Regents Approve $1 Billion 'Bold Vision' Plan for Baylor

WACO, Texas - Baylor University's Board of Regents today approved "Bold Visions for a New Century," a long-range plan that seeks a goal of endowment, capital projects, and other needs equivalent to $1 billion by the year 2006.
The plan, which covers four main goals, covers all aspects and operations of Baylor. The 10-year plan includes an endowment market goal of $720 million, capital projects of $130 million, operations gifts of $110 million and annuity/life income gifts of $40 million, totaling $1 billion.
The plan would be the most comprehensive and ambitious in Baylor's 151-year history. Baylor currently has $365 million in endowment.
"I am thrilled that our Board has so enthusiastically adopted these exciting goals for Baylor," said Baylor President Robert B. Sloan Jr. "These goals are challenging but entirely attainable. They are focused upon our students, our academic programs, and the historic dimensions of both our campus and our mission."
"This 'Bold Vision' plan is essential for Baylor's continued growth and it will carry us well into the 21st century," said Dr. C. Gwin Morris, vice president for university relations.
"Such long-range plans are essential for Baylor to be among the best universities in the nation. Our all-inclusive goal remains the same: For Baylor to become the foremost university in the world committed to excellence in Christian higher education. We believe this plan will help us achieve that goal."
Specific plans will include building a Student Life Complex, which will have a new Health Center, a Physical Fitness Center, a natatorium, new intramural fields, tennis courts and new facilities for the Baylor Marina; other facilities for student services to house the Office of Student Recruitment, the Office of Admissions, the Office of Student Advising and Retention, a new Career Planning and Placement Center, a Student Activities Center and a 24-hour study center.

Also included in the "Bold Vision" plans are constructing a new School of Law; a new
facility for the Strecker Museum; and new buildings for the Environmental Studies Program, the
Department of Biology and the George W. Truett Theological Seminary. Facilities to be upgraded would include the Marrs McLean Science Building, the Sid Richardson Science Building, the Castellaw Communications Center, Morrison Constitution Hall and others.
Also included would be funding $50 million for merit-based scholarships; endowing 10 new research chairs at $2.5 million each, 20 instructional chairs at $1.5 million each, 30 professorships at $1 million each, 10 Master Teacher positions at $1 million each, 10 In-Residence faculty positions at $1 million each and 30 graduate fellowships at $250,000 each; endowing a graduate School of Management and increasing the endowments of all academic units.
In athletics, the plan would call for endowing 100 athletic scholarships and constructing or upgrading facilities for men's baseball, women's softball, men's and women's soccer and track and field; and improvements to programs in volleyball, track and field, softball, baseball, tennis and golf.
The "Bold Vision" plan also calls for renovating Pat Neff Hall, which is Baylor's central administration building; Waco Hall, the site of dozens of concerts and programs each year; Tidwell Bible Building, and other buildings and sites around the historic quadrangle of the campus.
For more information, call Morris at (817) 755-2561.