By Rebecca Flannery
Staff Writer
The Baylor Alumni Association offered Baylor a settlement Monday to end their legal dispute, according to a BAA press release.
In an email to the Lariat, Lori Fogleman, assistant vice president for Baylor media communications, said the university has not yet received a proposal from the BAA.
“We are not aware of the details of any proposal from the association,” Fogleman said. “We look forward to receiving the proposal, and we hope that it reflects the sentiment of the majority of Baylor alumni who are actively partnering with the university in this period of unparalleled progress.”
Baylor filed a lawsuit on June 6 against the BAA for trademark infringement. The BAA filed a countersuit on Aug. 6 stating the university has restricted the association from providing services to Baylor alumni since the installment of the Office of Alumni Services in 2002.
Keith Starr, the BAA president and no relation to Baylor President and Chancellor Ken Starr, said in the press release he hopes the settlement will help avoid further litigation with the university.
“We thought we had a framework that would work for both parties but the university has been reluctant to move forward,” Keith Starr said in the release. “So we’ve decided to offer one final streamlined proposal.”
Keith Starr said while he doesn’t know when the regents will make their decision or what their decision will entail. According to a press release from the BAA, those details will be confidential until there is a response from the Baylor Board of Regents.
“Our legal position is still exactly the same from when we started, in that we want to peacefully resolve this,” Keith Starr said. “This was our final effort on making peace.”
