Accrediting committee recommends no punishment for Baylor over sexual assault scandal

[TexasTowelie]

by Matthew Watkins, Texas Tribune

Baylor University appears poised to keep its accreditation after a special committee investigating the school's handling of sexual assault on campus recommended no punishment last week.

The recommendation is not final; the full commission that handles accreditation still has to vote in December. But the preliminary news is good for the university, which had received a warning from the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges last year.

Accreditation is serious business for universities. Losing it can have major effects on schools' reputations and the ability of their students to get federal financial aid.

"We are certainly pleased with the findings of this special committee, as they confirm the significant actions Baylor has taken in response to the issue of sexual violence and the transformation that has occurred on our campus in a short time," said President Linda Livingstone, who took over the top job at Baylor after the warning was issued.

Read more: https://www.texastribune.org/2017/10/20/oversight-committee-signals-baylor-wont-lose-accreditation-sexual-assa/

[Pope George Ringo II]

1. When the NCAA gave SMU the "death penalty" on athletics, I think harsh punishment died

Athletically, SMU really never came back. I don't have a problem with that, and I don't have a problem with the same thing happening to Baylor academically, but I really think they can't forget SMU's difficulties after suffering a fair punishment.