Dear Colleagues,

Lenten blessings to you all. As we prepare our hearts for Good Friday and Easter Sunday, I pray you all will make the time to reflect on Christ’s journey to the cross and the meaning of his life and teachings. For our Jewish colleagues, chag Pesach sameach.

We continue to keep a close watch on federal and state governmental actions as they pertain to our work here at Baylor. We were relieved with the passing of the federal continuing resolution in March, as this action left in place negotiated Facilities and Administrative (F&A) rates through the end of September 2025.

We have been affected by the cancellation/suspension of a grant funded by the Environmental Protection Agency and one by the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) held by partner institutions. We have also had one NEH grant cancelled at Baylor itself. Fortunately, it was cancelled after the work was largely completed. All in all, the financial impact of these actions is not material.

However, we regret the reduced support for this research by the federal government. We are monitoring the grant submission and review process. It appears our grants are still being reviewed, but it is too early to know how funds will be dispersed in those agencies with dramatically reduced staff.

As I am sure you are aware, universities across the country are experiencing intense scrutiny of international students and scholars. Baylor’s graduate student population has not escaped scrutiny. These actions have put considerable strain on our students and scholars. The Center for Global Engagement is an important resource that is available to anyone who needs additional support. They are knowledgeable and trustworthy.

We are also monitoring changes at the U.S. Department of Education, not only in their funding for educational research but also in their data collection by the National Center for Educational Statistics (NCES). This is important data used in many ways, including policy-making, comparative analyses of institutions (like rankings), and accountability on outcome measures (such as the College Scorecard). We are monitoring the potential impacts that changes at the Department of Education could have on Baylor, and we continue to work with our lobbyists and other higher education organizations to protect Baylor’s interests and the interests of our academic community. Data have already been submitted for the current year, so we expect most of these resources will be available for another year or so.

This spring, the Texas Legislature will be taking up a significant number of important higher education bills addressing matters such as accreditation and governance of academic decision-making at public institutions. We are working with our lobbyists in Austin and the Independent Colleges and Universities of Texas to ensure that a Baylor education is valued appropriately while maintaining Baylor’s independence as a private institution to pursue its distinctively Christian mission.

I am grateful to you all for the work you do with our students—in the classroom, in the laboratory, in the field, in the concert halls, and in the residence halls. My colleagues and I will continue supporting Baylor University and you through these uncertain times.

Thank you again,

Nancy Brickhouse, Ph.D.
Provost

Academic Affairs Announcements

Mark Your Calendars!

• Collins Outstanding Professor Award Lecture- April 14, 4-5:30 p.m., Schumacher Flex Commons, Moody Memorial Library
• Faculty and Staff Chapel- April 16, 11 a.m.-12 p.m., Paul W. Powell Chapel, George W. Truett Theological Seminary
• Retirement Reception for Vice Provost Stephen Breck Reid- April 25, 3-4:30 p.m., Cashion 506
• Dean Sandeep Mazumder Farewell Gathering- May 1, 2-3 p.m., Foster 250
• Retirement Reception for Dean Larry Lyon- May 2, 1-3 p.m., Barfield Drawing Room, Bill Daniel Student Union Building

Carnegie Foundation through the Elective Classification for Leadership for Public Purpose

Baylor University is seeking recognition from the Carnegie Foundation through the Elective Classification for Leadership for Public Purpose (EC-LPP), held by only 25 institutions globally. The EC-LPP team, co-chaired by Drs. Kimberly Black, Jon Eckert, and Toby Brooks will involve faculty, staff, and students to enhance Baylor’s leadership development and public impact. The team is conducting a self-study to highlight Baylor’s leadership programs, civic engagement, and public purpose commitments. This effort aims to gain national recognition and foster a leadership culture aligned with Baylor’s Christian mission and transformational impact. We are excited to begin!

Review, Promotion, and Tenure (RPT) Update

We are delighted to announce that the RPT Guidebook is now available. Additional videos outlining how to use the guidebook are available for administrators and candidates.

Readers Meet the Author Submissions

Would you like to nominate a book for next year’s Readers Meet the Author? We would love to hear from you – email us at provost_office@baylor.edu. Readers Meet the Author books must be:

• Published within the last few years
• Single-authored
• Broad interest

Retirement of Dr. Stephen Breck Reid & Welcome to Dr. Coretta Pittman

As noted in the campuswide email on March 20, we want to congratulate Vice Provost Stephen Breck Reid on his upcoming retirement from the Office of the Provost on July 31. We are excited to welcome Dr. Coretta Pittman as vice provost for community engagement and belonging starting July 1.

Baylor 101: Baylor in Deeds Strategic Plan featuring Provost Brickhouse

On March 26, on Baylor 101, Provost Brickhouse provided an update on the implementation of the new plan, highlighting how college, school, and other unit-level plans contribute to Baylor in Deeds. View the webinar online on demand.

Vice Provost’s Corner

Vice Provost for Faculty Affairs

Faculty Search Training Sessions
As you prepare for hiring next year, visit the updated Faculty Hiring webpageand consider attending the following training sessions:

• May 15- Adjunct Search Training for business officers, office managers, dean assistants, and anyone hiring part-time, temporary adjuncts.
• May 16- Establishing the Position Walkthrough Training for those responsible for creating a position for a faculty search.

Trainings on conducting the search will be held in August. Questions? Contact Amber Kivlighn.

Faculty Activity Data Collection Transition
We are transitioning our faculty activity data collection from the Digital Measures (DM) system to Faculty Activity Reporting (FAR) beginning in the 2025-2026 academic year. As part of the transition, data in Digital Measures will be frozen this month to facilitate its migration to FAR. You may notice that you cannot log into DM after April 18, but your data is safe and will be visible in FAR by the end of the month. Look for FAR training to come early in the fall.

Outstanding Faculty 2024-2025
Several of our best Baylor faculty have been honored with 2024-2025 Outstanding Faculty Awards for teaching, scholarship, and contributions to the academic community!

Vice Provost for Institutional Research & Professional Education

Graduate Professional Education (GPE) Incubator Fund Winners Announced! Next RFP Coming Soon.
GPE is pleased to announce the inaugural winners of the GPE Incubator Fund, supporting innovative program development across Robbins College, Engineering, Social Work, and Education. Stay tuned this month for details on the next requests for proposals (RFP) cycle to prepare your great ideas for visionary certificates or professional graduate degree programs – don't miss your chance to ignite the future of online and hybrid education!

Vice Provost for Undergraduate Education and Academic Affairs

Academy for Teaching and Learning (ATL)

• Provost's Faculty Forum: Facilitating Civil Discourse in the Classroom, featuring Provost Nancy Brickhouse and a selection of Baylor Fellows- April 22, 3:45-4:45 p.m., Moody Memorial Library 104 and Zoom
• 30-Minute Mastery: Deepening Student Understanding and Engagementwith Notebook LM- April 25, 12-12:30 p.m., Zoom
• Seminars for Excellence in Teaching
  • Intelligence about Artificial Intelligence: Helping Students Understand Professional Uses of AI- April 29, 11 a.m.-12 p.m., Jones 200

Paul L. Foster Success Center

First in Line Graduation Celebration
April 24, 4:30-6:30 p.m., Cashion 506
Please consider supporting Baylor’s first-generation students by joining us for the First in Line Graduation Celebration. This special event celebrates our first-generation graduating seniors who are the first in their families to earn a college degree.

Thank you for submitting progress reports!
Over the past three years, our student progress report campaign within the Success Center has seen remarkable growth. Reports have increased from 30,143 in spring 2023 to 55,230 in spring 2025. This upward trend reflects our faculty’s increased engagement and commitment to identifying and supporting students who require assistance. Progress reports are crucial to our ability to provide students with the support they need, and we would like to thank you for your support. Please keep it up!

Spotlight on the Academy

Baylor University Press

Stahl/Escobar Discuss "Revelations of Divine Care"
On April 15 at noon at Moody Library, Drs. Devan Stahl and Melody Escobar will discuss the new Baylor Press release, "Revelations of Divine Care: Disability, Spirituality, and Mutual Flourishing." Book signing and reception to follow. Books will be 30% off!

George W. Truett Theological Seminary

W.C. Dobbs Endowed Lecture and AI and the Church
Truett invites you to join us at the following events:

• April 22 - W.C. Dobbs Endowed Lecture
• May 5 - AI and the Church (in person or online)

Mayborn Museum Complex

Climate Change in Texas: A Lecture with Jay Banner
On April 30 at 6 p.m. at the Mayborn Museum, Dr. Jay Banner, a 2024 Cherry Award Finalist and leading expert on climate and water sustainability in Texas will discuss how climate change is shaping Texas and how to build resilience.

School of Engineering and Computer Science

ECS Research Showcase 2025
Join us for the 2025 ECS Research Showcase on April 25 from 2-4 p.m. in the Rogers Building! This event features a poster competition showcasing over 50 examples of recent undergraduate and graduate research. Everyone is welcome!

Baylor School of Music

Grand Finales in the School of Music
Join us for end-of-year concerts from our ensembles, studios, faculty, and guest artists! A highlight includes a Cinco de Mayo concertperformed by Baylor's official Mariachi Ensemble on May 5 at 7:30 p.m. in Jones Concert Hall. View our full calendar online!

Baylor Libraries

Introducing OneSearch Research Assistant!
When you visit the Baylor Librariesonline, log into your OneSearch account, and perform a search, a (new!) colorful Research Assistant tab appears. Click the tab and ask a question! OneSearch responds and provides five research resources to explore.

Important Academic Deadlines

Additional deadlines are available on the Academic Units Deadlines calendar.

• April 15- Each dean notifies the Year 3 clinical assistant professors and Year 2 and Year 4 lecturers of continuation decisions.

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