News

Last week was big for Baylor as the Board of Regents affirmed the next five years of our Illuminate strategic plan.

This week marks the quarterly meeting for Baylor’s Board of Regents as it considers the next five years of our strategic plan Illuminate, which impacts the entire campus from academics to athletics.

As we look forward to the next five years of our strategic plan Illuminate, we have so much to celebrate.

What a great Homecoming we had last week! It was so good to celebrate “everything Baylor” with all of you, along with our friends, alumni and Wacoans.

Baylor hosted the nation’s first collegiate homecoming event in 1909, and even after a year “off” due to COVID-19, I can tell you that our campus is abuzz this week as current students are enjoying many Baylor Homecoming traditions and preparing for the return of tens of thousands of alumni and friends to Waco this weekend.

Next week is Homecoming 2021! We have a fun student tradition to kick off Homecoming Week called “Dinner with the Livingstones,” and I want to invite all students to join the First Gent and me at Allbritton House on Tuesday from 6-8 p.m.

Earlier today I had the opportunity to testify before the U.S. House Subcommittee on Consumer Protection and Commerce of the Committee on Energy and Commerce in Washington, D.C., regarding many of the challenges facing intercollegiate athletics.

Tomorrow will be an exciting time as we highlight Baylor research in a day-early celebration of National Research Administrator Day. Throughout Friday, you will see stories on social media highlighting our outstanding faculty, and I hope you will consider sharing some of them to amplify the news of Baylor’s incredible research.

I am officially declaring this week as “The Week of Good News” for Baylor! Beginning last Friday with the additions of BYU, Central Florida, Cincinnati and Houston to the Big 12 Conference, we’ve been on a roll with several positive developments related to the University:

Baylor University places a priority on enhancing diversity and equity across our campus and throughout our academic and operational divisions.

Today is a big day for Baylor University as we officially welcome Brigham Young University, the University of Central Florida, the University of Cincinnati, and the University of Houston into the Big 12 Conference. We are excited about the new Big 12 both now and into the future once member transitions are complete in 2025.

Sept. 11 will forever be remembered as an important day in U.S. history as terrorists attacked our homeland and threatened our safety, security and the freedoms we hold dear.

I know the events of the past week — from the U.S. military’s departure from Afghanistan abroad to the devastation and hardships created by Hurricane Ida closer to home — have left many members of the Baylor Family feeling deep pain and heartache.

You may have seen Waco Mayor Dillon Meek's quote yesterday that our local healthcare system is near "the brink of collapse" due to COVID-19. As I participated in a call with our community leaders yesterday morning, it has become clear – the local hospital situation is indeed dire. As of Wednesday morning, all 54 intensive care unit beds in McLennan County were in use, with 45 being filled by COVID-19 patients. Health officials reported that 92.4% of the currently hospitalized patients were unvaccinated.

This morning, as I began considering today’s significance, I found myself filled with the joy spoken of in Psalm 47:1 — “Clap your hands, all you nations; shout to God with cries of joy.”

It’s finally here – the start of the fall semester! The First Gent and I enjoyed meeting so many of our incoming students and their families as part of Move2BU, although I must admit that my back is a little sore!

The spread of COVID-19 has grown significantly across the country, and our state and local community are not immune as case counts continue to increase and healthcare services are stretched to capacity. These grim facts have prompted our President’s Council and Health Management Team to update our COVID-related protocols for the fall semester beginning Aug. 23.

We are in the homestretch! Only 11 more days until we begin the fall semester at Baylor. It is an incredibly exciting time for everyone, and I can’t wait to see our students back on campus and throughout the Waco community.

Since our University was first chartered in 1845, we have strived in every possible way to stay true to our Christian mission and to live by our core convictions, including a commitment to support, encourage and expect excellence in all undertakings. Excellence is our expectation at Baylor in all aspects of our University, yet excellence must also come with virtue and integrity.

Because of the University’s improved financial position and an improved outlook relative to COVID-19 and the national economy, we want to provide an update on employee retirement account contributions.

As I reflect over the past couple of weeks and the whirlwind of uncertainty relating to intercollegiate athletics, a few things have resonated with me during conversations with members of the Baylor Family, testifying in front of the Texas Senate’s select committee and discussions with others across the country.

