As Rory Lee relocates to his native Mississippi, he will carry a favorite
memory from his time as president of Louisiana College.
As Rory Lee relocates to his native Mississippi, he will carry a favorite
memory from his time as president of Louisiana College.
It occurred after Lee had been at the school a few years. Enrollment was climbing
to new highs. The campus environment had been changed, had become more vibrant
as the number of residential students rose.
But here was Lee, returning to his office following a chapel service, only
to find a female upperclassman student waiting for him, crying.
Lee sought to learn the cause for her tears.
“Her response was, I had to stand in line at the cafeteria,”
Lee recalls. “And I didnt know how to respond to what she said. Then,
after she got her composure, she said: Ive been here three years,
and I havent had to stand in line. And it bothered me that this was where
I chose to be and that others were not choosing Louisiana College.
” Now, others are choosing to come to school here. It makes
me know my choice was right.”
It is easy to see why Lee chooses such a memory.
When Lee was considering the move from his native Mississippi to Louisiana
College in 1997, colleagues cautioned him not to go. They warned he would face
a divided board and convention and be unable to accomplish much.
However, Lees arrival at Louisiana College came during a lull in Louisiana
Baptist Convention politics.
A “peace candidate” would be proposed as convention president that
year and serve two unopposed years.
A new convention leader had arrived, having gained unanimous support from LBC
Executive Board members.
In addition, a divisive lawsuit between several Louisiana College professors
and key conservative leaders soon would be resolved out of court.
And now, Lee himself was on board, insisting the future was “bright”
for Louisiana College.
The college community responded.
In ensuing years, building projects were launched, including a multi-million-dollar
health and wellness center and a womens residence hall. Record gifts were
received. Football was re-established – and enrollment began to climb,
recording an overall increase of 31 percent by 2001.
Meanwhile, the quality of students at the school was on the rise as average
ACT scores inched higher. The number of faculty members with doctorates climbed.
All the while, the college continued to garner national recognition for both
its academic quality and its Christian character.
Lee was proving his so-called “advisors” wrong.
However, tensions eventually did return to the school, as conservative trustees
began implementing changes designed to ensure its Christian focus and commitment.
Those came to a head late last year when trustees adopted a stricter policy
on selection of classroom materials, which sparked public criticism and protest.
Then early this year, the school learned that two key leaders were headed to
new posts – Lee and Ben Hawkins, who served as vice president of academic
affairs. Hawkins is assuming a position at a North Carolina school.
Meanwhile, the tensions remain as Lee travels to his native state this week
to assume leadership of the Mississippi Baptist Childrens Village.
However, they are not the reason Lee gives for leaving the Bayou State and
its flagship Louisiana Baptist school.
“Seldom does an opportunity to be involved in a ministry thats meaningful
and an opportunity to go home come in the same package,” he says of his
decision.
“And thats what has happened here.”
Lee says his decision to leave Louisiana College does not lessen his love and
admiration for the school.
“The past seven years have been both challenging and rewarding,”
Lee continues. “And the decision to go to the Mississippi Baptist Childrens
Village was a difficult one for those reasons. The accomplishments that occurred
have been pleasing, and the challenges that were not met made it difficult to
leave things still unfulfilled.”
As for the accomplishments, Lee cites three areas in a specific order –
the quality of students, faculty dedication to excellence and facility improvements.
Lee notes that a “significantly larger number” of students rank on
the upper end of national tests and that the student body, as a whole, are “extremely
dedicated to Christian principles,” as evidenced in their involvement in
missions, ministries and campus religious activities.
Indeed, there has been an average of about 10 professions of faith on campus
in recent years, Lee notes. And involvement in Baptist Collegiate Ministry work
has been so high, the organization has had to change locations twice.
“This lets me know that this student body is very special – and that
would be one of the most important things to me,” Lee emphasizes.
He also notes that there are 40 percent more doctorates on the school faculty
now. Also, campus and physical plant improvements have made the school more
attractive and helped to fuel the increase in students, he adds.
The on-campus atmosphere has shown marked improvement as well – to the
point of becoming a place “where the students want to be here, even on
weekends,” Lee says.
All in all, the college is stronger academically and spiritually, the departing
president emphasizes.
However, Lee leaves with at least one key goal unmet.
“Theres little question my biggest disappointment – and fortunately,
Ive not had many in the last seven years – was my inability to bring
peace,” Lee says, pausing in mid-sentence to gather control of his emotions.
He waits to finish the thought, fighting tears.
“The reason thats my biggest disappointment was because it was the
highest priority.”
Seven years ago, peace seemed possible – perhaps even likely to some –
given Lees unanimous election.
But the possibility went unfulfilled, Lee admits.
“I believe the reason this was not accomplished was that I was not able
to help people see a united vision for Louisiana College,” he says.
“The only vision that would unite Louisiana College would be dedication
to both academic excellence and commitment to a totally Christ-centered college.
And unless all constituents accept both, peace wont be possible.”
Selling that vision is difficult because those who champion one or the other
side of the vision all hold strong opinions on issues affecting the school,
Lee says.
That adds up to a true challenge, he notes.
“I believe the next president will face some of the challenges weve
faced over the last seven years in trying to bring consensus about what Louisiana
College should be in the future,” Lee says.
Constituents can help in that process by making “every effort to find
a Louisiana College about which they can all be comfortable,” Lee stresses.
“That is a challenge in itself,” he adds quickly. “(But) Obviously,
when constituency groups hold different opinions, no president can begin to
satisfy them all.”
However, as for Lee, his Louisiana experience did bring a level of satisfaction.
He especially cites the supportive people of the state and the well-known and
varied cuisine.
“Louisiana has been a new and an enjoyable experience,” Lee says.
“Having never lived outside the state of Mississippi, there have been exciting
new things in my life and the life of my family.”