Baylor’s Underwood likely to be Mercer president

MACON, Ga. — Trustees of Mercer University are poised to elect Bill Underwood, interim president of Baylor University in Waco, Texas, as president of the Baptist school in Macon, Ga.

Underwood, 49, met with some faculty and board members during a visit to Mercer Nov. 7–8, according to several faculty members. All trustees were invited to the meetings, but Underwood is not expected to be elected by trustees until their regularly scheduled meeting Dec. 2.

Mercer President Kirby Godsey, 68, is retiring June 30. The school has 7,084 students.

A law professor at Baylor, Underwood was considered a leading candidate for the presidency at that school before removing his name from consideration two months ago. Baylor trustees elected Nevada educator John Lilley as president Nov. 3.

The impending nomination of Underwood to lead Mercer is “not a big secret,” said one source close to the process. “They’re all feeling very positive. … I think Bill would be a great fit for Mercer.”