Earlier today, Vice President and Director of Athletics Mack B. Rhoades IV and I traveled to Austin to testify in front of a Select Senate Committee looking into the Future of College Sports in Texas, following the pledged departure of the University of Texas from the Big 12 Conference in 2025. We were joined by Big 12 Commissioner Bob Bowlsby, our colleagues from Texas Tech and TCU, and UT President Jay Hartzell.

I appreciate the attention, and most of all, the sunlight that is being brought to the future of college sports in Texas by this Committee and members of the Texas Legislature.

The countdown continues – 25 days until the start of the fall semester on Aug. 23. Wow! Our faculty and staff have been diligently preparing for the return of our students for what promises to be an exciting semester.

WACO, Texas (July 27, 2021) - Baylor President Linda A. Livingstone, Ph.D., sent the following update was sent to the Baylor University Family.

WACO, Texas (July 23, 2021) – The following message was sent to the Baylor University Family today from Baylor President Linda A. Livingstone, Ph.D., and Vice President and Director of Intercollegiate Athletics Mack B. Rhoades IV.

Time is certainly flying as we enter the final stretch of summer. In fact, we have only 32 days until fall classes begin at Baylor University! Our faculty, staff and I look forward to welcoming everyone back to our beautiful campus.

WACO, Texas (July 16, 2021) – During its regular summer retreat meeting, the Baylor University Board of Regents focused on Baylor’s strategic positioning for the future as the University enters the final year of the initial Illuminate strategic plan. The discussions spotlighted the extraordinary progress that has accelerated the University’s aspirations of joining the nation’s top Research 1 universities as the world’s preeminent Christian research university.

WACO, Texas (July 13, 2021) - Baylor University today announced that alumni, parents, faculty, staff, students and friends combined to provide more than $161 million in given and pledged philanthropic support during the University’s recently completed fiscal year (June 1, 2020, to May 31, 2021). The Baylor Family’s philanthropy supports the Give Light Campaign, Baylor’s comprehensive fundraising campaign aimed at resourcing efforts to become the preeminent Christian research university.

I don’t know about you, but the summer is really beginning to accelerate. Looking at my calendar, we are only 53 days from the first day of classes (Aug. 23) on the Baylor University campus!

As we have many visitors to Waco for Orientation, Line Camp and tours over the summer, I am reminded what a mess the “front door” to our campus is with the I-35 construction. Yes, Chip Gaines, “It’s Demo Day!”

It didn't take long for summertime to arrive in Waco. With temperatures in the mid-to upper-90s this week, I am longing for the unseasonably cool temperatures and torrential downpours that we experienced in late May and early June (well, maybe not the torrential downpours!). Stay hydrated and wear sunscreen – 100-degree temperatures will arrive before we know it!

As we prepare for a normal fall semester and continuously evaluate the University's administrative functions, I want to share two enhancements soon to be made on the President's Council, and specifically, within the President's Office.

New beginnings! This summer has marked new beginnings on so many fronts as we emerge from COVID-19, and, as a university, move toward a normal fall semester.

Here at Baylor University, we place great importance on the safety and security of our campus, not only through our professional Department of Public Safety, but also through our physical infrastructure, such as security cameras and other emergency and safety systems, training and education for all students, faculty and staff, and clear policies and procedures that together help provide a safe environment for all members of the University community.

As we anticipate the upcoming Memorial Day weekend, I join the Baylor Family in remembering and honoring all of the brave men and women who have given their lives to protect our nation throughout our history as a people and for the benefit of future generations.

What a year it has been here at Baylor! The end of the spring semester provides a good time to reflect on all the Baylor Family has accomplished, despite the many challenges we’ve faced.

WACO, Texas (May 14, 2021) – During its regular May meeting, the Baylor University Board of Regents approved the first phase of a capital projects plan, including constructing the Mark and Paula Hurd Welcome Center and resuming the master plan for campus residence hall renovations.

It took me a few days, but I finally recovered from six Commencement ceremonies over three days as we recognized the Classes of 2020 and 2021 last week at McLane Stadium.

