News

Baylor’s mission as an institution of higher learning compels us to embrace diversity – of ideas, ways of thinking, experiences, and, crucially, participation by the full spectrum of humanity. Its mission as a faith-based institution compels us to embrace diversity with love, compassion, charity, respect, and with the humility that comes from being equal participants in the shared human experience.

Our community is hurting as we learn more about, and begin our response to, a series of racially motivated incidents on campus. We strongly support Baylor University’s statement condemning this behavior towards members of our community while reaffirming our commitment to our values of diversity, safety, and civil discourse.

With the fall semester underway, Baylor University continues to implement the recommendations for improvement in the prevention, response and care for those impacted by sexual violence.

During the weekend of September 16-17, the Baylor community came together for Family Weekend, a University tradition since 1960.

For the sixth consecutive year, Baylor University has attained elite Honor Roll status as a “Great College to Work For,” according to a new survey by The Chronicle of Higher Education.

Dean Brad Toben, Baylor Law School’s longest tenured dean, and Associate Dean Leah Jackson Teague are celebrating 25 years of leadership.

With the opening of the department’s new facilities in the renovated Cashion Academic Building this fall—thanks to the generosity of an anonymous $10 million gift—CSD now has the opportunity to push the boundaries of excellence to a new level.

Baylor’s Office of Career and Professional Development is working closely with students, faculty, alumni and employers to ensure more post-graduate career placements than ever before.

Partnership is a cornerstone of Baylor’s School of Education. As it continues to strengthen its long-standing ties with area school districts, Baylor faculty and education students support the University’s mission in serving their community while receiving hands-on experience in the classroom.

Baylor’s investment in new technological resources to strengthen efforts to help students determine their personal strengths, succeed academically and graduate in four years, has begun to show results.

The Baylor University Department of Public Safety (DPS) is absolutely committed to the success and well-being of Baylor students, faculty and staff.

This year, Baylor University’s aviation sciences program has achieved a milestone—the 25th anniversary of a degree program that produces innovative research in atmospheric and space sciences and trains the next generation of pilots and leaders in the aviation industry.

Baylor University recently announced the designation of Master Teacher, the highest honor granted to Baylor faculty members for sustained excellence in teaching.

Research grants awarded July and August, totaling $2,337,539.

Faculty publications, presentations and honors

Baylor faculty and staff publications, presentations and honors compiled in the Summer 2016 issue of BaylorNews.

Each semester freshman and transfer students begin their academic journey at Baylor University. Often adjusting to a new city, school, roommates and friends, they learn to balance new classes as well. It can be overwhelming, but with the right support it can also be a time of immense growth and development.

Two years ago, three anchor academic units – communication sciences and disorders (CSD), family and consumer sciences (FCS) and health, human performance and recreation (HHPR) – came together to form the Robbins College of Health and Human Sciences. Together these three departments are united in a common focus – the application of health and human sciences to improve quality of life.

This column highlights books recommended by Baylor’s school/college deans. Challenging, compelling and thought- provoking, these literary selections are meant to inspire new ideas and encourage the Baylor community to invest in the habit of reading.

The parents of a current Baylor student have made a gift to the University that will make possible life-changing mission experiences for several Baylor students this summer, as well as for future students in the years to come.

In the coming issues of BaylorNews, we will highlight a community, statewide, national or international partnership that Baylor students, staff, faculty and alumni are actively engaged in supporting.

This summer, 20 members of Baylor’s faculty from across disciplines and across campus came together for the University’s longest running professional development program for faculty – the Summer Faculty Institute (SFI).

Each spring, Baylor honors professors for excellence in the classroom, through scholarship, and in the lives of students.

Baylor University officials named 2006 Associated Press National Coach of the Year Jim Grobe as acting head football coach and appointed Mack Rhoades as vice president and director of athletics.

Established in 1897, Baylor University Press has published books in the fields of religion and Biblical studies, contributing faithfully to the body of scholarship for well over a century.

Dr. Beverly Gaventa, distinguished professor of New Testament, was selected by her peers to serve as the 2016 president of the Society of Biblical Literature (SBL).

Research grants awarded April 2016, totaling $814,072.

Research grants awarded May 2016, totaling $2,882,250.

