BYU NewsNet - Samuelson to Discuss Religious Schools

By University Communications

Promoting religious discussion between universities, President Cecil O. Samuelson will welcome and speak to attendees at a conference today at the Gordon B. Hinckley Alumni and Visitors Center on inquiry, scholarship, learning and teaching at religiously affiliated schools.

Joining President Samuelson are Thomas Hibbs, distinguished professor of ethics and culture and dean of the Honors College at Baylor University; and Sandra Elman, president of the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities. President Henry B. Eyring, First Counselor in the First Presidency of the LDS Church plans to attend part of the conference as a member of BYU’s Board of Trustees.

"We at BYU are unique in many ways but are not alone in seeking learning by study and faith," said Gerrit Gong, assistant to the president and co-chair of the conference in a press release.

James Gordon, interim dean of the BYU J. Reuben Clark Law School added, “We can learn from other universities that seek to combine faith and intellect."

The conference will begin at 9:00 a.m. with a welcome and overview by President Cecil O. Samuelson, and Assistant to the President Gerrit W. Gong. Several speakers in the first morning session include Hibbs, Justin F. White, a student at BYU; Brent D. Slife, a professor of psychology and Bonnie Brinton, dean of graduate studies. The moderator for this session will be James E. Faulconer, a professor of philosophy at BYU.

A second morning session at 10:45 titled: Tolerance, Diversity, and Community: Acknowledging Differences While Avoiding Contention, Strengths of Mission-Based American Higher Education, Role of Religiously Affiliated Institutions in American Higher Education, Institutional and Individual Academic Freedom will begin with Elman joined by Natalie Quinn, a student at BYU, Renata Forste from the Department of Sociology and James D. Gordon III, interim dean at the J. Reuben Clark Law School. David A. Whetten, director of BYU’s faculty Center will serve as moderator. Speakers at the concluding session at 12:15 p.m. are John S. Tanner, academic vice president, and President Samuelson. The conference will end at 1 p.m. and is open to the public.