Dear Colleagues,

Thank you to everyone who attended the Fall Faculty Meeting on September 4, where we launched our new strategic plan, Baylor in Deeds. For those unable to join us, a meeting recording is available for your review. It was truly inspiring to share the excitement surrounding our new plan, and I eagerly anticipate the development of unit-level strategic plans in the coming months.

I’d also like to highlight our upcoming AI Week, scheduled for October 14-16. Hosted by the Office of the Provost and the School of Engineering and Computer Science, these events will feature four distinguished experts in artificial intelligence who will share their insights and experiences. For more information on the individual events and visitor biographies, please visit the University’s Generative AI (GenAI) website. I look forward to seeing you there!

Just for fun, I asked Dean Pack if GenAI could transform Baylor In Deeds into an Italian sonnet. Take a look at the version it created on the Office of the Provost website.

Warm regards,

Nancy Brickhouse, Ph.D.
Provost

Academic Affairs Announcements

Upcoming Special Events

• Faculty & Staff Chapel: Led by Rev. Aaron Zimmerman, October 18, 10-11 a.m., Powell Chapel, Truett Seminary.
• Readers Meet the Author: Dr. Elesha J. Coffman, October 22, 12 p.m., Schumacher Flex Commons & Virtual.
• Cherry Award Nominations – Open until November 1.

National Cybersecurity Awareness Month Brings Required Training & Password Enhancements

On October 21, all Baylor faculty and staff will be assigned a cybersecurity training course in Ignite that the University’s insurance policy requires. This SANS Institute training begins with a quiz and several brief videos on cybersecurity best practices. This year’s training completion deadline is November 1.

In addition, BaylorITS is enhancing password security by disallowing common combinations of letters, numbers, and characters on password reset. Visit BearAware on the ITS website to see this year’s pop princess-themed cybersecurity awareness campaign and for information about other events during National Cybersecurity Awareness Month.

December 2024 Monthly Payroll Date Change

Beginning in December 2024 and moving forward, the payroll date for monthly-paid faculty and staff in December will occur on the last weekday of the month. Learn more about this change and its impact on faculty and staff's financial well-being at HR's webpage.

Faculty Retirement Planning Program

As a reminder, the University is concluding the Faculty Retirement Planning Program. The last date to sign up will be November 15, 2024. A FAQs page has been created to provide further information.

Civil Discourse Series Continues

Baylor’s civil discourse series will offer more events this week to help equip the campus community for a difficult political season. Details about the opportunities are available on the civil discourse webpage, and faculty are encouraged to join in.

Vice Provost’s Corner

Awards Season
The awards nominations deadline is November 1. Awards open are the Cornelia Marschall Smith Professor of the Year Award, Outstanding Faculty Awards, and University Distinguished Professor. Please visit the Office of the Provost's faculty awards website for further details.

Faculty Certification of Credentials Form (FCCF) Now Electronic
The FCCF is used in the faculty hiring process to document the credentials and expertise of everyone who teaches. Chairs and deans are accustomed to a PDF version of the form. We are transitioning to a new electronic version of the FCCF. Please discontinue using the PDF and use this Box file instead.

Teaching Professor Procedures
University procedures for pursuing promotion to the new rank of teaching professor have been published on the Office of the Provost website. Also available on this page are the approved unit guidelines for teaching professor promotion. The process begins in spring 2025 with the senior lecturer seeking approval to pursue promotion from the department, chair, and dean. If this request is approved, the senior lecturer’s application materials deadline is November 1, 2025.

Fall Census
The Institutional Research (IR) department recently concluded the fall census season and finalized reports on retention and enrollment for the past semester. These reports are now available on the IR website and in the University Reports channel of the Institutional Research Metrics and Analytics (IRMA) team. If you want to gain access to IRMA, please complete the IRMA Access Request Form.

GPE Incubator Fund Deadline
The fall 2025 deadline for interest forms for the GPE Incubator Fund is November 1. Designed to fuel innovative degree and certificate ideas, this fund can assist in transforming your ideas into tomorrow's programs. Learn more and complete an interest form on the GPE Incubator Fund website.

