David E. Garland: A Leader for All Seasons

When he arrived to teach at George W. Truett Theological Seminary in 1997, New Testament scholar David E. Garland, PhD, likely did not imagine the extent to which the University would come to rely upon his academic and administrative expertise. Called over the years to lead Baylor in a variety of capacities – dean, interim president and, now, interim provost – he has fulfilled each role with unparalleled ability and grace.
Dr. Garland concludes his tenure as interim provost June 1, returning to George W. Truett Theological Seminary as professor of Christian Scriptures. Since last July, he has led the Office of the Executive Vice President and Provost in the oversight of all of Baylor’s educational and research programs among its 13 schools and colleges.
“Dr. Garland’s appointment as interim provost will allow the University to continue to move forward in the implementation of Pro Futuris, our new vision, while we begin planning for a national search to fill the position of the University’s chief academic officer,” Baylor President and Chancellor Ken Starr said last February upon making the appointment. The University announced in December that Edwin Trevathan, MD, MPH, will begin as Executive Vice President and Provost in June.
A Bold Vision
A deep belief in and understanding of Baylor’s distinctive mission informs Garland’s leadership. As interim provost, he has successfully shepherded the University along its committed path of Transformational Education and Compelling Scholarship, key aspirations of Pro Futuris.
“Why do we want to produce compelling scholarship and provide a transformative education? It is not simply so that we can rise in the U.S. News and World Report rankings, or approach the profile of Carnegie’s Research Universities with Very High Research Activity, but because we are a Christian institution of higher education,” Garland said. “I believe deeply what Lutheran Bishop Paul Hanson has said: ‘Our beliefs have the power to transform and redeem people, to shape society, and to forge a moral vision.’”
Under Garland’s watch as interim provost, much has been accomplished. From new deans of Truett Seminary and the Schools of Education and Music, to expanded academic curricula and student-centered initiatives, University life is thriving with purpose and momentum. The fall 2015 incoming class is estimated to be the most selective in school history, with a current acceptance rate of 44 percent — 10 points lower than last year.
“All of us in the Office of the Executive Vice President and Provost have been quite gratified by Dr. Garland’s thoughtful commitment to advancing academic initiatives throughout the University,” Vice Provost for Academic Affairs and Policy James Bennighof, PhD, said. “During his tenure as interim provost, he’s been thoroughly dedicated to supporting new proposals and revisions of existing programs that have been developed by various academic units across campus, and he’s always brought to this process a strategic eye toward the decisions that would best serve our students in both the short and long terms.”
The addition of PhD programs in environmental science and mechanical engineering represent Baylor’s long-term commitment to increase doctoral production in the STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) fields. Curriculum being developed within the new Robbins College of Health and Human Sciences, including a PhD in Health Services Research, will foster a team-based approach to patient care by establishing interdisciplinary research collaborations that promote human flourishing.
The Hankamer School of Business Management and Entrepreneurship Department was reorganized into two departments, with the management department now offering three majors: management, human resources management and supply chain management. The entrepreneurship department, recently ranked fifth nationally by Entrepreneur Magazine and The Princeton Review, supports a major for business students, a minor for non-business students, a Living and Learning Center and a certificate program in partnership with the School of Engineering and Computer Science.
Through its Baylor Bound and First in Line programs, the University continues to expand access to a Baylor education and equip students for success. In the past year, the University signed Baylor Bound agreements with four of 10 planned community colleges to offer a clear pathway for transfer students throughout Texas to complete their Baylor degree in four years. The new First in Line program aims to welcome and retain first-generation college students through targeted mentorship and support.
“David Garland is one the kindest and most caring people I have ever known. While serving as our provost, he has done a terrific job helping us to maintain our momentum with the many different initiatives that we have under way within academic affairs,” Vice Provost for Undergraduate Education Wesley Null said. “Whether it be our faculty-in-residence program, our work to improve advising, our efforts to expand Career and Professional Development, our Baylor Bound agreements, or the launching of the Robbins College of Health and Human Sciences, David’s support and guidance have been invaluable. We have been very fortunate to have David as our provost for the past year.”
A Legacy of Service
Garland’s willing and exceptional service as interim provost comes as no surprise to those who have followed Baylor in recent years. Called by Baylor Regents in 2008 to serve as interim president, he guided the University during the search for its 14th president.
He returned to Truett in 2010 as the Charles J. and Eleanor McLerran Delancey Chair of the Dean, to which he previously was named in 2007 after having served with distinction as both the seminary’s associate dean for academic affairs and the Hinson Chair.
His tenure as Truett’s dean was a time of growth and expansion, enhanced by the opening of the seminary’s first extension campus last year in Austin. He resigned the position last year upon accepting the interim provost appointment.
“I told the president and others that I did not think it was good for the seminary to have a dean who keeps leaving and coming back, since I had also served four years ago as the interim president,” Garland said.
As planned, Garland will soon return to Truett as professor of Christian Scriptures. After he reunites with his seminary colleagues and students to resume his life’s work, his legacy as interim provost will live on — as with each mantle he has worn throughout his prolific career at Baylor — evident not only in the programs he championed but in the hearts of his colleagues whose respect and appreciation he has earned.
“David Garland has been the consummate servant-leader for Baylor — a great scholar, who put his writing on hold to serve as a successful dean, an interim president, and an interim provost,” said Trevathan. “Truett Seminary will continue to benefit from Professor Garland’s stature as a great scholar. Faculty, students, and leaders at Baylor will continue to benefit from Professor Garland’s mentoring and wisdom.”