Congratulations to the 3,649 graduates of the Classes of 2020 and 2021 who are participating in Commencement ceremonies today through Saturday at McLane Stadium!

WACO, Texas (May 5, 2021) – Baylor University will celebrate more than 3,600 graduates of the Classes of 2020 and 2021 during six in-person commencement ceremonies May 6-8 at McLane Stadium on the banks of the Brazos River.

As we prepare for the last leg of the semester with final exams beginning tomorrow, I am reminded once again about what a remarkable journey we have been on this spring. It truly has been a marathon!

This week we have collectively witnessed a pivotal moment in history and a critically important step in our nation’s journey to acknowledge and address racism by taking active steps to protect the rights of every person. The Chauvin verdict cannot be seen as an end, but as a beginning.

As the spring semester calendar winds down, I know our students are racing toward the academic finish line as they complete assignments, wrap up group projects and prepare for final exams.

What an exciting week this has been for the Baylor Family! Congratulations to men’s basketball coach Scott Drew, his staff and our student-athletes for winning the national championship over Gonzaga Monday night in Indianapolis.

Greetings from Indianapolis! Baylor fans everywhere are excited for tonight's NCAA National Championship Game between Baylor and Gonzaga. We are so proud of Coach Scott Drew and our Bears who will be representing our University (with tremendous JOY!) on the biggest stage in college basketball

We come to this Easter with hearts ready to accept the gift of Jesus’ love, sacrifice and presence in our lives. Like Peter, we know who he is — he is the Messiah, the Risen Lord, our Savior. We feel his guiding hand and follow his footsteps in striving to love one another as Jesus loves us.

I hope you have had the opportunity to review and reflect on the Report of the Commission on Historic Campus Representations that was shared with the Baylor Family on Tuesday. We are truly grateful for the thoughtful, prayerful and thorough work of the Commission, whose 26 members faithfully considered and embraced Baylor’s Christian mission and an “additive approach” as they discerned recommendations about how best to communicate and reflect the complete history of Baylor University.

Since I became a university president, I rarely have the opportunity to assign homework. But as we prepare for the release of the report from the Commission on Historic Campus Representations on Tuesday, I strongly encourage you to watch all three of the Baylor Conversation Series events: “Perspectives on Our History.” These distinguished panels provide context about slavery in the United States, in Texas and among Texas Baptists during the time of Baylor’s founding in the mid-1800s.

As a former college basketball student-athlete, March Madness is my favorite time of the year. And all of us who fling the green and gold afar should be extra excited this year as our Big 12 Champion men’s AND women’s basketball teams begin play in their respective conference tournaments.

Please join us tomorrow evening for the second Conversation in our three-part Conversation Series. Dr. Ronald Johnson, the Ralph and Bessie Mae Lynn Chair of History in Baylor University’s History Department, will be joined by a panel of experts to explore the history of slavery in Texas and the relationship between slavery and Baptist life.

The health and well-being of our campus community is our top priority, particularly as the COVID-19 pandemic wears on and we near the end of the spring semester.

We recently announced an upcoming series of virtual discussions that are being held as part of our ongoing Baylor Conversation Series to explore “Perspectives on our History. The first of these gatherings is scheduled for this Tuesday, and I believe the time together will provide opportunities for greater understanding and healing within our community.

The challenges of last week’s Winter Storm Uri placed a tremendous burden on our state, city and campus. Loss of power and water, property damages because of burst pipes, families bunkering down in warming shelters and interruptions to the food supply chain added to the collective traumas we continue to endure as a community in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic.

This has certainly been a week like no other I can recall with record-setting cold and snow for the second time in a year – in Waco! Nearly half of homes in and around our city are without power, both from lines that have fallen and rolling outages to ensure the stability of the state’s power grid.

You have likely been following news about the historic winter storms that have impacted much of Texas and battered Waco. In fact, many of you also are experiencing the closures and outages caused by the continuing storms.

It is with great sadness that I share with you the news that one of our dedicated Aramark team members recently lost his life in a battle with COVID-19. We grieve with the family of Mr. Soto and with our Aramark family who so wonderfully add to the beauty of our campus and support our students, faculty and staff. Please join me in praying for the Soto family during this difficult time, and commit with me to do everything we can to protect one another against COVID-19. Our fight against this terrible virus is not yet over.