Research grants awarded June 2016, totaling $1,344,085.

L. Gregory Jones, Baylor's new executive vice president and provost, is looking forward to serving the University as he leads Baylor's academic enterprise.

At their regular summer meeting in July, Baylor University’s Board of Regents approved a new joint master’s degree program that links the degrees of a master of divinity and master of science in education/master of arts (MDiv/MSEd or MDiv/MA).

Two executive-level task forces are leading the implementation of recommendations made by Pepper Hamilton, LLP, following its independent investigation into the University’s handling of sexual assault.

On Thursday, July 14, the This Matters Committee will host a panel of experts to provide different perspectives on the growing racial and ethnic tensions in America with a follow up discussion of how we ought to understand the events and respond to them.

The University's emphasis on diversity and inclusion is enhanced through the work of the President's Advisory Council on Diversity (PACD) and the Special Assistant to the President on Diversity as well as through crucial dialogue with student leaders from diverse student organizations, including the NAACP. The May 2016 summary below outlines improvements and initiatives that have been undertaken across the University. The commitment is to build a strong foundation for a community of respect, character, cultural literacy and leadership. Through the coming months, the PACD and Special Assistant will continue to meet with faculty, staff, and students in order to collectively build upon these areas of progress and facilitate new initiatives that strengthen our community.

A love for the University and a passionate belief in the Institution’s mission define Baylor faculty and staff. For the fifth consecutive year, The Chronicle of Higher Education has awarded Baylor University with Honor Roll status as one of the country’s “Great Colleges to Work For.” This is Our Baylor, and faculty and staff are proud to give generously of their time, talent and treasure to support the programs that stir the University community’s passion.

Baylor University’s Board of Regents approved new degree plans and facility renovations at its regular meeting in February.

On Feb. 12, Baylor University’s Board of Regents approved an administrative
action plan, supported by $5 million in funding, to prevent acts of interpersonal violence on campus and to improve treatment and services for those impacted by interpersonal violence. In March, Baylor announced progress on these initiatives and additional actions to advance this important work.

In the coming issues of BaylorNews, we will highlight a community, statewide, national or international partnership that Baylor students, staff, faculty and alumni are actively engaged in supporting.

Each year, the University recognizes the extraordinary contributions faculty and staff make to the lives of our students and to the operation of the University. A ceremony, held in February, acknowledged individuals with 5 to 45 years of service to Baylor University.

This column highlights books recommended by Baylor’s school/college deans. Challenging, compelling and thought- provoking, these literary
selections are meant to inspire new ideas and encourage the Baylor community to invest in the habit of reading.

Baylor University is committed to helping students attain their degrees in the context of the exceptional Baylor experience. Two of the University’s most recent initiatives, First In Line and Baylor Summer, are doing just that – helping students find success by providing support that meets the diverse needs of the student body.

Over Spring Break, Baylor Missions sent 10 teams of 138 Baylor students, faculty, staff and alumni to five different countries where they integrated their faith with service and learning on discipline-specific missions projects.

Student Foundation has been giving back to the Baylor community since 1969 when 13 junior men and women received notification from President Abner V. McCall that they had been selected to serve as charter members of the organization’s Steering Committee. These students were the beginning of a new model with a novel goal – students serving students – and Bearathon is vital to the group’s ability to continue providing scholarships for current students.

Baylor University welcomed noted author and political analyst David Brooks to campus on March 2 for a conversation as part of the ongoing On Topic series with Baylor President and Chancellor Ken Starr.

Arguably one of the most compelling benefits offered by Baylor to its employees is the Tuition Remission Program. In addition to remission for spouses and children, full-time Baylor faculty and staff can receive a 100 percent tuition remission benefit for two courses (no more than eight
hours) during any semester that would apply to an undergraduate and/or graduate degree. This program has opened the door for Baylor employees to complete past, unfinished goals and also to pursue new dreams and career ambitions.

Eight Baylor staff members are recipients of the 2016 Outstanding Staff Awards, nominated by other Baylor faculty and staff for exemplary service to the University.

Dr. Elizabeth Palacios, dean for student development in the Division of Student Life and a Baylor faculty member, has been named as the special assistant to the President on diversity. With 35 years in higher education, Dr. Palacios has been instrumental in collaborating with students, faculty, staff and the community on a variety of diversity-related advancements.

