President's Advisory Council on Diversity

Dear Colleagues,

Late last week, the Provost shared with the Office of the President a copy of the report from the Provost’s Committee on Diversity. The Committee, chaired by Professor Heidi Bostic, worked with dedication over the course of the autumn. We are grateful for the Committee’s efforts.

The Committee’s diligent work, coupled with the unfolding events on college campuses around the nation this fall, have helped foster a robust conversation here at Baylor with respect to deepening our unapologetic Christian commitment to racial, ethnic and gender diversity. This deliberative process is essential to our collaborative determination of the appropriate steps forward in keeping with the plan outlined in my November 11 letter to faculty and staff:

“We intend to use the report and recommendations as a springboard to launch a period of campus-wide reflection and discernment. During this period, we will provide a variety of opportunities to engage the broad campus community in conversation. Indeed, a university, at its best, is a conversation. Each and every voice will be warmly welcome. To that end, it will be vitally important for all members of our community — students, faculty, and staff — to enjoy the fullest opportunity to contribute their perspectives and insights as we seek collaboratively to identify the wisest path forward.”

As a logical outgrowth of the Committee’s work, I intend in the coming weeks to establish the President’s Advisory Council on Diversity (PACD) to help facilitate the contemplated period of reflection and discernment. Including members of our faculty, staff and student body, the PACD will advise the Office of the President on mission-consistent steps to engage our campus community actively in thoughtful and respectful dialogue.

In the meantime, the Executive Council will review and discuss the Provost Committee’s report over the next two weeks. The report will thereafter be shared with the Faculty Senate for its review and comment. Following the Faculty Senate’s review, the report will be made available to the broader campus community.

With warmest good wishes for the Advent season and for a joyous Christmas,
Ken Starr