Baylor News December 1998
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President’s December Academic Last Perspective Focus Agenda Glance Public television: Best of both worlds: Dying of the Light: Backyard Monsters: Baylor acquires KCTF to Institute finding ways to Burtchaell’s book con- The Junior League and Baylor provide learning laboratory, integrate intellectual tends Christian universi- combine efforts to support new local programming. pursuit2 with Christian faith.3 ties unfaithful3 to purpose.5 children’s museum at complex. 2 Vol. 8, No. 10 • DECEMBER8 1998 Institute for Faith and Learning Year-old center seeks ways to have faith informed by best of learning and learning informed by best of faith By Julie Carlson s the millennium approaches, organizations throughout the world will examine their tradi- A tions and missions. Baylor is no exception, and one of the most important issues the University must face is how to achieve prominence in the world of higher education while remaining true to its Baptist heritage. It is a question that sparks disagree- ment from external constituents and within Baylor itself (see this month’s “Academic Agenda,” page 5). A survey of Baylor faculty conducted in 1995 by Dr. Larry Lyon, dean of the graduate school and professor of sociology, and Dr. Michael Beaty, director of the Institute for Faith and Learning and associate professor of philosophy, highlighted the fact that even among Baylor faculty, the intersection between faith and learning is unclear. Dr. Lyon and Dr. Beaty found that while 92 percent of faculty surveyed “create a syllabus for a course that includes a Dr. Beaty, the formal establishment of the believe “it is possible for Baylor to achieve clear, academically legitimate Christian per- Institute was the culmination of years of re- academic excellence and maintain a Christian spective on the subject.” search. identity,” they are less sure of how faith-related In September 1997, Baylor’s Regents “A good bit of my interest was no doubt concerns fit in with the academic agenda. In decided the University needed a center dedicated inspired by my own story,” Dr. Beaty said. “I fact, of the 51 percent of those surveyed who to examining how academics and Christian started my undergraduate career at West Point believed that Baylor needed to integrate faith thought could be reconnected, and thus the and transferred to Ouachita Baptist University and learning, only 39 percent felt they could Institute for Faith and Learning was born. For See “December Focus” on page 3 President’s Perspective Chartered in 1845 by the Republic of Texas, Alliance between Baylor, public television benefits all Baylor University is the state’s oldest continually operating institution of higher n February of this year the Board of Directors of the Public Relations Office’s video communica- learning and is the largest Baptist university in the world. With almost 13,000 students and Brazos Valley Public Broadcasting Foundation, tions operation with the television station), more than 600 full-time faculty, Baylor offers I which operates Waco PBS affiliate KCTF, enhanced fund-raising support, growth in PresidentPresident undergraduate, graduate and professional approached Baylor about expanding the revenue from outside production work, and other RobertRobert B.B. SloanSloan Jr.Jr. degrees through the College of Arts and University’s involvement with the public television benefits of University affiliation, will allow the Sciences, the Hankamer School of Business, station. For the past five years Baylor has provided station to be self supporting. the School of Education, the School of Music, the School of Nursing, the School of in-kind support for KCTF in the form of office and There are a number of reasons why we other television service for its high-quality Engineering and Computer Science, the studio space, accounting services and other believe this is a positive move for Baylor. First and children’s, cultural, documentary, science and School of Law, the Graduate School and infrastructure assistance. The directors of Brazos foremost, this arrangement secures a laboratory public affairs programming. PBS’s non-commer- George W. Truett Theological Seminary. Baylor Valley and KCTF’s management recognized, environment for students in the University’s cial, public-service mission guarantees that is consistently ranked among the top college however, that the station’s long-term viability and telecommunication program. Since KCTF moved substance and value, not commercial interests, values in the country by such publications as Fisk Guide to Colleges, Princeton Review success depended on finding a partner that could into our facilities in 1993, our students have been drive programming decisions. It is a logical fit with and Money magazine. help the station grow. After merger discussions with given opportunities to apply what they learn in Baylor’s educational mission. There also is reason KERA-TV in Dallas and KLRU-TV in Austin failed to the classroom to a real, live television station to believe that as a PBS affiliate, the University will Dr. Robert B. Sloan