Presidential Perspective - August 10, 2017

August 10, 2017

Baylor Students, Faculty and Staff:

11 days left of summer! I cannot wait for our campus to come back to life for the first day of the fall semester on August 21. While it has been an incredibly busy summer, we have missed the excitement, energy and enthusiasm that our nearly 17,000 students bring to campus each and every day. Here are a few items of interest for this week:

  • Our incoming freshman class continues to track according to our enrollment targets. Additionally, the class projects to be the most selective and most diverse class in Baylor’s history, while also having the highest percentage of out-of-state students. We will share the final numbers in the near future. First Gent Brad and I will join the hundreds of volunteers across campus who will help move in all of these new freshmen next Wednesday and Thursday from 8 a.m. until noon. Hopefully, our 6 a.m. workouts together each day will pay off!
  • Baylor continues to make significant investments to enhance the safety and security of our students and campus overall. One example related to technology is the installation of more than 1,000 security cameras located throughout the campus. You can read more about the project in yesterday’s Waco Tribune-Herald article.
  • Data analytics is becoming increasingly important to business and particularly the accounting profession. Last week, our Hankamer School of Business joined eight other universities in a curriculum partnership with the KPMG Master of Accounting with Data and Analytics Program. This initiative will incorporate KPMG technology and proprietary audit tools into the Master of Accounting curriculum, which will help our accounting students develop the skills they must have to thrive in today’s digital marketplace.
  • The Baylor Family continues to mourn the loss of Distinguished Alumnus and former Governor Mark White, who served the state of Texas from 1983-87. White passed away last Saturday due to an apparent heart attack. I was able to attend the touching memorial service yesterday, and it was evident that White was a statesman, a true Texan and a proud Baylor Bear.
  • A reminder that Summer Commencement is this Saturday at 9:30 a.m. at the Ferrell Center. I am working on the final revisions for my first address to a class of graduating Baylor seniors. Details regarding Commencement as well as a link to the live stream can be found at baylor.edu/commencement.

Thank you for your commitment to Baylor,

Linda A. Livingstone, Ph.D.
President