A Personal Dissection of the Letter from Ken Starr and Baylor University

Now, a few notes before we dive in: I am not a rhetor (someone who studies rhetoric) but I do have some experience in this field. Anything and everything presented in this article is from my own interpretation of the letter from Ken Starr and Baylor University, and my line-by-line readings were done on my own time, and for no compensation. Additionally, I am not a lawyer, nor have I ever been to law school, nor have I played one on TV.

Diving in, then: The first thing this letter does is try to appeal to the sense of family that most Baylor students graduate with. “[W]e celebrate the founding of Baylor University on February 1, 1845...” history, tradition, tradition and history. Disarm and, as we’ll see in the next sentence, deflect.

“Today, in this Anno Domini[1] 2016, we continue to carry forward our Founders’ vision to address the needs of the broken world around us.”  Well, seeing as the school was founded in 1845, I think that while the thought may be to carry on their vision, some attention must be paid to the, you know, here and now. Additionally, this is deflection - “broken world around us.” It’s not our fault, you guys, it’s the world’s!

“Consistent with our Founder’s vision, Baylor has always been - and steadfastly remains - firmly committed to providing a safe and supportive environment for our wonderful students.” Well, visions, but not really reality. Maybe they’ve been dedicated to a safe environment, and in certain circumstances supportive, but there’ve been some consistent failings across the years to fully uphold the second point.

An interlude, before I go farther. I love Baylor - or at least I love the Baylor that I was lucky to experience. I did have that promised support, in the form of therapists who bent the rules to give me more sessions than allowed, professors who were brilliant and kind and understanding[2], organizations and friends that became family for me. It’s because I love Baylor, because I love that Baylor, that I’m writing this. I want everyone to have that - I want Baylor to do better.

Back to the letter: “As a community, our care and concern extends throughout every area of our campus life, including our efforts - like those of other colleges and universities across America - to eliminate the scourge of sexual violence. Such despicable violations of our basic humanity contradict every value Baylor lifts up as a caring Christian community.” Well, this is a nice sentiment, except for the fact that every single such incident of the “scourge” has been met with no effort to eliminate it, unless by “eliminate it” you mean “marginalize and silence the victims because, hoo boy, let’s not tarnish that golden halo we’ve set up for ourselves.”

“Our hearts break for those whose lives are impacted by excrebale acts of sexual violence. No one should have to endure the trauma of these terrible acts of wrongdoing. we must never lose sight of the long-term, deeply personal effects of such contemptible conduct has on the lives of survivors. Let me be clear: Sexual violence emphatically[3] has no place whatsoever at Baylor University.”

The previous paragraph is full of the right phrases, the right sentiments, the right words - but what really matters is in what follows. Does Starr lay out a coherent plan for atonement, improvement, and deep, administration-centered, reflection? We’ll have to see!

Also note that there is still no apology. There’s a lot of “This is wrong!” “This is bad!” “We won’t stand for it!” without admitting and begging forgiveness for the fact that...they did.

A summary of the next two paragraphs: Baylor’s Board of Regents hired the law firm of Pepper Hamilton to conduct an external review of the University’s response to reports of sexual violence, a review which started in the fall and will continue to the spring. The goal of this investigation is to create an assessment of past practices and recommendations to move forward. When the review is complete, the Board will determine how to share the firm’s recommendations[4], while conforming to the restrictions of FERPA.

That’s good, that’s something. While the review is not complete, we can’t expect them to say any more than that.

Now we dive right back in to smarm.

“In addition to the media coverage about this review, you may have seen or heard recent news reports that focused on Baylor’s response to incidents of student-involved sexual assault. We were deeply saddened to learn about these instances of interpersonal violence; we acknowledge and commend the great courage these survivors demonstrated by coming forward to share their experiences. Their stories continues to raise consciousness and awareness about these critically important issues.”

“May have seen or heard.” We’re hoping you didn’t! “...deeply saddened to learn...” See, this is almost criminal. Baylor knew. Baylor’s administration knew. The Outside The Lines report was nothing new to the administration. The court case was nothing new. The personal testimony was nothing new. The University knew. They weren’t learning anything. “...share their experiences...” like they’ve been at summer camp. How about “share their testimony” or is that only reserved for talking about how you found Jesus? How about “share their pain?” How about an apology?

The next paragraph is a summation of what the University is bound to by FERPA - they cannot comment on any individual cases, even if a student or former student shares those details publicly. Additionally, they cannot comment on policies and practices until the Pepper Hamilton review is completed, though they say (whether you choose to believe them or not) that they have met with current and former students who expressed concerns.

