Dean's Update - December 6, 2024

Dear Colleagues:

For the first time in years, I read Pico della Mirandola’s “Oration on the Dignity of Man.

Hailed as “the most succinct expression of the mind of the Renaissance,” it’s brash in ambition. Pico’s confidence that he could fully reconcile Hebraic, Greek, Roman, and Christian thought is startling. He was aware that his 900 theses, the occasion for his speech, “would be irritating and offensive” and that he would be resented for daring, “at my age, a mere twenty-four years, . . . to propose a disputation concerning the most subtle mysteries of Christian theology.”

Pico’s ambition exceeded his ability. His bravado further undermined his reception.

Yet he gets some important things right. What dignity we have is conferred upon us. In the spirit of Psalm 8, he acknowledges that the Lord made us “a little lower than the heavenly beings,” crowning us with “glory and honor.” Our dignity is true gift. We are at liberty to receive or refuse it. Pico imagines God telling Adam that he’s been given a life:

to have and possess through your own judgment and decision. . . . [You] may, by your own free will . . . trace for yourself the lineaments of your own nature. . . . It will be in your power to descend to the lower, brutish forms of life; you will be able, through your own decision, to rise again to the superior orders whose life is divine.

For a fully Christian humanism, Pico points to “the mystery of the Trinity, the Incarnation of the Word, the divinity of the Messiah,” and more.

The “Oration on the Dignity of Man” may not be obvious reading for Advent. But this speech and the present season coincide in inviting prayerful wonder at our lot. What are we? What may we become? How? St. Athanasius answers succinctly in writing that “Jesus became what we are, so that we might become what He is.”

At our best, our work reflects a high Christian humanism. By the gifts of our minds and the freedom of our wills—and through the grace of our incarnate Lord and in the life of the Church—we become what we are not yet but were made by God to be. Happy Advent!

Please note the following news and calls to action in the life of the Honors College:

• All HC faculty and staff are welcome to join me this spring in small groups for personal, conversational lunches at the McMullen Faculty Center. Sign up here and feel free to include a suggested topic if you like. This is a great opportunity to enjoy time with colleagues, share what’s on your mind, get insight or support from me, and have a free lunch.
• As we approach the end of our strategic planning process, I’m grateful for the efforts of many. Beginning with our August day retreat, extending through working group meetings, and incorporating individual feedback shared along the way, broad contribution has gone into our plan. It’s been said that most strategic thing one can do with a strategic plan is to implement it. I’m excited about the days ahead for us.
• With the creation of a new lecturer-line rank of Teaching Professor, we were asked to develop college-level guidelines for promotion. Our AFPR Task Force took the lead in drafting guidelines. The Task Force received feedback from faculty, program directors, and my office, and a revised document was sent to Vice Provost DeAnna Toten Beard. Approved Guidelines for Promotion to Teaching Professor are now posted here. The University’s policy on lecturers (BU-PP 716) and related procedures are available here.
• Sarah Walden, associate professor of rhetoric in the BIC, has graciously accepted appointment as co-chair of the University’s Quality Enhancement Plan (QEP) Development Committee, which will serve a vital role in supporting our SACSCOC reaccreditation (slated for 2026-27). The QEP will take up the topic of civil discourse. Together with co-chair Kevin Villegas, dean of intercultural engagement in Student Life, Sarah will shape important work of university-wide impact. Thank you, Sarah!
• Elizabeth Corey, associate professor of political science and director of the Honors Program, and Sam Perry, associate professor of communication in the BIC, have won a Teagle Foundation grant under its Knowledge for Freedom program. It will bring underserved high school students from Waco ISD and nearby areas to campus for summer liberal arts study, cultivation of civic skills, and college readiness. Well done, colleagues!
• Congratulations to Mary Ziehe on promotion to Program Manager, Academic Advising. Over 10 years of service to Baylor, first in CASA and since 2019 in the Honors Program, Mary’s work as advisor and senior advisor has won acclaim from faculty, staff, and students across campus. Keep up the great work, Mary!
• Congratulations to David Justice, postdoctoral teaching fellow in the BIC, on his selection for the Wabash Center’s 2025 Workshop for Early Career Religion Faculty Teaching Undergraduates. This funded program provides a substantial program of formative reflection that will enhance participants’ classroom excellence. We’re proud of you, David!
• Our deeply valued colleague, Jeff Hunt, senior lecturer in classics the College of Arts & Sciences and director of University Scholars, has announced his resignation as director, effective May 31. Jeff’s UNSC work extends across most of his career, including years of assistant director service before he became director. Our appreciation for you is deep, Jeff. We will miss you greatly.
• Next semester, I’ll share a process to fill two leadership openings: Associate Dean for Faculty and Director of University Scholars. In the meantime, informal expressions of interest and inquiries are always welcome.

All the best,

Douglas V. Henry, Ph.D. | Dean
Honors College | Baylor University
honors.baylor.edu | 254.710.7689