Video Production Support for Extended Learning Non-Credit Course Development
Faculty and staff developing non-credit courses for Baylor Extended Learning can tap into the Experiential Learning Commons (ELC) team’s academic video production resources to create high-quality course videos. Professional studio production elevates your course content and the Baylor brand through state-of-the-art sound quality, lighting, integration of slides, and other support. Learn more at the ELC website!

Academy for Teaching and Learning (ATL)

• Upcoming Seminars for Excellence in Teaching.
  • October 18- Learning in the Community.
  • November 1- AI-Conscious Teaching.
• The ATL is happy to announce that Dr. Jonathan Larson has been appointed as an ATL Ambassador for 2024-2025. Dr. Larson will work with the ATL staff to enhance the reach and impact of ATL programming this academic year.
• Summer Faculty Institute- 2025 application deadline extended (deadline now October 21, 10 a.m.).

Paul Foster Success Center

Navigate Training Sessions
Are you new to Navigate or interested in expanding your knowledge and skills in the platform? Please join us for any of our fall training sessions:

• Navigate for Beginners Training Series.
• Navigate Tools Training Series.

Progress Report Campaign is LIVE!
All Waco undergraduate faculty received an email from Ron English on September 30 with a link to participate in the Progress Report campaign. Your submissions make a difference in identifying students for strategic follow-up. View our introductory video to learn more about how Progress Reports work at Baylor. Skip to the 14:50 mark for a refresher on submitting Progress Reports via the campaign link.

Student Financial Wellness
Baylor’s Student Financial Wellness program offers various resources to help students manage their finances and build skills for lifelong financial success. Be sure to encourage students to take advantage of this resource. Visit the Student Financial Wellness page to learn more about our workshops and coaching opportunities!

Office of the Registrar

CIM/CAT Reminders

• Recordings of the CIM/CAT trainings held in September for the 2025-2026 catalog, and curriculum processes are posted on our website.
• Also available online are the proposal deadlines for 2025-2026.

Fall Grading Schedule Reminder
Due to a limited number of official business days following the end of the fall semester, a condensed grading schedule has been approved to allow the University time to certify and award degrees and process other administrative duties before Christmas. Please take time to review, and be prepared to have grades entered by the Fall 2024 Grading Schedule deadlines.

Spotlight on the Academy

Honors College

Drumwright Family Lecture
October 23, 3 p.m. to 5 p.m., Armstrong Browning Library
The Honors College invites you to the annual Drumwright Family Lecture featuring Dr. Megan Murton. Enjoy her talk, "Beyond Consolation: The Virtue of Hope in Boethius and Chaucer," as we mark 1,500 years since Boethius' death.

Diana R. Garland School of Social Work

Annual Halloween Organ Concert
October 31, 7:30 to 9 p.m., Jones Concert Hall, McCrary Music Building
You're invited to dress up and enjoy thematic music as the School of Music Organ Studio presents the annual Halloween Organ Concert. This event is free and open to the public.

George W. Truett Theological Seminary

New AI Resources & Portal to the Public
The Libraries are evaluating two new AI-driven resources: Scopus AIand Web of Science Research Assistant. Try them during October and provide feedback. Also, the Mayborn Museum is excited to share Portal to the Public, a program that trains Baylor faculty and students in informal learning and science communication.

Important Academic Dates

Additional deadlines are available on the Academic Units Deadlines calendar.

• October 15- Summary teaching evaluations are due to Year 6 lecturers.
• October 31- December 2- Year 6 lecturer notebooks are due to the department chair.
• October 31- December 2- Department chairs provide colleague evaluation forms and hold review meetings for Year 6 clinical assistant professors.
• October 31- Clinical assistant professors make their Year 6 notebooks available for department review.
• November 1- Nominations for the Cornelia Marschall Smith Award, Outstanding Faculty Awards, and University Distinguished Professor are due to deans.
• November 1-29- Year 6 T-T candidates meet with department and dean.
• November 1- Year 6 T-T candidates submit notebook for review.
• November 11- Year 2 T-T colleague evaluation forms are due to chair.

Previous issues of the Provost Newsletter can be accessed on the Office of the Provost website.