The Baylor University Board of Regents met during its May meeting to address discussions taking place between Baylor University and the Baptist General Convention of Texas.
Linda Livingstone, president of Baylor University, said her meetings with Julio Guarneri, BGCT executive director, have been “collegial and collaborative.”
“We had a conversation with our board this morning about the conversations that are ongoing, and I think, much like the ones that Julio had with his board, our board is supportive of those conversations continuing. We’ll keep them updated as we move into the fall to kind of see where that goes,” Livingstone said.
“I enjoy working with Julio. We have a great relationship and partnership, and I certainly know that there will be ongoing ways that we’re going to work closely together between the two entities,” Livingstone continued.
Days earlier during the BGCT Executive Board May meeting, Guarneri notd, “Two student-led events on the Baylor campus April 22 caused much controversy and have brought to the forefront the relationship between the BGCT and Baylor.”
In an April 17 advisory, Guarneri stated, “I will ask the directors attending our upcoming May Executive Board meeting to initiate a study of our relationship with Baylor through our Institutional Relations Committee.”
“We’ve had a very longstanding history with the BGCT and value that relationship and certainly look forward to continuing to partner in various ways with the BGCT. I was in Plainview and met with the Institutional Relations Committee earlier this week, and then Julio Guarneri met with the executive board of the BGCT,” Livingstone said.
“What I will say is that Julio and I have been having ongoing conversations for quite some time about how we work together, how we partner, and what that relationship should look like going forward. We’re working under a relationship agreement that was developed in 2010,” she continued.
“We recognize that while we have complementary missions, because we are both Baptist institutions and care deeply about our Christian missions, we do have different missions. We’re a Research One university, whereas the BGCT is really an affiliation of churches.”
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Record-breaking fundraising
Baylor University raised more than $204 million during the current fiscal year, marking the second-highest fundraising total in university history and surpassing last year’s $192 million.
Among the year’s largest gifts was a $30 million commitment from the Moody Foundation to Baylor’s School of Education.
The gift will support scholarships, faculty research, and academic programs across the university.
In recognition of the investment, Baylor renamed the school the Moody School of Education and recognized its first Moody graduates during May 2026 commencement ceremonies.
Regents also received an update on the Extend the Line scholarship initiative, which has raised more than $112 million and established 169 new endowed student scholarships since launching in 2025. The initiative remains ahead of schedule to meet its goal of raising $250 million by 2030.
“I am deeply grateful to the Baylor Family, who continue to answer the call to invest in the students, faculty, and staff of our university,” Livingstone said.
“Like every other college and university in the country, Baylor is navigating a host of challenges today, but with the faithful commitment from those who believe in our Christian mission and the foundation outlined in the Baylor in Deeds strategic plan, we are well-positioned to succeed now and in the future.”
Baylor’s endowment also continued to grow. Since Livingstone became Baylor’s 15th president in 2017, the university’s endowment has more than doubled, increasing from $1.2 billion to more than $2.5 billion.
During the past nine years, the endowment has distributed more than $700 million to support scholarships, professorships, academic programs, and other university priorities.
Board approves operating budget
Baylor Regents approved a $982.2 million operating budget for the 2026-27 fiscal year, representing a 2.4 percent increase from the previous year.
The budget follows a comprehensive campuswide review process involving all schools, colleges, departments, and athletics. Through the review, Baylor identified approximately $35 million in budget reductions to be implemented during the next two years.
“This budget is responsible, strategic, and aligned with Baylor in Deeds,” Board of Regents Chair William Mearse said. “It allows the university to remain focused on enhancing the value and affordability of a Baylor education for students and families now and in the future.”
AI graduate program approved
Baylor Regents also approved a new Master of Science in Artificial Intelligence Plus, a graduate program designed to combine advanced AI expertise with specialized domain knowledge while preparing graduates to lead ethically in a rapidly evolving digital landscape.
The program will initially focus on cybersecurity, with plans to expand into additional disciplines as it matures.
Housed within Baylor’s School of Engineering and Computer Science, the Artificial Intelligence Plus degree is designed to address growing demand in industry and research for professionals with both deep technical expertise and domain-specific knowledge, helping meet the national shortage of mid-and senior-level AI specialists.
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