Presidential Perspective - January 22, 2026

Baylor Students, Faculty, Staff and Parents:

The spring semester is certainly off and running at a brisk pace! I hope everyone is settling into new routines and becoming acclimated academically, physically and spiritually. I know the start to an academic year can be overwhelming for new and returning students alike – not to mention faculty and staff. So, I wanted to point out a few key resources that are available if you need them – now or throughout the semester.

• The Office of Spiritual Life, located in the Bobo Spiritual Life Center, offers programs and resources to nurture spiritual wholeness and missional living for students, faculty and staff.
• Baylor’s Paul L. Foster Success Center provides a full range of services designed to promote academic achievement, personal development and vocational exploration. It is in the Sid Richardson Building.
• The Counseling Center’s mission is to foster wholeness for every student through caring relationships, cultural humility and integrated mental health services. In person services are available in the McLane Student Life Center and via Telehealth by Academic Live Care.
• The Equity, Civil Rights, and Title IX Office engages on issues of harassment and discrimination with care and integrity. The team is available to students, faculty and staff, and is located in the Clifton Robinson Tower.

I also want to remind everyone to be “weather aware” this weekend. The forecast calls for freezing temperatures and a possible wintry mix of precipitation. Be sure to plan your travel ahead of time, be on the lookout for any messages from the University via email and social media, take care of the four P’s (people, pets, plants and pipes), and be cautious on roadways, sidewalks and other surfaces.

Here are today’s updates:

• INVITATION TO EXCELLENCE IMPACTED: The projected winter weather has already claimed this weekend’s Invitation to Excellence, an invitation-only event for 700 prospective students who have been accepted to Baylor and are weighing opportunities at some of the most prestigious institutions across the country. We’ll have another “I2E” the first weekend of February and are working with the students and families who were planning to be in Waco this weekend on additional options to visit campus. Thank you to the more than 300 faculty, staff and current students who are dedicating their time during this important recruiting season.
• DEAN’S LIST HONOREES: Congratulations to the more than 5,200 Baylor undergraduates named to the Fall 2025 Dean’s Academic Honor List in recognition of their outstanding academic work during the semester. Students on the Dean’s List earned a minimum semester grade-point average of 3.70, with no grade lower than a “C” while enrolled in at least 12 graded semester hours. I’m proud of our students’ excellence in the classroom and grateful to our faculty, whose dedication to teaching and mentoring remains a hallmark of Baylor’s transformative undergraduate educational experience.
• SPRING AT FOSTER PAVILION: I hope you are gearing up for an exciting slate of concerts and shows at the Paul & Alejandra Foster Pavilion this spring! In less than a year, Waco has become a premier live entertainment destination, providing fun for all ages and community support for our hometown. The Harlem Globetrotters 100 Year Tour comes to campus on Feb. 14 in a show built for kids and families, and I am sure students are looking forward to seeing Texas country star Hudson Westbrook on April 24. There are summer shows as well, including La Fiera de Ojinaga & Los Pescadores del Río Conchos on July 19. Visit baylor.edu/concerts for the latest lineup!
• CYBERSECURITY PATHWAYS PROGRAM: Baylor and the Central Texas Cyber Hub have launched the K-12 Cyber Security Pathways Program to equip high school students with essential skills for college or immediate entry into the cybersecurity workforce. Eight Central Texas school districts will begin the program this fall. With thousands of cybersecurity jobs unfilled nationwide, this initiative represents an important investment in our region’s talent pipeline and reflects our commitment to serving our communities through education and workforce development. I’m thankful for Baylor’s academic and industry partners in the Cyber Hub, including Central Texas College and McLennan Community College, whose collaboration with Baylor is expanding and strengthening opportunities for students.
• APRIL 11 – ASYNCHRONOUS INSTRUCTION DAY: Mark your calendars for this spring’s asynchronous instructional Monday that will fall on Saturday, April 11. This day ensures all students receive the full academic experience required by higher education accreditation standards while accommodating Baylor holidays such as Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Spring Break, Good Friday, the Monday after Easter and Diadeloso. Students should check their syllabi for all Monday, Monday-Wednesday and Monday-Wednesday-Friday classes to understand faculty plans for this day.

Remember the Spring Faculty Meeting will be held virtually next Tuesday, Jan. 27, at 3 p.m. Staff are invited, and I hope you will make time to join.

Linda A. Livingstone, Ph.D.
President

PHOTO OF THE WEEK

It is wonderful to see so many new and returning students on campus. Welcome Back, Bears!