Presidential Perspective - June 9, 2022

Baylor Students, Faculty, Staff and Parents:

Earlier today I made the mistake of glancing at the long-range weather forecast for Waco. All I can say is that summer has definitely arrived. High temperatures in excess of 100 degrees are projected for the next 14 days, including a couple of days of 106 and 107 degrees! Stay cool and hydrated, and wear plenty of sunblock if you are with us in the Waco area – or wherever you are – this summer.

Onto a few updates for this week:

• Later today at 6 p.m., I will host a Facebook Live session for #BU26 incoming freshmen and their family members as we prepare for the upcoming semester. A full, normal fall awaits us! I hope our new students and parents can join me live from the Allbritton House via the University’s official Facebook page.

• Speaking of #BU26, the first of 12 New Student Orientation sessions began this week, with 11 of the sessions offered as combined five-day experiences with Baylor Line Camp. From now until July 23, we will host more than 3,000 new students and their families on campus. Our incoming students are excited and ready to begin their Baylor experience, with a larger proportion of the incoming class participating in these events over last year (15%more of the class are enrolled in Orientation and nearly 20%more are participating in Baylor Line Camp.) We are eager to officially welcome these students into the Baylor Family. Thank you to the nearly 60 student leaders and the many faculty and staff who are working to ensure our new students feel at home.

• I want to extend my deepest gratitude to the Baylor University Department of Public Safety for all they do to keep our campus and others safe and for taking a leadership role in this area. This week, BUDPS partnered with TEEX and the National Center for Spectator Sports Safety and Security (NCS4) to host a two-day training course at McLane Stadium on Sport and Special Event Public Information and Emergency Notification. The training brought together more than 50 participants from Waco and College Station, including event planners, venue operators, communication professionals, public safety and government personnel, who worked through numerous exercises and discussions designed to enhance venue and event communication programs, especially in the event of an emergency.

• Congratulations to Sinda Vanderpool, Ph.D., our associate vice provost for academic enrollment management, who has joined the ranks of more than 30 university presidents and chancellors worldwide with Baylor ties. Dr. Vanderpool has been named the next president and vice chancellor of St. Mary’s University in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, effective July 1. We appreciate her service to Baylor over the past 18 years and the tremendous impact she has made in leading the University’s student success initiatives.

It may be time to walk over to Heritage Creamery to get some ice cream!

Sincerely,

Linda A. Livingstone, Ph.D.
President

PHOTO OF THE WEEK

We love sharing the importance of science and research with Waco-area students, even in the summer. Dr. Marty Harvill and his team host field trip programs for elementary-age children at the Waco Wetlands.