Updated 2:11 p.m. Monday: About 85 students from Pepperdine School of Law gathered at 12:30 p.m. to hear official word from Pepperdine about the departure of Dean Kenneth Starr. The law school’s vice dean and two associate deans spoke for slightly more than 20 minutes including a question-and-answer session.
“Today is really about appreciating Dean Starr’s contributions to the university and [letting the news sink in] Associate Dean Jim Gash said. [Next] we’re going to have to redouble our efforts in fundraising and other aspects but we don’t intend to retrench. This is not a time to move backward— this is a time to move forward.”
Gash sent out an e-mail announcing the meeting at 10 a.m. Monday shortly after many students heard the news.
“People were talking about it in my classes this morning said first-year law student Eliana Ramirez, who attended the meeting. It was really shocking because I know many people who chose Pepperdine because of its high-profile dean. That wasn’t why I came but I was still surprised. But I accept it.”
The deans generally deferred questions about who will replace Starr and how that person will be selected saying it was above their pay grade for now.
However they emphasized that while Starr had brought a lot of good things to the school they would continue after his departure. For instance they said Starr used his connections and influence to bring Supreme Court justices to lecture at Pepperdine but that members of the Court had visited Pepperdine before his tenure and would continue to do so.
Update: 12:35 p.m. Monday: After speculation exploded across the Internet and Pepperdine’s campus Baylor University confirmed at noon today that Kenneth Starr will take over as president of the Baptist-affiliated college in Waco Texas.
Starr has served as dean of Pepperdine School of Law since 2004. He will remain in the position until June 1 according to President Andrew K. Benton.
Benton said he learned several lessons since he chose Starr.
“I’ve learned that there’s good star power and there’s bad star power he said. There are stars— one ‘r’— who require a lot of attention. And then there are Starrs— capital ‘S’ two ‘R’s’—who bring a lot of energy and great things to the job.”
Faculty and staff of Pepperdine School of Law were notified in an impromptu meeting at 9 a.m. although news outlets including the Graphic reported Sunday night and early Monday morning that the announcement was likely. A source close to the search told KWTX in Waco that Starr would be Baylor’s next president accelerating a schedule that initially had Pepperdine and Baylor simultaneously announcing the decision at 3 p.m. Pacific time.Professor Gregory Ogden will probably lead the committee select a new dean. The new dean will probably be selected by summer of 2011.
Benton and others at Pepperdine knew since early February that Baylor would probably choose Starr to lead their university. A chief concern he said was timing— he wanted faculty staff and others who care about Pepperdine to hear from the university first but did not want to move too early.
He said that for now he will leave the details of who should replace Starr to the faculty and others at the law school.
“I’m sad to see Ken and [his wife] Alice go but this also gives us opportunities he said. Hopefully we can match the leader to the mountain.”
No changes to Pepperdine’s programs are expected.Update: 2:30 a.m. Monday: Kenneth Starr dean of Pepperdine’s School of Law will leave Pepperdine to become the president of Baylor University sources close to the presidential search told KWTX of Waco Texas.
Baylor a Baptist-affiliated university in Waco is ranked 80th among national universities by U.S. News & World Report. Its law school ranked 65th is particularly noted for its strong trial advocacy program according to the publication.Pepperdine is ranked 58th with its law school coming in at No. 55.
Starr served as dean of the school of law since 2004 while continuing to actively practice law. Recent cases include a March 2009 case challenging the legality of Proposition 8 by which California voters defined marriage as between a man and a woman.
Starr argued 25 cases before the Supreme Court as President George H.W. Bush’s solicitor general and he continues to occasionally argue before the high court.
The official announcement could come as early as Monday according to KWTX. However the political blog Texas Tribune suggested Sunday that the announcement might be delayed until Tuesday because Monday is a federal holiday.
Starr a Texas native who grew up as a member of the Church of Christ will be one of the few non-Baptist executives at Baylor according to the Texas Tribune. Baylor’s Web site reports that 45 percent of the university’s students and 48 percent of its faculty are Baptists.
The Tribune said “widespread but unconfirmed” rumors began circulating Sunday that Starr would become Baylor’s president. However KWTX was the first to attribute the story to unnamed sources close to the search.
At least 65 people had posted on Twitter reacting to the rumored announcement by 2 a.m. Monday with most referring to Starr as the independent counsel who investigated Whitewater and the sex-related charges that led to President Clinton’s impeachment. Most tweets did not explicitly express either support or opposition.
Pepperdine officials were not available for comment late Sunday night and other new sources report that they have been unable to reach representatives of Baylor.
The original story is available at http://www.kbtx.com/home/headlines/84363347.html
