The first action was the creation of the Polanyi center without any of the normal process. The reaction was the faculty calling for it to be ended. We'll probably disagree on the question of which one of these actions constituted the first throw of food. I do believe that it would have been made part of the IFL if it had gone through the normal process in the first place, and the whole mess could have been avoided.
Evidently the Polanyi center began as an offshoot of the IFL.
Nope, see above. If it had been part of the IFL, then there would have been no purpose in the independent review board deciding it become part of the IFL as the Program in Science, Philosophy and Religion. The administration worked hard to defuse the situation and make sure everyone was happy, or at least accepting, of the resolution.
I do not encounter any active efforts of Dembski to attack other faculty and sow discord.
He was still director after the decision to be part of the IFL. Then he unnecessarily restarted the food fight with his letter that antagonized the faculty, and that's what got him demoted. There's no way anyone can reasonably claim persecution or witch hunt (but then this is Dembski), because Dembski had gone so far that his main defender, the one who got him the job, was the one to demand he retract his statement.
There's disagreement/agreement, and then there's not being able to stand someone. Dembski is belligerent and always looking for a fight, dumbing down the debate with childishness, and completely lacking in graciousness, so I can't stand him. OTOH, I agree with a lot of what Dawkins says, but I can't stand him for pretty much the same reasons.
The process is Baylor's business and evidently the president and others had the power to do what they did. I heard arguments made here that employees do not determine university policies during the discussion of "hiring and firing". So beefs by the employees of the university are just beefs.
In using offshoot, I meant that it was fulfilling some purpose of the IFL and not some purpose of other parts of Baylor(to include the science departments). I don't know if your argument would be valid if the center was made explicitly a part of the IFL other factors remaining the same. I feel that the reaction would have been the same. But that is all hypothetical.
He was still director after the decision to be part of the IFL. Then he unnecessarily restarted the food fight with his letter that antagonized the faculty,
True, but the genesis of the food fight was not his fault. And Dembski was the target, since the center in function, no longer exists.
Okay on your Dembski feelings. I have no reason to challenge your opinion, but I also have no reason to support them except for the failure to retract his statement at the request of his mentor. That is wrong. He should have resigned at that point, said thanks, and not remained to be demoted.