Presidential Perspective - February 13, 2025

Baylor Students, Faculty, Staff and Parents:

I am thrilled to report we have been notified by the American Council on Education (ACE) that as expected, Baylor University has been reaffirmed as a R1 research university in the 2025 Carnegie Classifications. Baylor beat both of ACE’s key metrics to maintain the status we initially achieved in December 2021 – the last time the classification system was updated. Our research expenditures have surpassed $80 million, and we awarded more than 225 research doctorates in fiscal year 2023 – both numbers which are well above the current thresholds.

Baylor holds a distinct place in higher education with top-tier research and a Christian mission. In fact, this unique combination provides a special opportunity for Baylor to draw students, faculty and staff from across the country who want to integrate academic excellence within our caring Christian community. And thanks to the diligence of the Office of the Vice Provost for Research and others, Baylor is further cemented as a research university with this latest announcement.

Our previous strategic plan Illuminate created the framework, and the Give Light philanthropic campaign provided enormous resources that guided Baylor to R1 several years ago. Now our new strategic plan – Baylor in Deeds – charts a course for further growth and global impact.

It is an exciting time to be a member of the Baylor Family, and I cannot wait to see what’s next for us!

Here are a few updates for today:

• THE BOYS FROM OKLAHOMA: You may have seen the news from earlier this week that Cross Canadian Ragweed, Turnpike Troubadours, Waco’s own Wade Bowen and other country artists will perform at McLane Stadium on Saturday, Aug. 23. This is an exciting way to kick off the fall semester for our returning students and promote the City of Waco, while also providing new revenue streams for the University. Expect to see some additional concerts announced at Foster Pavilion in the very near future!
• CELEBRATING ENGINEERS: Next week is National Engineers Week, and we have much to celebrate at Baylor. Did you know the first licensed female engineer in Texas was a Baylor Bear? Leah Moncure graduated in 1925, and in 1938 became the first woman awarded a professional engineering license by the state of Texas. And for National Engineers Week, faculty and students from Baylor’s School of Engineering and Computer Science will present hands-on activities to students in local school districts. Additionally, Baylor alumni teachers across the country are joining in by sharing that activity in their own classrooms. It’s so important for us to partner with teachers and students as we spark interest in the STEM fields and encourage the next generation of engineering professionals.
• FULBRIGHT FINALISTS RECORD: The talent and capacity of Baylor students to achieve never ceases to amaze me. Recently, Baylor set a new record with 48 students and alumni named finalists for the prestigious Fulbright Award for the 2025-26 cycle, an achievement surpassing the previous record of 34 finalists set in 2024. The Fulbright Award provides opportunities for students and alumni to study, research or teach in more than a dozen countries and is a wonderful example of our new, expanded motto (Pro Ecclesia, Pro Texana, Pro Mundo) in action. The final Fulbright winners will be announced in March and April, and we hope to learn soon if Baylor is honored again as a Fulbright Top Producing Institution.
• RETURN TO OFFICE RESEARCH: As more and more organizations and companies require their employees to return to in-person office work, researchers are being called upon to share their expertise – on both sides of the debate. Baylor’s own Sara Jansen Perry, Ph.D., The Ben Williams Professor of Management in the Hankamer School of Business, was recently featured in a CNN Newsource report discussing the Top Three Challenges of Return to Office Mandates for Employers and Employees. Dr. Perry highlights adjusting after remote work flexibility, balancing oversight with autonomy and rebuilding team dynamics and morale as challenges for both employees and employers. I am looking forward to seeing the next phase of Dr. Perry’s important and timely research.
• SPRING STORMY SEASON AHEAD: The spring storm season in Texas is approaching, and it’s time for all of us to be prepared, including ensuring that our multi-tiered Baylor Alert emergency notification system is ready, if needed. Baylor Alert is used to notify all faculty, staff and students about emergency situations, including severe weather such as wintry conditions, tornado watches and warnings. Students can ensure their contact information is up to date in BearWeb and Baylor employees can use Ignite to check their information. Last Friday Baylor joined our City of Waco and McLennan County partners for the regular “First Friday” testing of tornado sirens. At the same time, Baylor also conducted a required test of the Baylor Alert system. I am pleased to report all systems are functioning properly, and we are well-positioned to respond to whatever Mother Nature brings our way!

Linda A. Livingstone, Ph.D.
President

PHOTO OF THE WEEK

Hundreds of invited high-ability students descended on the Mark and Paula Hurd Welcome Center last weekend for the final Invitation to Excellence event designed to connect them with academic units and experience our caring, Christian community. Thank you to all our faculty and staff who helped make Invitation to Excellence a tremendous success.