda Livingstone said.
“Judge Starr was a dedicated public servant and ardent supporter of religious freedom that allows faith-based institutions such as Baylor to flourish,” she said.
William Carey University raises scholarship amounts 40 percent
By William Carey University Staff
HATTIESBURG, Miss. (BP) – William Carey University announced a major restructuring of its academic scholarship program during a press conference Sept. 9 at Tatum Court. The change will mean an average increase of 40 percent in scholarship amounts awarded to freshmen, transfer and international students.
This initiative was among Ben Burnett’s first priorities in August as he assumed the role of university president.
“While Carey remains very competitive with other institutions in Mississippi, and in most cases less expensive, we felt our scholarship structure was outdated and needed to be revised to reflect the needs of our students today,” Burnett said.
“We want all students to have the option of choosing a Christian higher education as they prepare to answer God’s call in their life. Hopefully, this scholarship change will make that possible for many more students in the future.”
WCU’s academic scholarships are ranked in four tiers and awarded based on factors like scores on ACT and SAT tests for freshmen, college grade point average for transfer students and whether the student lives on or off campus. Under the new structure, scholarships will range from $5,100 to $9,300 per year for students who live on campus, and $2,700 to $6,600 for commuters.
The new program takes effect in fall 2023. It also includes church-related vocation scholarships for ministerial students – increasing those awards to $9,000 for on-campus students and $6,300 for commuters.
“One of the things I’ve learned talking to prospective students and families is that people assume William Carey’s tuition is high because it’s a private university. That’s never been the case,” said Brett Golson, dean of the Cooper School of Missions and Ministry. “We kept tuition low – but now, we’ve raised our scholarships to unprecedented amounts. Students can absolutely afford to pursue their educational dreams at William Carey.”
Rana Abozeed, president of the WCU Student Government Association, spoke on behalf of the student body.
“I would like to thank our administration for the generosity and hard work they put into making a college education affordable. This will be of tremendous help for students to pursue their college education, finish off strong and get their degrees, and fully prepare them to be successful. We are incredibly thankful for our administration and the care and support they have for students,” Abozeed said.
For more information, contact the WCU Office of Admissions:
- Hattiesburg campus, (601) 318-6103 or [email protected] [4]
- Tradition campus, (228) 702-1815 or [email protected] [5]