Dallas Baptist University
Established	1898 as Decatur Baptist College
Type	Private
President	Dr. Gary Cook
Provost	Dr. Gail Linam
Faculty	112 (full-time)
Students	5,153
Location	Dallas, Texas, USA
Campus	292 acres main campus
Mascot	Patriot
Affiliations	Baptist General Convention of Texas
Website	www.dbu.edu

Dallas Baptist University (DBU), formerly known as Dallas Baptist College, is a Christian liberal arts university located in Dallas, Texas, USA.

History

DBU began as Decatur Baptist College in Decatur, Texas, in 1898. Originally a two-year college, it served as a feeder to the larger baptist institution, Baylor University in Waco, Texas. In 1965, DBU moved from Decatur to its present location in southwest Dallas as a result of the local Dallas Baptist Association's desire for a local baptist college.

Beginning with the fall semester of 1968, the college moved from junior-college to senior-college status. The junior year of academic work was added that year, the senior year in June of 1969. The first bachelor's degrees were awarded in May 1970. In 1985, the college name officially became Dallas Baptist University, and significant changes were made.

Plagued by financial problems, the school struggled for a number of years. Campus folklore says that many believed the official name of the school to be "Financially Troubled Dallas Baptist University", since it always preceded the name of the university. However, in the late 1980s, Gary Cook became president of the university, a turning point in its history. Enrollment has increased and the school has emerged from its financial difficulties.^{[citation needed]}

In 2003, a new academic division was created in the area of leadership studies and was later renamed by the DBU board of trustees the Gary Cook School of Leadership.

Graduate studies began at DBU in 1981 with the initiation of the Master of Business Administration degree program. Since that time, sixteen master's degree programs have been added. In addition, DBU began its first doctoral program in the summer of 2005 with the Ph.D in Leadership Studies program and later that year added the Ed.D. in Educational Leadership program.

Colleges & schools

DBU offers 57 undergraduate majors and 18 graduate programs encompassing eight colleges:[1]

• College of Business
• Mary C. Crowley College of Christian Faith
• Dorothy M. Bush College of Education
• College of Fine Arts
• College of Humanities and Social Sciences
• College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics
• College of Adult Education.
• Gary Cook Graduate School of Leadership

Student life

Student demographics

• In any given year there can be 500 international students studying at DBU from more than 50 countries around the world.

• DBU's female to male ratio is approximately 3:2 and its student-faculty ratio is 17:1.

• While DBU is affiliated with the Baptist denomination, not all students come from a Baptist or even religious background.

Housing

At DBU, the residence halls comprise a variety of room types, bathroom styles, and community areas. All of the residence halls have these common features:

• Single Sex Living
• Local Phone Service with Voicemail
• Computer Connections
• Air Conditioning
• Laundry Rooms with Coin-Operated Washers & Dryers
• Soda Vending Machines
• Microwave Ovens available in the Hall
• Smoke-Free Environment
• Resident Assistants and Hall Director

Residence halls

• Mary C. Crowley
  • Calabria Hall
  • Crowley Hall
  • Sharp Hall
• Lange Hall
• Williams Hall
• Spence Hall

Apartments

• 120 Unit Complex
• 1046 Square Feet
• 2 Bedroom, 2 Bathroom
• Fully furnished kitchen

Town-homes

• Town-homes will be introduced in the Fall 2007 consisting of 4 units with 3 bedrooms in each unit.

Notable faculty & alumni

• William E. Bell
• Gary Cook
• Jonathan Cook lead singer for Forever the Sickest Kids band
• Decades the Band
• Lew Ford outfielder for the Minnesota Twins
• Phil King, a member of the Texas House of Representatives and a DBU alumnus taught at DBU on an adjunct basis.
• David Naugle
• John R. Rice noted Baptist evangelist & journalist
• Jim Underwood
• Fred A. White
• Ben Zobrist shortstop of the Tampa Bay Devil Rays
• Darci Simpson - Star of the hit Broadway Musical, "Con-Air"

Mission Statement

The purpose of Dallas Baptist University is to provide Christ-centered quality higher education in the arts, sciences, and professional studies at both the undergraduate and graduate levels to traditional age and adult students in order to produce servant leaders who have the ability to integrate faith and learning through their respective callings.

Theme scripture

For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. Jeremiah 29:11-13

External links

• DBU's Official Site
• Baptist General Convention of Texas Denominational entity with which DBU is aligned.
• The Chieftain The 2004-2005 unofficial press of DBU.
• DBU's Unofficial Site Useful compendium of links.
• The DBU Snipe Student underground movement.
• Snorglak, Prince of DBU Written in the tradition of Screwtape Letters.

Heartland Conference
Dallas Baptist • Incarnate Word • Lincoln (MO) • Oklahoma Panhandle State • St. Edward's • St. Mary's (TX)

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