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HCU President Robert B. Sloan, Jr. died on July 4.
Houston Christian University announced that its president, Robert B. Sloan, Jr., has died at the age of 77.
In a statement on Saturday, HCU Board Chairman Ramiro Peña described Sloan’s death as “sudden” and said the university would provide further details “as they become available.
“With the heaviest heart, I am saddened to announce the sudden death of HCU President Robert B. Sloan, Jr. on this morning, July 4, 2026,” Peña said in a statement released by the university.
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Sloan had led the Houston-area university for two decades after first taking on the role in 2006. According to the university, Sloan led the institution through the creation of its first doctoral program in Executive Education Leadership and the founding of the Houston Theological Seminary. Sloan also oversaw the development of the university’s creation of the College of Science and Engineering.
“The fingerprints of Dr. Sloan’s leadership will continue to be upon the success of HCU for generations to come, and the impact of his presidency will yield outcomes both measurable and eternal,” Peña said. “The heart and prayers of the university are with First Lady Sue Sloan, their children and their grandchildren as they walk through this time of loss and grief.”
Before joining HCU, Sloan worked at Baylor University as a member of its religion faculty.
“A proud Baylor alumnus, Robert Sloan faithfully served Baylor University as a member of our religion faculty, founding dean of George W. Truett Theological Seminary and as Baylor President for nearly a decade,” Baylor president Linda A. Livingstone said in a statement. “His greatest contribution was the adoption of Baylor 2012, a 10-year vision that placed Baylor on the path to become a top-tier university while remaining committed to our historic Christian mission. And that is where Baylor stands today.”
HCU was founded in 1960 as Houston Baptist College and later became Houston Baptist University. In 2022, the university changed its name to Houston Christian University. As of 2025, the university reported a student population of just under 5,000.