Texas Tech President Guy Bailey on Wednesday compared the state of the Big 12 Conference to a traffic jam, putting league members' maneuvers on hold.

"You're looking at, right now, the threat of a lawsuit holding up the process," Tech spokesman Chris Cook said shortly after he'd spoken with Bailey. "Dr. Bailey said things are going to be in a holding pattern."

Bailey relayed his comments through Cook shortly after the Big 12 Conference board of directors met via teleconference.

Southeastern Conference leaders voted unanimously late Tuesday to accept Texas A&M as their 13th member. But according to published reports one of the Big 12 schools, believed to be Baylor, has threatened a lawsuit to block the move.

"Today's actions put everything on hold," Cook said Bailey said. "He just said it could be tomorrow; it could be next year. He didn't put a time frame on it. It could be a while."

Cook said Tech is not involved in any suit. He said approval by Tech's Board of Regents would be required to for the university to waive its right to sue.

Bailey said via the spokesman that Tech officials are "closely monitoring the situation and will actively pursue a course in the best interests of Texas Tech University.

"We're not sitting idly by. We're active in this process."