The next paragraphs describe in broad terms Baylor’s work, beginning in 2011[5], with the federal Title IX office to bring the University into full compliance with the law, including hiring a full time Title IX Coordinator, Patty Crawford, in 2014[6]. Part of Crawford’s responsibilities include “[ensuring] students have unimpeded access to both support and resources, including academic accommodations, access to counseling, residence modifications, “no contact” orders, and other interim remedial and protective measures.” The next paragraphs delineate the Title IX’s responsibilities regarding accusations, including that “[when] a student is found to have committed an act of sexual violence, strong disciplinary consequences ensue in accordance with the University’s Title IX policy.”

This is all well and good, but Crawford wasn’t on campus until November 2014.

“We have been equally engaged in prevention and education efforts.” Now, I have not been a student at Baylor University since December 2013, nor have I been able to reach out to current students to inquire as to what these prevention and education efforts entail. I can say, though, that religion-based ideas to which some parts of Baylor, including the administration, adhere, would have “prevention” be somewhere along the lines of “dress more modest, don’t go out after dark, don’t invite boys in, don’t make yourself the victim, ‘Take Back The Night.’” There is something to be said for a level of common sense, but as a woman, you don’t have to tell us that. We’re painfully aware.

I would be incredibly surprised and pleased if the education and prevention efforts instead focused on preventing perpetrators, rather than victims. - on reminding them that their Christian duty involves not forcing themselves on a non-consenting partner, reminding them that even if they aren’t Christian consent is not an option, and making sure that everyone knows the real, enforced consequences for anyone who would do such a thing.

“Needless to say, our work is not done. In this sensitive arena, it may never be. That said, this is an important moment in time for American higher education - and for Baylor. Here at Baylor, we have a unique opportunity to evaluate culture and climate, to identify challenges and to model the faithful Christian community we continually aspire to be.”

All true - though I would have put “Baylor” before “American higher education,” as a style choice. Something about cleaning one’s house first, I suppose, or removing a stick from your own eye. Additionally, some humility might be nice.

“We know from past demonstrations of your gracious support on various matters of crucial importance to our success that you deeply love and treasure Baylor University.” I’ll spare you the next self-serving sentence and instead say, as I did above, that yes, I do deeply love and treasure the time I had at Baylor University. What isn’t needed here, though, is blind support, and definitely not blind, gracious support. What is needed, is, again, a more humble attitude from the University, which seems more concerned with hedging its image with elegant language than service. “So it is that Baylor Nation repeatedly has come forward with linked hands to champion Baylor’s sacred mission, especially in times of challenge.” What’s needed here are linked hands with the survivors who have suffered on your “sacred” campus. What’s needed here is loving admonishment, the willingness to correct and chastise those you love, the clear-sightedness to not let your ideals get in front of your reality.

“We are deeply thankful for your abiding belief in and generous support[7] of Baylor University as a place where a transformational education prepares students for worldwide leadership and service. By God’s good grace, and guided by the vision of our wise Founders, Baylor University has served a hurting world for these past 171 years.” Except for the years when you focused on the external world, the cause célèbre, and not your hurting students. “Through thick and thin, Baylor has come through the storms and vicissitudes of a broken and hurting world.” We’ve come full circle narratively, going back to the Founders and the broken world, and we’re being asked to blame the broken world for a problem that, in all honesty, Baylor caused for itself. This isn’t the armies at the gates of the ivory palace. This is happening from the inside.

“We ask you as an ever-widening circle of parents, alumni[8] and friends to pray for Baylor, for those who have been tragically impacted by ignoble acts of interpersonal violence, and for the continued and faithful pursuit of Baylor’s noble calling - Pro Ecclesia. Pro Texana.”

Baylor wants to be a shining light for the world. We have a responsibility to shine the light on ourselves, first.






[1] How freaking pretentious. Anno Domini? Give me a break.

[2] Including the one who let me put off a final because I was having a nervous breakdown after getting kicked out of my major and the one who let me turn in a paper two weeks late for only five points off because my mental state wasn’t such that I could write it. I had amazing professors.

[3] I’d honestly move the “emphatically” to before the colon, but that’s just me copyediting.

[4] Interesting omission here - they’ll share Pepper Hamilton’s recommendations, but not their reports on previous incidents?

[5] Which feels awful late, but I’m not sure how this compares to other universities, both private and public.

[6] Meaning that Baylor had no Title IX Coordinator for the entire time I was a student.

[7] Translated for you: “Money, pleassseeeeee!!!!”

[8] No Oxford comma. I am disappointed.