Provost's Newsletter - July 2022

Dear Colleagues,

Our August commencement ceremony is a big event for our graduate students. On August 13th, nearly five hundred graduate students will be receiving their degrees. Baylor’s graduate programs have grown from 1,112 graduates annually in 2017 to 1,959 annual graduates in 2022. This growth is emblematic of our reputation as a university that is academically rigorous and attuned to the needs of both the academy and the professions. It is also an expectation for an R1 university.

I am grateful to you for the work you have done mentoring these students and enabling them to succeed in their careers. I also appreciate the wholistic mentorship you provide for graduate students searching for ways to connect their faith with both their personal and professional goals. This is the hallmark of a Baylor education.

While all of our students aspire to lives that are whole and careers that are fulfilling and successful, what they need to achieve this varies. As we are all aware, Ph.D. students are facing an increasingly competitive academic landscape. It is no longer sufficient for students to simply to complete dissertations – even very good ones. They need to have publications in high-quality journals, and they need to be able to show that they are capable of working independently of their major advisors. In order to distinguish themselves from other job applicants, students can gain an advantage by successfully securing externally funded grants or publicly communicating their research. Timely degree completion is absolutely essential. 

Working students in graduate programs that are more professionally oriented (e.g., Doctor of Nursing Practice, Doctor of Physical Therapy, Master’s in Business Administration) need a different kind of mentorship. Many students need opportunities to discuss issues such as possible career changes, work/life balance, and professional advancement. We are especially proud of the mentorship in the areas of advising and writing support in Baylor’s EdD in Learning and Organizational Change – the program is beginning to get national attention!

As we all look for ways to continue to meet the ever-changing needs of our graduate students, I encourage you to partner with your colleagues in the Graduate School for additional resources and support. They have recently implemented mentorship agreements that facilitate discussions between mentors and mentees about shared expectations. The Graduate School also offers individual consultations for mentors and students and Graduate Pathways to Success (GPS) workshops on facilitating mentoring relationships.

I look forward to seeing many of you on August 13 to celebrate!

All the best,

Nancy Brickhouse

Events

Dean O’Neal’s Retirement Reception

July 22, 3:30 pm, The Baylor Club, President’s Suite

We are delighted to celebrate the work and career of Dean Dennis O’Neal of the School of Engineering and Computer Science. Please register your attendance by Wednesday, July 13. 

Summer Commencement Ceremony

August 13, 9:30 am, Ferrell Center

A full ceremony schedule is available on the University commencement website. All deans and department chairs are required to attend commencement. Baylor faculty are encouraged to attend commencement ceremonies and march in the procession to support and encourage the degree candidates. R.S.V.P. your plans for attendance two weeks before commencement.

Faculty Procession and Faculty Seating

If you would like to participate in the ceremony by greeting your students after they walk across the stage, please indicate if you are attending by responding here by Friday, August 5 (regalia required). Your reply will help us prepare seating for faculty on the arena floor.

Volunteering as a Marshal

We are in need of faculty members to serve as graduation marshals. Please contact Denyse Rodgers to volunteer. Full instructions will be emailed, and a training session will be held the day before commencement. Academic regalia is required to serve as a marshal.

Volunteering as an Usher

Ushers are needed to greet guests, respond to questions, and distribute programs. Regalia is not required. Faculty members should contact the Commencement Office if they are willing to serve in this role.

Vice Provosts' Corner

Vice Provost for Undergraduate Education

• Fall 2022 Academic Convocation
  The Convocation Committee encourages you to attend and participate in the Fall Academic Convocation on Friday, August 19, from 10:00 to 11:00 a.m. in the Ferrell Center. This important ceremony marks the formal welcome of our 177th incoming undergraduate class. Dr. Jared Alcántara, Professor of Preaching and holder of the Paul W. Powell Endowed Chair in Preaching, will deliver this year’s keynote address. We look forward to seeing all of you there.

• Upcoming Academy for Teaching and Learning Events
  Please click the event name to register. Thank you!

• • Course-Building Retreat: Friday, August 12, 2022.
    Provides time, community, accountability, and immediate on-call assistance to prepare for your fall courses.
  • Adjunct Teaching Workshop: Saturday, August 13, 2022.
    Highlights effective teaching and assessment strategies oriented toward adjunct faculty and part-time faculty
  • Foundations for Teaching Workshop: Monday-Tuesday, August 15-16, 2022.
    Conference-style event for graduate student instructors offering pedagogical basics and special topics.

Important Academic Deadlines

• July 22- Dean O’Neal’s Retirement Reception.
• August 4- Academic Leadership Seminar (by invitation only to deans, chairs/directors, and graduate program directors, if they did not attend on June 23).
• August 12- Chair Leadership Retreat (all chairs).
• August 13- Commencement.
• August 15-16- New Faculty Orientation.
• August 19- Academic Convocation.
• August 20- Faculty Senate Retreat.
• August 22- First Day of Class.
• August 22- New Chair Training series begins. 

Spotlight on the Academy

Graduate School

The one-year online M.S. in Medical Science is designed to enhance students’ credentials for professional school admissions or as an enrichment year for aspiring medical-based professionals. The on-campus M.S. in Business Analytics addresses the strong demand for analytics professionals in almost every sector of business and technology, providing students –in both STEM and non-STEM fields –with enriched analytical and technical skills for in-demand opportunities in business, health, medicine, public policy and government.

• New Degrees Approved by the Board of Regents
  The Graduate School, Professional Education, the Hankamer School of Business, and the Robbins College of Health and Human Performance are delighted to announce the approval of two new master’s degree programs by the Board of Regents.
  • The Master of Science in Medical Science (M.S.M.S.), Robbins College of Health and Human Sciences, Department of Health, Human Performance and Recreation, in collaboration with Baylor Graduate Professional Education.
  • The Master of Science in Business Analytics (M.S.B.A.), Hankamer School of Business, Department of Information Systems and Business Analytics, and College of Arts & Sciences, Department of Statistical Science.

Louise Herrington School of Nursing

• SimGHOSTS U.S.A. 2022: Embracing Connection: Creativity and Community in a Changing World
  Hosted by the Louise Herrington School of Nursing, SimGHOSTS U.S.A. 2022 is an in-person event designed to elevate healthcare simulation delivery with hands-on workshops, demonstrations, and oral presentations delivered by the SimGHOSTS community. Check out the full conference program, learn more, and sign up at the SimGHOSTS conference website.

Reminder from Human Resources and the Office of General Counsel

• International Hires
  Faculty or staff members who, for themselves or prospective faculty hires, desire to initiate the process to obtain visa sponsorship, transfer to a different type of visa, or obtain a visa renewal, or who have questions on such processes, are asked to contact their Human Resource Consultant as early in the process as possible. Initiation of such processes for staff members takes place through the HR Talent Advisor (recruiter) staff search process. Processing H1B visas continues to take 8 to 12 months due to U.S. government requirements and timelines. HR and its partners continue to work to mitigate these timelines and, in addition to providing the linked handbooks [H1b Process and HR Foreign National Manual], will be releasing resources and training to assist Chairs and managers in the coming months.

Editor’s note:
The promotion list issued in the June 2022 Provost’s newsletter initially did not include Dr. Moises Park, tenured and promoted in the College of Arts & Sciences (Modern Languages and Cultures). The list was subsequently updated, but we want to congratulate Dr. Park and apologize for this error.