WACO—Baylor University regents approved governance changes that increase the size of its executive committee, create a task force for regent selection and grant voting rights to regents who represent certain constituencies.

However, the changes did not include opening board meetings to the public or loosening restrictions on what regents other than the chair can say about board meetings.

Regents also heard an update from the search committee seeking the university’s next president. Ron Murff, chair of the board of regents, noted the committee hopes to have a candidate to recommend before the end of the semester, and regents hope the new president can begin work by June 1.

Murff characterized the board discussion about the governance proposals, presented by an ad hoc governance-review task force, as “robust” and the vote as “overwhelmingly positive.”

“It was in full open session, with both voting and nonvoting regents present, along with members of the administration,” he said.

“Combined with the changes we’ve already taken, these actions today will make Baylor’s governance model one of the most responsive and transparent of any major private university.”

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