Research grants awarded January 2016, totaling $281,046.57.

Research grants awarded February 2016, totaling $565,539.

Research grants awarded March 2016, totaling $630,749.31.

Baylor faculty and staff publications, presentations and honors compiled in the Spring 2016 issue of BaylorNews.

The department of Spiritual Life exists to nurture theological depth, spiritual wholeness and missional living in the lives of students, staff and faculty at Baylor University. From corporate prayer services to discipline-specific mission trips, the resources and opportunities available to the University community through Spiritual Life are numerous.

Twenty-five years ago, Baylor University established a special way to recognize and celebrate the generosity of alumni and friends who have chosen to support Baylor through a planned gift. And thus the Old Main Society came into existence with a name reflecting the University’s rich history and a simple yet important purpose — to express gratitude to those who have affirmed their commitment to Baylor’s future through a planned gift.

The 2016 Robert Foster Cherry Award for Great Teaching brought three exemplary finalists to campus this fall to present lectures on topics in their fields.

In June 2015, the Department of Labor announced proposed changes to the regulations of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). These projected shifts in legislation will affect the exempt status and overtime pay requirements for employees nationwide. Baylor Human Resources is working proactively to remain informed of and prepared to implement these changes upon approval from the Department of Labor.

Baylor University President and Chancellor Ken Starr announced the appointment of 13 faculty, staff and students to the President’s Advisory Council on Diversity (PACD) in January.

Dr. Michael K. McLendon, dean of the School of Education, is among 15 state education leaders who have been appointed to the Texas Commission on Next Generation Assessments and Accountability.

In March 1991, then Baylor University president Herbert H. Reynolds described the establishment of George W. Truett Theological Seminary as “a declaration of faith which seeks to bring the truth and power of the gospel to bear upon a diverse and broken world.”

Recently, the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education recognized Baylor University as one of the top performing colleges and universities in the 2015 Sustainable Campus Index, as measured by the Sustainability Tracking, Assessment and Rating System.

Offered through a partnership between Human Resources and the Wellness Department, the OSO Fit program allows faculty and staff to develop convenient, affordable fitness routines and invest in healthy lifestyles.

As 2015 came to a close, Baylor student-athletes celebrated an outstanding showing; the fall semester proved to be as successful in the classroom as it was in competition.

Baylor University proudly recognizes the following members of Old Main Society who currently or formerly served on Baylor’s faculty or staff. Baylor will be forever grateful for their decision “to light the ways of time” for future generations of Baylor students.

In the coming issues of BaylorNews, we will highlight books recommended by Baylor’s school/college deans. Challenging, compelling and thought provoking, these literary selections are meant to inspire new ideas and encourage the Baylor community to invest in the habit of reading.

Former football letterwinner, successful businessman and generous benefactor of the University, Billy Williams, BBA ’63, died Dec. 14 at the age of 74.

Research grants awarded September 2015, totaling $4,459,319.

Research grants awarded October 2015, totaling $598,958.94.

Research grants awarded November 2015, totaling $329,847.

Research grants awarded December 2015, totaling $3,677,753.01.

Baylor faculty and staff publications, presentations and honors compiled in the Winter 2016 issue of BaylorNews.

This November, the Baylor family will welcome Dave Rosselli as vice president for university development. He comes to Baylor from the University of Southern California where he currently serves as executive director of institutional advancement.

For more than a half-century, Baylor’s Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders has been serving the local community and producing graduates whose work as speech-language pathologists has improved the lives of thousands of children and adults around the world.

For the fifth consecutive year, Baylor University was named to the elite honor roll in the “Great Colleges to Work For” survey released by The Chronicle of Higher Education.

On Wednesday, September 24, President and Chancellor Ken Starr welcomed noted speaker, author and former Mayor of New York City Rudy Giuliani to Baylor’s campus for the first On Topic of the Fall 2015 semester.

Established in 1845, Baylor University has cultivated a legacy of educating more than 168,000 men and women for worldwide leadership and service throughout her first 170 years. As the oldest continually operating university in Texas, Baylor’s iconic campus of cream columns and brick buildings is nestled on 1,000 spacious acres in Waco.

