President Brister Presents Report of Strength to Trustees
August 5, 2003
“OBU is progressing toward a fine and exciting future,” said OBU President Mark Brister at the Board of Trustees meeting July 25. “We have completed an active, purpose-driven year of transition, and it is well with our university.”
The Board of Trustees resonated with the inspiring news about OBU
The 2002-2003 budget is balanced.
The fall enrollment is projected to increase 40-50 students from last year.
The state-of-the-art student center is near completion.
Preliminary preparations for soccer fields are underway.
The Falls Creek scholarship has generated more than 1,000 inquiries from Oklahoma Baptist high school students.
In addition to these encouraging events, several new faces have joined the administrative team. With the retirement of J.R. Weaver, Jim Colman joins OBU as Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs.
“Dr. Weaver set the stage well,” said Dr Brister, “Dr. Colman’s Christianity, creativity, and cognizance of what is required academically in an authentic evangelical Christian setting positions OBU for further greatness, building upon our traditions of evangelical excellence.”
In addition, Michael Martin will lead the Joe L. Ingram School of Christian Service as Dean.
“Dr. Martin is a rock-solid, Bible-believing Christian scholar, OBU’s School of Christian Service will be in good hands.”
The Board also approved faculty members Pamela Belshe, Bonnie Sneed, and Karen Cotter.
“I am pleased to announce that Dr. Colman, Dr. Martin and several others will join me on a tour across the state,” said Dr. Brister. “We want people to meet the new OBU leadership team and hear more about OBU’s exciting mission. We will assure all Oklahoma Baptists of our continued dual-mission: Christian commitment and academic excellence.”
More information will be available soon.
The historic passage of the Tuition Equalization Grant in Oklahoma generated discussion about student scholarships at OBU.
“Last fall, OBU enrolled 373 fulltime beginning freshman,” said Dr. Brister. “Of that number, 83 percent of the students from Oklahoma came from families with an adjusted gross income of less than $50,000. Had this been funded and in place last year, Oklahoma resident students would have received $300,000 in new scholarship money. That combined with the Falls Creek scholarships provide even more incentive for Oklahoma students to choose OBU.”
An appeal was made for Oklahoma churches to host an OBU Day, a time where significance is given to OBU through student-led worship and preaching.
“We continue to face extraordinary opportunities and challenges as a result of our country’s economic outlook,” said Dr. Brister, “but OBU is well positioned and well managed.”