Presidential Perspective - December 6, 2018

Baylor Students, Faculty and Staff:

It’s Finals Week, so I promise not to take too much of your time with today’s Presidential Perspective! Here are several updates that may be of interest:

• As you study for finals, don’t forget to get a good night’s sleep. Recent Baylor research on “The 8-Hour Challenge” given to students by Michael Scullin, Ph.D., director of our Sleep Neuroscience and Cognition Laboratory, and Elise King, assistant professor of interior design in Robbins College of Health and Human Sciences, found that better sleep actually helps in final exam performance.

• What a joy to attend the culminating event of Baylor’s Philanthropy and the Public Good class, as our students presented $62,500 in grants for Waco, state and global nonprofit organizations. This experiential learning class, now in its ninth semester as part of the Philanthropy Lab consortium under Andy Hogue, Ph.D., gives students the tangible task of stewarding and giving away real funds for real needs while cultivating a philanthropic spirit and developing them as innovative leaders poised for a lifetime of generosity.

• For our faculty and staff: You should have recently received a packet in the mail at your home address that outlines upcoming changes to the Baylor Retirement Plan. Our Human Resources team has worked to schedule a host of on-campus seminars to help answer any questions that you may have. I strongly encourage you to attend one of these sessions, or contact CAPTRUST Participant Advisory Services directly at 800-967-9948 or at captrustadvice.com to schedule an appointment for individualized assistance. The latter is a new resource to assist Baylor faculty and staff with selecting your retirement investments. And the great news is that Baylor’s contribution to your retirement remains unchanged.

• You may have heard that I-35 in front of the Baylor campus will undergo a major reconstruction effort beginning in the spring. The first phase of the multi-year project will run from North 340 Loop down to 12th Street, with the yet-to-be-funded second phase running from 12th Street down to South 340 Loop. We have several administrators involved with this important project, as well as a campus-wide communications committee. We will share the timing and upcoming impacts to the University as details become finalized.

• As you finalize your holiday plans, I hope you will join the First Gent and me down in Houston Dec. 27 to support our Bears in the Academy Sports + Outdoors Texas Bowl against Vanderbilt. Information about tickets, travel packages and bowl activities can be found on Athletics’ Bowl Central website. Let’s fling our green and gold in NRG Stadium and #SicVandy!

Know that you are in my thoughts and prayers during finals and as the fall semester draws to a close. And to our students planning for a quick getaway from campus next week, I hope you have a Merry Christmas with friends and family while celebrating the birth of our risen Savior!

Linda A. Livingstone, Ph.D.
President