Aspirational Statement Five

Aspirational Statement Five: Baylor will be a place…where the value generated by and derived from a Baylor experience is supported through a diversity of revenues and judicious stewardship of our resources.

The value of a Baylor education is derived from the educational experiences that occur both inside and outside of the classroom. Excellent academic opportunities, close interactions with faculty and staff, residential programming that bridges living and learning, vibrant student organizations that provide meaningful student leadership experiences, and our strong commitment to the integration of faith and learning all contribute to this value. During the course of the last decade, we have enhanced existing programs and developed new ones to continue to increase the value of a Baylor degree. Yet we know that this transformational education depends upon the investment of extensive financial resources, and we must be mindful of the sacrifices being made by the students and their families to afford this educational opportunity. Baylor must therefore continue to be purposefully attentive to the broader market in which we compete for the best and brightest undergraduate, graduate, and professional students. We must also be ever-vigilant about monitoring our comparative position in terms of tuition, fees, and room and board rates, as well as the educational debt our students accumulate. In the current economic environment, we are called to be accountable for the stewardship of our financial, physical, and human resources. To continue to deliver an educational experience that remains accessible to students and parents who share our definition of value, we must:

• Increase the degree to which the cost of a Baylor education is met by endowed scholarships;
• Discover new sources of program support and revenues;
• Expand the use of sustainable and renewable resources;
• Identify improvements in operational efficiencies without compromising educational quality;
• Further integrate assessment into the decision-making processes of the university; and
• Continue to be recognized by various media sources as an institution that is highly valued for the educational experiences we provide.