July (Web-only) 2004

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An expected vote to oust Baylor's controversial president, Robert Sloan, didn't happen during the university's board of regents' July 21-23 meeting. Instead, regents unanimously restated their support of Baylor 2012, the university's 10-year vision.

"The Regents of Baylor University reaffirm our commitment to Vision 2012 and recognize the positive impact it has made to our campus and in the lives of our students," read the board's resolution.

Baylor provost David Jeffrey said after the meeting, "It's a quasi-miracle. Nobody is cocky. Nobody can cease to be but prayerful."

Sloan left a late-morning press conference in the School of Business building and greeted applauding supporters who had gathered for a prayer vigil. That vigil was cut short by the abrupt end of the meeting that many expected to last possibly into the afternoon.

Regents took a secret vote on Sloan in their last meeting May 14, which reportedly tallied 18-17. That means Sloan was retained as president by a single vote. The May meeting emboldened Sloan's critics. One of their leaders, William Carden, recently said in media reports that a majority of regents was prepared to dismiss Sloan.

Carden has organized the opposition into the Committee to Restore Integrity at Baylor University. He and other critics believe that the Sloan administration has severely weakened Baylor financially and has alienated donors, alumni, and faculty.

During an interview with Christianity Today before the regents' announcement, Carden said, "The PR fiasco has gone on for nine years—bumbling, administrative missteps." About Sloan, Carden said, "He's as likeable a guy as I'd ever want to meet. That doesn't mean he's qualified as administrator of a university. He's just administratively ...