An Update from Baylor's President

Dear Baylor Family,

As we begin another academic year at Baylor University, I want to extend my deep appreciation for your support of this remarkable institution of higher education. As has been the case for generation after generation, our faculty, staff, alumni, parents and friends are crucial partners in the University’s success.

The first weeks of the fall semester are always a time of new energy and eagerness on campus. This is the beginning of my 20th year at Baylor, and the happiness I feel upon seeing all of the new and returning students remains just as strong as the first time I welcomed students to my classroom at Truett Seminary. When you walk across our campus, you quickly become aware of an abundance of excitement among our students.

An Outstanding Community

In late August, 3,349 faculty, staff and upper-division students helped our new students move into residence halls. It was pouring rain for much of the time, but this time-honored tradition is an important one. Their service is a gesture that literally helps students find their place at Baylor – one that is followed by many programs and activities, such as Welcome Week, that strengthen our students’ sense of belonging.

Move-In Days also serve as a wonderful snapshot of the welcoming and supportive Baylor community. Our faculty and staff are invested in the success of our students and in the life and work of the University. This commitment to Baylor is also illustrated in the results of the 2016 Great College to Work For survey in which Baylor earned Honor Roll status and a place on the Great Colleges to Work For list for the sixth consecutive year.

Our student body is truly remarkable, with the freshman class – the second largest in our history at 3,503 – having the highest academic preparedness indicators of any entering class. In addition, more than 35 percent of freshmen have come to Baylor from out of state; 28 percent of the freshman class reported a legacy connection to Baylor.

Overall, our fall enrollment of 16,959 students – 14,348 of whom are undergraduates – is the largest in University history and reflects the continued strong diversity among the student body, with overall minority enrollment up to 34.6 percent.

The 2017 U.S. News & World Report “Best Colleges” rankings released this month rank Baylor as No. 71 among National Universities. Up one place from 2015, this ranking is the second highest among the Big 12 schools. Many of our programs were also ranked among the best and, as a veteran, I am pleased that Baylor moved up 17 places to No. 43 among National Universities in the Best Colleges for Veterans.

Supporting Student Aspirations

Being entrusted with the care and success of so many young women and men means that we have a solemn responsibility to serve their best interests, among which is their financial well-being. That is why, this past July, when our Board of Regents reviewed the University’s budgetary requirements, they approved the lowest percentage increase in more than 20 years and well below the average percentage increase over the last 26 years.

In addition, in our ongoing effort to provide access and affordability for families and their students, the approved budget allocates an additional $15.2 million for merit and need-based scholarships for the 2017-18 academic year. Overall, with 90 percent of Baylor students receiving some form of financial aid, the University is providing more financial assistance to students than at any other time in our history.

Baylor is taking steps to be among the leaders, both in Texas and nationally, in implementing affordability initiatives so that the benefits of higher education are within reach for as many students as possible. This fall, we will sign agreements with additional Baylor Bound partners, including South Texas College in McAllen. Baylor Bound programs help students transfer more easily from such two-year institutions to Baylor. With partners all across Texas, Baylor Bound offers students a highly affordable pathway to a bachelor’s degree and enhances our campus by welcoming students from diverse backgrounds.

Another top priority at Baylor is guiding our students to earn a degree in four years – one of the most important factors in affordability. Not only do students who follow such a timeline save money, but they also enter graduate school or the workplace in a timely manner. To help our students achieve this goal, we have begun offering online courses over the summer to accommodate working students and those studying abroad, and discounting summer tuition to encourage students to take required classes that move them toward graduation.

A new program called the Student Success Collaborative (SSC) combines technology, research and predictive analytics to help our academic advisors create a better match between undergraduates and their major. The SSC also gives our advisors a greater ability to reach out to students who are struggling academically, allowing advisors to direct resources to specific groups of at-risk students and to monitor an individual student’s progress.

The combination of these initiatives has led to Baylor being one of only 47 colleges and universities in the U.S. named a Best Buy by The Fiske Guide to Colleges. Additionally, Baylor ranks No. 53 in the U.S. News Best Value Schools among National Universities, a ranking that reflects academic quality and cost. We are proud of these designations, of course, but our motivation in pursuing affordability measures is based solely on a desire to see our students succeed in all aspects of their lives.

A Caring Community

The success of our students is our utmost priority, and our attention is focused on everything from academic achievement to physical safety. In the months since my last communication to you in late June, we have endeavored to make continuous improvements and to address the well-being of our students with determination and collaboration across campus.

The entire University has benefited from the overarching work of the Sexual Assault Task Force, which is addressing the 105 recommendations in the areas of Title IX protocols and policies, athletics, engagement and education, centralized reporting and resolution, public safety, and counseling and advocacy. You can find updates on our progress in each of these areas at baylor.edu/rtsv/progress.

As a Christian institution, our love for our students is animated by our salvation in Christ, and the promise of God’s love enjoins us always to look to the future with hope. It is because we are grounded in our faith that we are working with a freshened spirit and lifted eyes.

I join my colleagues in thanking you for your ongoing prayers and many gestures of support. They provide an invaluable foundation for our work as we dedicate ourselves to clarity, compassion and collective action as a Christian academic community.

Sincerely,

David E. Garland
Interim President