Provost Brickhouse Transition

Baylor Faculty, Staff and Students:

Earlier today, Nancy Brickhouse, Ph.D., shared with faculty and staff that she will step down from her position as Vice President and Provost, effective July 31, 2026. Following a yearlong sabbatical, Provost Brickhouse will return to the faculty here at Baylor University to focus on teaching and investing in our students during the final chapter of her commendable career.

Provost Brickhouse, a 1982 Baylor graduate, has faithfully served the University as our chief academic officer since 2019, embracing our unique Christian mission while providing a strong voice for research in faith-based higher education. She has been a guiding hand in times of unprecedented advancement in undergraduate and graduate education and in research, including Baylor reaching Carnegie R1 designation during her tenure.

Under her guidance, our research expenditures and research doctorates have increased significantly, and by all measures, Baylor is well-positioned for continued forward momentum. Additionally, Provost Brickhouse has been instrumental in helping the University achieve all-time highs in graduation and retention rates, understanding the crucial connection between timely graduation and affordability for students.

Provost Brickhouse was integral in the successful completion of Illuminate, and she helped shepherd the development of Baylor in Deeds, Baylor’s last two strategic plans. In all, by working collaboratively with deans and faculty across disciplines, Provost Brickhouse has helped lay a solid academic foundation for Baylor’s next chapter.

On a more personal note, I want to express my appreciation for Nancy’s leadership and partnership for the many, significant accomplishments over the past seven years. I am deeply grateful for her commitment to Baylor’s Christian mission, and I will cherish the opportunity we had to be in this work together. Nancy and her husband, Mark, have impacted countless lives throughout the Baylor Family and within the Waco community.

I have asked Lee Nordt, Ph.D., outgoing Dean of the College of Arts & Sciences, to serve as Interim Vice President and Provost. Dean Nordt is a familiar face to many faculty, staff and students after serving in this leadership role for more than 20 years. He has overseen nearly half of the University’s academic enterprise in his Deanship, and his leadership has been both steady and strategic. I am confident he will ably guide our academic and research endeavors during this season of transition.

I plan to announce a national search for Provost Brickhouse’s successor, including members of the search advisory committee and search firm, before the end of the spring semester. In the meantime, please join me in thanking Nancy for her dedicated leadership and many contributions to Baylor, and I hope to see many of you at her appreciation reception in August as we begin the fall semester.

Sincerely,

Linda A. Livingstone, Ph.D.
President