Presidential Perspective - March 21, 2024

Baylor Students, Faculty, Staff and Parents:

This Sunday begins a very special time in the Christian calendar – the start of Holy Week. At Baylor we are blessed to be ushered into this time of reflection on Jesus’ death, burial and resurrection with FM72, a student-led gathering this Sunday through Wednesday on Fountain Mall in the heart of campus. The 72 continuous hours of prayer and worship have quickly become a Baylor and Waco tradition we hold dear.

The day after FM72 concludes, we have the opportunity next Thursday to come together for a Stations of Holy Week service at 3:30 p.m. or 5 p.m. at Seventh and James Baptist Church. A part of a University-wide chapel that’s open to all, this service challenges us to deeply consider what Jesus experienced during the final week of His life on earth and what it means for us as Christians. I pray you will be blessed by these and other Easter season gatherings happening on our campus and across the Waco area.

Some updates for this week:

• MARCH MADNESS UNDERWAY: Once again, we get to cheer on both the Baylor men’s and women’s basketball programs in this year’s NCAA Tournament! Baylor is one of only 22 schools nationwide (and one of just four in the Big 12) to have both teams in the tournament this year. Even more impressive: This marks the ninth time in the last 10 years both squads have made the NCAA Tournament – a run only Gonzaga can match nationally. Both teams begin their runs tomorrow. The men play Colgate at 11:40 a.m. CT (TruTV), while the women face Vanderbilt at 5 p.m. CT (ESPNU). Sic ’em, Bears!
• STEPPIN’ OUT REGISTRATION: On Saturday, April 6, Baylor students will “step out” together across Waco in direct service to our neighbors who support Baylor in countless ways. Registration for Steppin’ Out volunteers closes next Wednesday, so make sure you sign up soon to volunteer with your organization, department or group, or even as an individual. Steppin’ Out is a beloved Baylor tradition since 1985, and a wonderful demonstration of Christian hospitality and selfless service for our Waco neighbors.
• FIRST IN LINE HONORED: Baylor’s First in Line program supports, empowers and celebrates our first-generation students through several initiatives, from the First in Line Success Academy to the Peer Leader Program to scholarship opportunities, including the First Abroad Fellows-Study Abroad Scholarship that expands access for students to academic travel. I was thrilled to learn that First in Line was recently recognized nationally with a NASPA 2024 Excellence Award (Bronze Honoree) for First-generation Student Success. NASPA is the leading association for the student affairs profession, and these awards recognize student affairs practitioners who develop transformative, innovative and data-driven programs at the institutional level. We are deeply grateful to our First in Line team in the Paul L. Foster Success Center for their dedication to our first-gen students.
• COLLINS OUTSTANDING PROFESSOR: Baylor is nationally recognized for outstanding undergraduate teaching, and spring is when we begin our “awards season” for faculty who excel in the classroom. Congratulations to Lotte Bostick, J.D., CPA, assistant clinical professor of accounting and business law, who has been selected by the senior class as the 2024 Collins Outstanding Professor. As part of her recognition, Professor Bostick will give special lecture on April 30, where she will dissect the Netflix documentary series “Pepsi, Where’s My Jet?” from a legal perspective.
• S3 BECOMES S3E: Earlier today, we announced the naming of the Hankamer School of Business’s Curb Sales Strategy in Sports and Entertainment (S3E) Program – formerly known as the Sports Strategy and Sales (S3) Program – honoring leading music and entertainment executive Mike Curb. A long-time supporter of the program, Curb has provided $1 million in support since 2006, with this gift made in honor of the Baylor ties within Curb | Word Entertainment. Curb’s support also has established the Mike Curb Endowment for Sports, Music and Entertainment, which will support the classes, events and activities of the Curb S3E Program that combines sports, music and entertainment to blend students’ interests as they pursue fulfilling careers in these businesses.
• COACHE SURVEY DEADLINE: I want to thank the faculty who have completed the Collaborative on Academic Careers in Higher Education (COACHE) Faculty Satisfaction Survey. Our response rate so far is almost double that of the other universities in our cohort. As we near the end of the survey period, I ask those who have not yet completed the survey to please make time to do so. It takes about 25 minutes, and your voice is important in our work to make Baylor the best place for faculty to grow and thrive.

Good luck to everyone running the Bearathon – the Toughest Half in Texas – and the Sic ’Em 6K on Saturday! It looks like you will have great running weather.

Linda A. Livingstone, Ph.D.
President

PHOTO OF THE WEEK

Fraternity and Sorority Life (FSL) hosted the inaugural Hop Day yesterday, complete with Easter cookie decorating, food and an egg toss in Barfield Drawing Room.