Around the State: Wayland announces tuition freeze

Wayland Baptist University President Donna Hedgepath announced a university-wide tuition freeze for the 2025-2026 academic year. Hedgepath made the announcement with a message to students and their families. “We hear you,” shesaid. “We understand the financial worries that keep students and parents up at night. This decision is about keeping dreams within reach and showing our community that we truly care.” This decision, the first of its kind at Wayland in more than two decades, halts any increase across all tuition categories, online and in-person, and includes undergraduate, master’s and doctoral degrees. The rare step reaffirms Wayland’s mission to make quality, Christ-centered higher education accessible and affordable for all. The tuition freeze reflects Hedgepath’s vision for the university’s future. “This freeze is a tangible expression of our mission to honor and uplift our students. It’s our gift to them this Christmas season, and a reminder of Wayland’s dedication to both affordability and excellence,” Hedgepath said.

East Texas Baptist University President J. Blair Blackburn was presented with the Veretta and Jesse E. Rider Sr. Leadership Award for Community Impact at a luncheon in Tyler, Dec. 11. The event brought together community leaders, entrepreneurs and executives to celebrate individuals who have contributed to East Texas. Blackburn was recognized for his dedication to the community, particularly in Marshall, Tyler and the East Texas region. The award honors individuals who have shown exceptional leadership, innovation and commitment to improving the standard of living and economic development in their communities. The luncheon raised funds for the Veretta and Jesse E. Rider Fine and Performing Arts Centre, located inside the African American Museum in Tyler, a historic venue that was once a fire station. The center and award are named after Veretta and Jesse E. Rider, who have long been influential figures in the region—with Veretta known for her dedication to helping single mothers and their families and Jesse known as an educator and business owner.

Howard Payne University recently held activities to celebrate recognition as a Tree Campus USA Higher Education University by the Arbor Day Foundation. The university hosted the planting of two live oak sapling trees, with 10 HPU students from different campus organizations participating. Aaron Diaz, HPU’s grounds supervisor, organized and led the event along with Kailee Torgerson, director of student leadership and engagement. HPU representatives assisted students in planting the 6-year-old live oaks near the Newbury Place student apartments on the HPU campus. Also participating in the ceremony was Scott Owen, assistant professor of kinesiology, department chair and director of the wellness center. In addition to the tree-planting ceremony, students from HPU were given the details on the current life cycle of the two trees planted and discussed the beneficial impact each tree has using the Tree Benefit Calculator, which allows users to make a simple estimation of the benefits individual trees provide from an environmental and economic value on an annual basis. Diaz shared a brief presentation on the numbers generated from the calculator and the significant impact these new trees provide. Tree Campus Higher Education is a program that promotes the planting of trees on college campuses across the country. HPU first became a recognized campus in 2016. In the state of Texas, HPU is one of 24 recognized universities and one of 411 in the United States.

Dallas Baptist University chapel worship released a version of “Go Tell it on the Mountain” with a bluegrass feel on YouTube Dec. 8. Watch the video here.

Houston Christian University celebrated 320 graduates in two commencement ceremonies Dec. 14. At the ceremonies, 166 bachelor’s, 145 master’s, seven doctoral degrees and two graduate certificates were awarded, bringing HCU’s total degrees granted to 26,908 in its 64-year history. In the commencement address, HCU President Robert Sloan, remarked on the appropriateness of celebrating a graduation in the season of Advent, because it marks both the arrival of a long-awaited event, but also the beginning of a future life of work and mission. He charged the graduates: “Live your life as a sign of hope, just as the baby is a sign of the coming glory of God. … Live your life with joy in celebration of the coming of the great king, and live with anticipation that everything you dedicate to Christ will one day be vindicated at his return.”

The University of Mary Hardin-Baylor announced the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges reaffirmed accreditation for the university this week by vote of the college delegate assembly during the annual SACS Commission on Colleges meeting in Austin. This vote marks the culmination of years of assessment activity, improvement and planning on the UMHB campus and is an important academic milestone indicating the university meets the highest standards for an institution of higher learning. The assembly’s vote followed the university’s submission of a compliance certification report in the fall of 2023, a follow-up focused report in early 2024, and visits by a committee of university colleagues from peer institutions to campus in March of this year. The reaffirmation review process concluded with a final decision by the accrediting agency that contains no findings, recommendations or third-party complaints or comments. UMHB is now accredited through 2034.

Howard Payne University also received a 10-year reaffirmation of accreditation from the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges. The university submitted a 10-year reaffirmation compliance report to the accrediting agency. After review, HPU had zero findings of noncompliance. HPU last was reaccredited in 2014 and has been accredited by the SACS Commission on Colleges since 1948.