Over the past four years, the Paul L. Foster Success Center has demonstrated significant growth in the reach and influence of their already impactful programs. Along with expanding initiatives including First In Line, Pre-Law and VETS, the Success Center is also meeting impressive goals in career and professional development, meeting the rising number of accommodation requests and improving student retention rates to expand their services to reach more students.

Baylor President and Chancellor Ken Starr has established himself as a leading advocate for religious freedom, accepting invitations to speak at various forums across the United States and the world. On September 18, Judge Starr delivered the closing remarks at the Religious Freedom Summit in Washington D.C.

Since establishing the first collegiate Homecoming in 1909, Baylor University has invested in meaningful Homecoming traditions that embody the spirit of the University. Central to Homecoming is the Eternal Flame, the immortalization of a narrative that connects and inspires generations of the Baylor family.

Boldly envisioned and faithfully pursued, the Paul L. Foster Campus for Business and Innovation builds upon the tradition of excellence that is the hallmark of the nationally ranked Hankamer School of Business. The state-of-the-art campus positions the school to provide collaborative learning experiences for generations to come.

Increasingly, students graduate from colleges and universities with debts that are difficult to manage. Baylor University, however, is committed to equipping students with tools to help them responsibly manage their personal finances.

When we launched the “Are You #BaylorProud?” photo contest last month, we purposely chose to give the winner a $250 Baylor Bookstore gift card. We thought that the winner would be able to use the card to buy more Baylor t-shirts, bumper stickers, etc. with which he/she could show his/her Baylor pride.

Founding Dean of the School of Social Work, Diana Garland, died Sept. 21. Garland is survived by her husband, David; daughter, Sarah, and her husband, Matthew; son, John, and his wife, Abby; three granddaughters,
Aurora Grace, Azalea Faith and Tess Moran; and grandson, Matthew Edward.

Research grants awarded May 2015, totaling $414,906.

Research grants awarded June 2015, totaling $1,016,164.54.

Research grants awarded July 2015, totaling $1,461,395.

Research grants awarded August 2015, totaling $718,432.60

Baylor faculty and staff publications, presentations and honors compiled in the Summer 2015 issue of BaylorNews.

Baylor faculty and staff publications, presentations and honors compiled in the Summer 2015 issue of BaylorNews.

Research grants awarded March 2015, totaling $814,593.

Research grants awarded April 2015, totaling $279,080.

Five years ago, Judge Ken Starr officially began his service as president of Baylor University—by running the Bear Trail—as the distinguished academician, lawyer, public servant and sixth-generation Texan became only the 14th person to serve as president of Texas’ oldest continually operating institution of higher education.

On June 1, Baylor’s Board of Regents welcomed several new faces who have joined returning and re-elected regents as participants in the University’s governance. The newly elected regents, who will serve three-year terms are...

Baylor Law School was selected to receive the 2015 American Bar Association (ABA) Pro Bono Publico Award, making it only the third law school in the nation to be honored with the award since 1984.

When discussions began several years ago regarding the design of the future East Village, the idea of including a chapel was important to all parties. The chapel was immediately made a part of the plans, and a space was set aside for its construction.

After racking up back-to-back Big 12 football titles, Baylor athletics set a new school record for most conference titles in a season with eight league championships for the year. The Bears’ 65 Big 12 trophies rank fourth in the league’s history, behind only Texas, Nebraska and Oklahoma.

Over the past decade, Baylor’s film and digital media (FDM) program has established a growing reputation as a place where students with drive and talent can find their artistic voice and develop skills as storytellers. The FDM program’s graduates have gone on to careers as noted writers, directors, cinematographers and producers across the country, creating a strong link between the Baylor name and industry success.

Hundreds of incoming Baylor students are headed to campus this fall from places where seeing someone dressed in green and gold and throwing up a “sic ’em” isn’t an everyday occurrence. But in places like Chicago, Washington, Los Angeles, and dozens of other cities across the nation, there are more members of the Baylor family then you (and they) might guess.

Each spring, Baylor honors professors for excellence in the classroom, through scholarship, and in the lives of students.

Research grants awarded December 2014, totaling $245,397.

Research grants awarded January 2015, totaling $2,404,034.

Research grants awarded February 2015, totaling $3,550,121.