As we shared via Baylor Alert earlier today, due to winter weather conditions, we closed our Waco campus at 2 p.m. through all-day tomorrow. Classes for the rest of today and tomorrow will shift to remote instruction. Please take every precaution and be safe as you travel around campus and home today.

As we all continue navigating what remains a difficult and stressful time for our country and Baylor University — amid the uncertainty created by the COVID-19 pandemic and ongoing political and social justice tensions — I am reminded of the following passage in Hebrews: “And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together (even virtually, due to COVID-19), as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another” (Hebrews 10:24-25).

It’s “birthday season” here on campus this week!

Thank you for your selfless service and many contributions to another successful start of a semester in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic.

It’s so wonderful to see our students out and about – even in the rain early this week – as they make their way across our beautiful campus to their classes. Our spirit is renewed as we delight in the promise of a new semester and look forward with great hope in our new beginnings.

Thank you for a fantastic start to the Spring semester. We are grateful to everyone for completing their back-to-campus testing and for continuing to follow the safety measures that help us protect one another.

WACO, Texas (Jan. 17, 2020) - Baylor University is mourning the death of Alicia Martinez, a 2020 graduate of the Diana Garland School of Social Work and current social work graduate student who passed away today in Waco from complications from COVID-19.

I am looking forward to Tuesday and welcoming all of you back for the spring semester! First Gent Brad and I (and our dog BU!) have missed the energy and enthusiasm all of you bring to campus. Please know that we are praying for you as you make your way safely home to Baylor.

The start of the spring semester cannot come soon enough for your Baylor Family. We miss you!

Happy New Year! I trust that your holidays were relaxing and restful as we celebrated the birth of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.
- Romans 15:13 -

I don’t want the Christmas season to pass without pausing a moment to thank you for your commitment to our students, to each other and to the mission of Baylor University.

It’s hard to believe that the fall semester has come to a close, which means this will be my last Presidential Perspective until the New Year! I want to express my deepest appreciation to all of you for your hard work and commitment to following our COVID-19 protocols and preventive health measures during the fall.

We are so blessed at Baylor to join together in celebration of Christmas and this season of Advent as we look toward the birth of our Savior Jesus Christ and the promise of Christ’s glorious return. This Advent season has even deeper meaning as I prepare my heart each day by reading and praying over the daily devotionals created by our wonderful faculty, staff, alumni and students.

As the fall semester comes to a close, I want to thank you for your commitment to keeping one another and our community safe and congratulate you for persevering in your academic pursuits.

With Thanksgiving only a week away – and the end of the semester just beyond it – I want to offer my deepest gratitude for the strength of spirit and compassion you have shown to others throughout this fall.

President Linda A. Livingstone, Ph.D., hosted a panel discussion – “Fall in Review, Anticipating 2021” – on Wednesday, November 18. Joining the President on the panel was Provost Nancy Brickhouse, Ph.D., and Chief Business Officer Brett Dalton, with Cheryl Gochis, Vice President of Human Resources and Chief Human Resources Officer, who served as the host.

President Linda A. Livingstone, Ph.D., will host a panel discussion – “Fall in Review, Anticipating 2021” – this Wednesday from 11 a.m. until noon via Zoom Webinar.

As we look toward Thanksgiving, positive cases and hospitalizations related to COVID-19 continue to increase dramatically across the country and Texas and within Waco-McLennan County. This is the feared “second spike” that so many medical experts predicted at the onset of the pandemic as the weather turns cooler and people spend more time indoors.

Today I am pleased to announce that this diversity education — developed exclusively by the University in accordance with our Christian mission and reflecting the Baylor experience — is now available to be completed via video accessible through this email.

Election Day has come and gone, but extended vote counting and the expected delay in results have captured the attention of the nation. As elections are decided, we begin to look to the future and how our country can come together amidst today’s polarized political climate. How can we model post-election civil discourse that bridges political, ideological and theological divides?

I am praying for our nation and all of you as Election Day nears, and we make critical decisions for our country and our communities.

