Samford Names New President To Replace Retiring Westmoreland
Samford University’s board of trustees named a new president Wednesday. Beck A. Taylor, now president of Whitworth University, will succeed Andrew Westmoreland effective July 1.
Moreland is retiring as president, a post he has held since 2006. Taylor will be the university’s 19th president.
William J. Stevens, chair of the Samford board of trustees, said in a statement that Taylor “brings an exceptional record of academic leadership, demonstrated success in fundraising, and a personal commitment to Samford.”
“We unanimously and confidently agree that President-elect Taylor possesses the experience, strategic vision, and alignment with our values to continue building Samford’s reputation as a leading Christian university,” Stevens said.
Taylor, 51, was recommended to the board by a 23-member presidential search committee following a 6-month national search involving more than 80 nominations and applicants.
This won’t be his first experience with Samford. Taylor was dean and professor of economics for Samford’s Brock School of Business from 2005 to 2010.
“I am profoundly honored and excited to return to Samford University and to follow my good friend, Andy Westmoreland,” Taylor said in the statement. “Samford is a crown jewel in Christian higher education, and it is committed to pursuing excellence at the intersection of faith and learning. My wife, Julie, and I already love this place and its people, and we look forward to the journey ahead.”
While a dean at Samford, Taylor established eight academic programs, an honors program, the Samford Business Network, and the school’s entrepreneurship program, which at the time was recognized as the nation’s top emerging program by the U.S. Association for Small Business & Entrepreneurship.
According to the statement, Taylor during his tenure at Whitworth led the school’s largest comprehensive fundraising campaign, as well as emphasizing community involvement, enhanced academic programs and new endowed faculty positions and centers.
He received his bachelor’s degree from Baylor University and his master’s and Ph.D. in economics from Purdue University.
CBS’ next top editor to be Bari Weiss of The Free Press
CBS' parent company will buy The Free Press and install Bari Weiss, its contrarian founder, as editor in chief of CBS News.
Amid funding cuts and public health battles, NIH issues autism research grants
Cornell University will receive $5.1 million as the Trump administration seeks to find a source and cure for autism.
Why do women live longer than men? Study offers clues to close the gap
Women have an evolutionary advantage when it comes to living longer. They outlive men by about 5 years. This gender gap is true for many mammals, but a new study shows how human males could narrow it.
What to know as Gaza ceasefire talks begin in Egypt
Israel and Hamas appear closer than ever to a deal to end their two-year war — but questions remain. Delegations from Israel, Hamas, the U.S., Egypt and Qatar are meeting on Monday.
Supreme Court term will tackle executive power, executive power and executive power
The term promises to be hugely consequential and focused in large part on how much power the Constitution gives to the president.
Civil rights jobs have been cut. Those ex-workers warn of ICE detention violations
After layoffs, it's unclear how many people are policing civil rights violations inside the Department of Homeland Security, even as the Trump administration ramps up ICE detention.
