Baylor University Named a 2019 Great College to Work For

University receives elite Honor Roll designation for the eighth time

Media Contact: Lori Fogleman, Baylor University Media and Public Relations, 254-710-6275
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WACO, Texas (Sept. 16, 2019) – For the eighth time, Baylor University has attained elite Honor Roll status as a 2019 Great College to Work For, according to a new survey by The Great Colleges to Work For program.

The results, released today in a special insert of The Chronicle of Higher Education, are based on a survey of 236 colleges and universities. Only 85 institutions achieved “Great College to Work For” recognition, with 42 named to the Honor Roll as the standouts in their size categories. Baylor is included in the large university category with 10,000 or more students.

The Great Colleges to Work For survey is one of the largest and most respected workplace recognition programs in the country. Now in its 12th year, it recognizes the colleges that get top ratings from their employees regarding workplace practices and policies.

Baylor was cited on the Honor Roll in 11 categories this year:

• Collaborative Governance: Faculty members are involved appropriately in decisions related to academic programs.
• Compensation and Benefits: Pay is fair, and benefits meet the needs of employees.
• Confidence in Senior Leadership: Leaders have the necessary knowledge, skills and experience for institutional success.
• Facilities, Workspaces and Security: Facilities adequately meet needs, the appearance of the campus is pleasing and the institution takes steps to provide a secure environment.
• Job Satisfaction and Support: Provides insight into the satisfaction with job fit, autonomy and resources.
• Professional/Career Development Programs: Employees are given the opportunity to develop skills and understand requirements to advance in their careers.
• Respect and Appreciation: Employees are regularly recognized for their contributions.
• Supervisor/Department Chair Relationship: Supervisors make expectations clear and solicit ideas.
• Teaching Environment: Faculty members say the institution recognizes innovative and high-quality teaching.
• Tenure Clarity and Process (Four-year colleges only) : Requirements for tenure are clear, faculty members say.
• Work/Life Balance: Policies give employees the flexibility to manage their personal lives.

“Baylor University’s mission challenges us with a call to excellence,” said Baylor President Linda A. Livingstone, Ph.D. “The Baylor family of faculty and staff commit their time and talents creating a caring community dedicated to leadership, service, academic excellence and Christian commitment. Beyond the privilege of educating men and women to be leaders and servants throughout the world, employees enjoy an active community, stability, investments in employee success and outstanding benefits — all of which make Baylor a Great College to Work For.”

The Great Colleges survey results are based on a two-part assessment process: an institutional questionnaire that captured employment data and workplace policies from each institution, and a survey administered to faculty, administrators and professional support staff. The primary factor in deciding whether an institution received recognition was the employee feedback.

“In the private sector, it’s well documented that employee engagement influences customer satisfaction,” said Rich Boyer, senior consultant at ModernThink, a strategic human capital consulting firm, administered the survey and analyzed the results. “There can be little doubt that the day-to-day experience of our faculty and staff influences the experiences of our students. The institutions recognized in this year’s Great Colleges to Work For program have each found their own key ingredients to engage their faculty and staff to the ultimate benefit of their students.”

In 2018-2019, Baylor employed more than 3,000 faculty and staff, who are offered a wide range of benefits that complement pay, including medical insurance and other core insurance benefits, retirement plan, tuition remission, flexible spending accounts and paid time off for staff. Additional benefits include free admission to certain athletic events and discounts to football games, free use of Baylor’s Student Life Center and access to other wellness programs, an employee assistance program (EAP), dining discounts and other benefits that add value to the total compensation and well-being of faculty and staff, their families and retirees.

In 2018, Baylor extended the University’s generous leave program to include paid bereavement leave and paid military/emergency responder leave, along with paid parental leave and an adoption assistance program, implemented in 2017, that reflect the University’s continued commitment to the cultivation of a caring community.

Effective Jan. 1, 2020, Baylor will implement revised leave policies to better support the needs of eligible employees and to help attract and retain the best talent. The changes include providing more immediate access to paid leave time, increasing paid parental leave from four weeks to six weeks and adding up to four weeks of paid caregiver leave to be used for serious health conditions, maternity/prenatal and military-related demands.

For more information and to view all the results of the survey, visit the Great College Program website at www.greatcollegesprogram.com.

ABOUT BAYLOR UNIVERSITY

Baylor University is a private Christian University and a nationally ranked research institution. The University provides a vibrant campus community for more than 17,000 students by blending interdisciplinary research with an international reputation for educational excellence and a faculty commitment to teaching and scholarship. Chartered in 1845 by the Republic of Texas through the efforts of Baptist pioneers, Baylor is the oldest continually operating University in Texas. Located in Waco, Baylor welcomes students from all 50 states and more than 90 countries to study a broad range of degrees among its 12 nationally recognized academic divisions.