Jr. have the opportunity to produce programming President yield a partnership, KCTF turned to Baylor. without having to leave the campus. I believe this kind of learning environment contributes to the using Baylor talent and resources that can be Marilyn A. Crone Studying the options outstanding reputation our telecommunication distributed to other stations throughout the Vice President for Human Resources Dr. Charles S. Madden, vice president for graduates enjoy in the broadcast industry. If country, thereby generating additional visibility for the institution. Harold R. Cunningham University relations, and Larry Brumley, associate KCTF had gone off the air or had merged with an VIce President for Finance and Administration vice president for communications, spent six out-of-town station, we would have lost that months studying the options that Baylor had valuable learning tool for our students. Digital technology Dr. Charles S. Madden Finally, a future benefit to the University is Vice President for University Relations relative to its future relationship with KCTF. They held numerous conversations with KCTF General Serving community needs represented in the advent of digital television. Dr. Steven G.W. Moore Manager Kliff Kuehl, Telecommunication Division Another reason for assuming KCTF’s license Current FCC regulations mandate that all non- Vice President for Student Life Director Michael Korpi, PBS and Corporation for is that the station serves a community need. commercial television stations in the country begin Dr. Donald D. Schmeltekopf Public Broadcasting representatives and officials While PBS programming also is available on broadcasting a digital signal by the year 2003. This Provost and Vice President for from other university-affiliated public television cable from KERA, the Dallas station does not new technology means that KCTF will have the Academic Affairs stations, examined reams of documents, and produce local programs that focus on Waco capability of broadcasting not only television Dr. Richard C. Scott conducted site visits to two church-related issues and concerns. Within the past few months, programming, but data as well, over as many as Vice President for University institutions that operate PBS stations. Through this KCTF has conducted a number of community four channels. While the space allotted here Development investigation, we determined that it made sense for outreach initiatives such as sweater drives, town doesn’t allow for a thorough explanation of the technical details, suffice it to say that the digital ____________ Baylor to accept an offer from Brazos Valley to hall meetings and teleconferences, and has transfer KCTF’s license to the University. Baylor will produced programs for organizations such as the technology has tremendous implications for BaylorNews is published 10 times a year by not be compensating Brazos Valley in any way for Texas Commission on Alcohol and Drug Abuse, educational institutions such as Baylor. the Office of Public Relations. this license. The foundation is giving the station to the Junior League, Carver Academy and the You will be hearing more about the KCTF The submission of suggestions for stories the University. Community Youth Summit. transition in the coming weeks, but I wanted to is encouraged. The newsletter works two We believe that increased funding from the I also believe there is public relations value provide you with an advance look at what we months in advance. Deadline is the first of each month (i.e. Dec. 1 for the February Corporation for Public Broadcasting, coupled with in our association with a respected organization believe is a most exciting opportunity for Baylor issue). Comments or questions should be additional operating efficiencies (such as merging like PBS, which earns more recognition than any University. (See related story on page 4.) directed to: BaylorNews P.O. Box 97024 Waco, TX 76798-7024 (254) 710-1963 (254) 710-1490 (Fax) Law School [email protected] pr.baylor.edu Larry D. Brumley Receives Major Associate Vice President for Communications Brenda S. Tacker Contribution Director of Publications and University Editor $20 million serves as Vicki Marsh Kabat catalyst for new facility Associate Director of Publications and Managing Editor hanks to the “stunning generosity” of three Baylor law graduates, the nationally ranked Kate Langston Baylor School of Law is a big step closer to Editor/Writer and Associate Editor T an impressive new building on the banks of the Lori Scott-Fogleman Brazos River. The new facility will give Baylor one Walter Umphrey and John Eddie and Sheridan Williams Director of Media Relations of the most modern and best-equipped law schools unveil a drawing of the new law school facility. Writers in the country, said Law School Dean Brad Toben. Julie Carlson, Alan Hunt Baylor law graduates Walter Umphrey of 141-year history, but also is the largest gift from Graphic Designer Beaumont and Harold Nix of Daingerfield, both recovery ever made in American jurisprudence, Patrick Contreras members of the class of 1965, and John Eddie individuals in the history of Baylor University.