Everyone continues to do an incredible job complying with Baylor’s COVID-19 prevention and mitigation initiatives. Just like you, I am weary of all the testing, mask wearing and social distancing, but we must continue to press on for the health not just of ourselves, but of our neighbors and community.

It’s that time of year when many of you feel the weight of the semester, which certainly has been exacerbated by the ongoing effects of COVID-19. Stress and anxiety are felt by all people at varying levels of severity, and each of us reacts differently. Baylor has many resources available to you, and we all should employ helpful ways to manage our health and well-being, such as:

As we celebrated a “different” Homecoming last week, I reflected on what an unusual year this has been for each member of the Baylor Family – especially all of you. The COVID-19 pandemic has touched all of us in some way, requiring tremendous flexibility and resilience not only in the workplace, but also in our personal lives.

Earlier this week we announced to students that Baylor would be partnering with the City of Waco and McLennan County for COVID-19 surge testing over the next two weeks. This announcement has generated many questions from students and parents alike, so I reached out to two Baylor faculty experts who serve on the University’s COVID-19 Health Management Team to explain the importance of this surge testing effort:

At the recommendation of the University, the Baylor Board of Regents today approved the purchase of three downtown properties that will help Baylor advance our Illuminate strategic plan, pursue our goal to reach Tier 1/Research 1 status and bolster our relationship with our hometown of Waco.

The Department of Education has recently notified the University that it has completed its review of Baylor’s Clery program, which aims to provide transparency around campus crime policy and statistics.

Like so many other things this fall, COVID-19 has brought many changes to Baylor Homecoming – the oldest collegiate homecoming in the nation – which we will celebrate next week, Oct. 15-17.

This month Baylor joins 179 of our fellow members of the Council of Christian Colleges and Universities in the celebration of Christian Higher Education Month, which was established by the U.S. Congress in 2003.

Our Illuminate vision – for Baylor to be recognized as a Tier 1/Research 1 university while holding firm to our Christian mission and Baptist heritage –requires a team effort to achieve. Tomorrow is National Research Administrator Day, a day set aside to celebrate the dedicated individuals who advance research in universities across the country.

As Baylor’s Virtual Family Weekend approaches in just a few days, I write with gratitude for your partnership and support. Although the COVID-19 pandemic requires that we present this year’s events quite differently than we have in the past, our goal is the same as it has been since the first Family Weekend in 1960: to help families of Baylor students become better acquainted with the University and its beloved traditions.

As we finish up our fourth week of the fall semester, I’d like to thank you all – students, faculty and staff – for your diligence and perseverance as we launched into a time of many unknowns. Because of your hard work, I am excited to share three noteworthy updates.

Please be assured that Baylor stands strong in support of our country, the American flag and in remembering the lives lost through such an impactful display.

Baylor is currently experiencing a decrease in the number of active COVID-19 cases.

Let me extend my sincerest appreciation for all of your efforts to date in the prevention and mitigation of COVID-19 on our campus.

As we reach the end of the second week of the fall semester, I want to commend all of you for your continued wearing of facemasks, practicing social distancing and following University guidelines and policies during this unique time of COVID-19.

As I wrap up the week here in my office in Pat Neff Hall – while watching back-packed students walk across our beautiful campus – several of you have reached out and asked: "How did the first week of the fall semester go?"

On behalf of the Baylor Family, I thank you for the innumerable ways your congregation nurtures and challenges students during this formative season in their lives.

I truly appreciate your efforts as we have all come together as the Baylor Family in the prevention and mitigation of COVID-19 at the start of the semester. I am pleased to see so many facemasks – some are quite creative and fashionable – as well as your efforts to practice social distancing across the campus.

The first day of our fall semester has finally arrived! We are excited to begin what is going to be a truly remarkable year.

From my early career as an assistant professor at Baylor to now as the University’s President, the start of a new semester always brings much joy and excitement as I reflect on our students and the promise of the future. Of course, this fall semester brings added significance as Monday culminates hours upon hours of planning and preparation by our administration, faculty and staff to welcome students back to campus in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Baylor University has extensively planned and
prepared for the arrival of your students this fall with the goal of providing a safe and healthy on-campus educational experience in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic.