Baylor regents approve 10-year strategic vision

WACO—After nearly two years of planning and input, Baylor University regents unanimously approved a new strategic vision for the next ten years, "Pro Futuris," that will go into effect June 1 and passed a $444.3 million operating budget.

The strategic vision's name—"for our future" in Latin—builds on Baylor's motto, "Pro Ecclesia, Pro Texana" or "For the church, for Texas."

"This strategic vision is rooted in what we at Baylor have always considered non-negotiable – educational excellence, the pursuit of new knowledge, a caring community with a profound commitment to service and an active Christian faith," Baylor President Ken Starr said. "With the launch of our new vision, we have made clear that these characteristics will continue to define us for the duration of Pro Futuris and for all ages to come."

The strategic vision includes five aspirational statements that define Baylor's principal direction. According to the vision, Baylor will be a community recognized for:

• Transformational education, where academic excellence and life-changing experiences ignite leadership potential that increases Baylor students' desire for wisdom, understanding of calling and preparation for service in a diverse and interconnected global society.

• Compelling scholarship, where research discoveries illuminate solutions to significant challenges confronting the world and where creative endeavors reflect the breadth of God's creation.

• Informed engagement, where Christian faith, in conjunction with Baylor's expertise and resources, inspires a desire to address systemic problems facing the community, both local and global, and renews a dedication to improvement of self and service to others.

• Committed constituents, where the dedication of alumni and friends advances Baylor through sustained involvement and philanthropy.

• Judicious stewardship, where the value generated by and derived from a Baylor experience is supported through a diversity of revenues, prudent management of resources and the pursuit of outstanding quality and character in every area of university life.

Within these aspirational statements, areas of specification codify broader themes and acts of determination reflect the aspiration and will become operational plans. 

"We hold firm to the conviction that the world needs a preeminent research university that is unambiguously Christian—where such a commitment does not imply a lack of scholarly inquiry, but rather requires scholarship and creative endeavors at the highest levels of quality to complement and inform its teaching and service," said Elizabeth Davis, executive vice president and provost.

"Pro Futuris serves as a compass for our future, a guide that clearly points us toward our destination while inviting creativity in determining the paths by which we will arrive. As we launch Pro Futuris, we are thankful for all that our university has been, and look forward to the promise of Baylor's next decade of progress."

In other business, Baylor regents approved a $444.3 million operating budget for 2012-2013 that reflects an increase of $15.8 million or 3.7 percent over the original 2011-2012 budget adopted by Baylor regents last year. It includes an increase of $19.6 million to support merit and need-based scholarships, graduate assistantships and scholarships for graduate and professional students.

Personnel costs will increase by $12.7 million or 4.8 percent, which will support about eight new full-time faculty positions, 45 replacement faculty positions and 22 new staff positions. The budget also supports merit raises for faculty and staff, more competitive stipends for graduate assistants and increased funding for student workers. The budget takes effect June 1.

"Through God's abundant grace and the continued prudent stewardship of our resources, Baylor continues to thrive today, as it will in the future," said Buddy Jones, chair of the Baylor board of regents. "As we enroll students of high academic quality, we also are focused on helping ensure educational access to families with need. Because of careful management of the resources that have been entrusted to us, our budget provides more merit and need-based scholarship aid to help students realize the dream of a Baylor education.

'As we enter a new decade of progress at Baylor, we remain committed to attracting and retaining the highest quality faculty and staff, providing more work-study opportunities for our undergraduates and increasing the academic caliber of our graduate students by enhancing stipends for graduate assistantships."

 The board also elected one new regent—James Cary Gray, an attorney from Houston— and welcomed three new regents appointed in November by the Baptist General Convention of Texas—Joel Allison of Dallas, president and chief executive officer of Baylor Health Care System; Jennifer W. Elrod of Houston, United States Court of Appeals judge for the Fifth Circuit; and Ken Hall of Longview, recently retired president and CEO of Buckner International. The board re-elected regent Gary Elliston of Dallas to a third three-year term.

Regents also voted to appoint a member of the faculty and student body to a one-year term as nonvoting members of the board—Todd Still, chair of the Faculty Senate, and Kelly Rapp, student body president.

Elected to serve as board officers were Richard Willis of Colleyville as chair and Robert Beauchamp of Houston as vice-chair. The officers will begin their service June 1.

—Based on reporting by Baylor University communications