I am honored for the opportunity to lead Baylor University — its students, faculty, staff, alumni, parents and friends — into a very bright and exciting future as we continue to develop the heart of Baylor: our students.

I leave the office of the president confident that what has been planted this past year will further Baylor’s grand ambitions as a national research university grounded in Christian principles.

For the past 12 months, Baylor University has been intensely focused on substantive improvements to awareness, prevention and response to the needs of those impacted by sexual violence.

Almost a year after a sexual-assault scandal rocked Baylor University and toppled its leaders, the lawsuits keep on coming. One filed last week by a student who said she was raped by football players serves as the latest evidence that the scandal’s fallout won’t abate anytime soon.

I call Waco, Texas, of all places, because there is an agency there known as the Advocacy Center for Crime Victims and Children. According to the website, it began as the Waco Rape Crisis Center in 1976 and has since mushroomed to serve all crime victims, include those of sexual assault.

“Baylor University wants Rep. Gutierrez to know the real Baylor community and campus. Rep. Gutierrez and the Regents or administration have never met or visited. So, we ask that Rep. Gutierrez, after the legislative session, please come to Waco and visit our campus with both of his daughters. He will find that the Baylor campus is extremely safe and welcoming, not as depicted in his recent op-ed. We worry that the op-ed may be influenced by second-hand information provided by people with agendas.

For Rhule, this tour isn't just about meeting alumni or raising money. It's a declaration of Baylor's future.

"I want to make sure I'm very clear," Rhule said. "That doesn't mean we don't ever respect, talk about or learn from the past. But our future is rising up out of our past."

On April 18, 2017, Baylor University announced the selection of Linda A. Livingstone, PhD, current dean and professor of management at The George Washington University School of Business, to become the institution’s 15th president.

The opportunities for students to connect and develop a sense of belonging at Baylor are on the rise.

On May 11, 2017, the Baylor Board of Regents received a briefing affirming that all 105 recommendations are now structurally complete, with some elements that remain ongoing to sustain this effort. For each recommendation, the infrastructure and foundation are in place, and the University continues to work diligently to integrate implementation efforts across campus.

WACO, Texas (May 12, 2017) – At its regular spring meeting, the Baylor University Board of Regents announced structural completion of the 105 recommendations related to the institution’s response to sexual violence and implementation of best-practice governance policies and procedures, and took action to approve new Board members, a $621.7 million operating budget for 2017-2018 and a new joint B.A./M.A. degree in communication studies.

Beginning Summer 2017, Baylor University’s Title IX Office will launch an innovative and growing prevention initiative called, the Green Dot, etc. program.

Increasing student awareness of the support available through the Title IX Office, the effects of sexual violence on survivors and the ways in which bystanders can diffuse violent or potentially violent situations are key priorities of Baylor’s sexual assault awareness and prevention programming.

“Baylor University is committed to safety. We wake up each day focused on how to get better and create an even safer campus,” Wigtil said. “The Baylor Police Department will never become complacent and will continue to evaluate, research and implement new programs to enhance safety on campus.”

The Baylor University Police Department (BUPD) recognized a growing need to implement new approaches to working with sexual assault victims using trauma-informed, victim-centered methods. Through intensive training and a commitment to serving the Baylor community, the BUPD is specially equipped to respond to reports and to conduct investigations concerning sexual violence.

Baylor’s commitment to student safety means being available 24 hours a day. When a student is victimized by sexual or interpersonal violence, it is vital that resources and support are available right away.

Baylor University, like many other universities, has been working diligently to establish a Title IX office and support services that provide timely and sensitive responses to campus sexual assault survivors who report through Title IX, as well as proactive strategies to prevent sexual violence from occurring.

An intense focus on training enables the Baylor University Police Department to stay prepared and to serve the campus community