Save OBU Updates and Changes

Happy Saturday, everyone.  Our movement continues to gain strength every day.  When the blog first started, I posted a lot of weekly updates and recaps.  But then we got so busy collecting new information and addressing problems at OBU that I didn't take time to give general updates and recaps.  We continue to receive new information all the time -- some of it good, but a lot of it very bad.  We will soon have details to report on the dumbing down and watering down of certain curriculum areas.  But for now, let's focus on some very exciting changes and new directions.

From the very beginning, I have been clear about seeking to recruit leaders for our effort.  At first, I was concerned with getting some help for the blog.  That is now happening, as I'll explain in a moment.  Next, I'll be working on assembling an advisory board for Save OBU.  These two developments will help bolster our credibility and ensure that we are not perceived to be just one blogger, but rather an organized movement.

New Contributing Editor -- Veronica Pistone ('11)
Today, I am pleased to announce that Veronica Pistone is joining me as a Contributing Editor for the Save OBU blog.  In addition to posting regularly, she will provide significant editorial direction for the blog and our Facebook page.  I will continue to post here, as well as manage our Twitter presence and advertising.

Veronica brings a great deal to our effort, including:

• Female perspective
• Recent student perspective
• Young alumni/ae perspective
• Dozens of personal relationships with relevant people
• Hundreds of personal relationships with students and young alumni
• Former "Bursting the Bubble" columnist for The Bison
• Significant inside knowledge of the religion/philosophy department, both in terms of faculty and administration
• Baptist by choice, not by birth
• And, perhaps she is the BGCO's worst nightmare of all: an award-winning female religion major whose OBU degree prepared her to study for the ministry at a very fine (non-SBC) seminary

Look for Veronica's inaugural blog post tomorrow, and keep an eye on her contributions as we move forward.  She has a wealth of information to share, as well as an unyielding passion for our mission of separating OBU from the Baptist General Convention of Oklahoma.  I enthusiastically welcome her to the Save OBU blog.

Guest Blog Posts
We are arranging for several friends of the movement to write guest blog posts in the coming weeks.  Two are OBU alumni, and one is involved with a simliar effort at another SBC college.  More details to tome!

Site Stats
I hesitate to brag too much here, lest our opponents realize just how fast and wide our message is spreading.  But know this: we are reaching literally dozens of new people every single day, and our traffic is growing at a very rapid rate.

As we move forward together, I want to thank each of you for your love of OBU, your kind words, and your support.  I have enjoyed leading this movement, and I will of course continue to be a leader.  But this was never my effort.  It has always been and will always be about giving voice to the hundreds if not thousands of OBU constituents who share the concerns we talk about here.  We are making significant strides toward doing just that, and I look forward to the months to come.

-Jacob