News

Since our University was first chartered in 1845, we have strived in every possible way to stay true to our Christian mission and to live by our core convictions, including a commitment to support, encourage and expect excellence in all undertakings. Excellence is our expectation at Baylor in all aspects of our University, yet excellence must also come with virtue and integrity.

“We sincerely regret that the student in this case did not have the Baylor experience that she expected, and our prayers remain with her now and into the future. The safety and security of our students continues to be our top priority as we fulfill our Christian mission to provide a safe and caring environment for all members of the University community.

“We extend our appreciation to the members of the jury and Judge Reeder, who over the past three-plus weeks heard from many witnesses and experts before evaluating the facts in this case and ultimately determining the truth and rendering a unanimous verdict and judgment in Baylor’s favor.

Today, Baylor University completed a two-day virtual hearing with a seven-person panel of the NCAA’s Committee on Infractions.

WACO, Texas (October 9, 2020) – The U.S. Department of Education’s Clery Act Compliance/Campus Safety Operations group has finalized its Clery Program Review at Baylor University dating back to 2017.

Nothing is more important at Baylor University than providing a safe and caring community for our students. The University is committed to following appropriate Title IX policies and guidelines. This includes providing robust training and education to both incoming and current students in an effort to prevent sexual assault – training that each of the students involved in this alleged incident received when they came to Baylor. The University works tirelessly not only to respond to allegations of assault, but to prevent such incidents from occurring in the first place.

Recent news articles about reported allegations of rape at two of our residence halls have, understandably, caused some concern and confusion on campus and in the media. We pledge to you that Baylor takes all allegations of sexual assault and interpersonal violence very seriously, has correctly followed its established policies and procedures, and thoroughly assessed every threat to assure the safest environment possible for our students.

The former student has not attended Baylor since March 2016, when he was arrested on sexual assault charges. In addition, following his arrest, the fraternity he was involved in was suspended immediately by the University and currently remains suspended. Baylor handled this case quickly and in accordance with the University’s Title IX policy.

Baylor’s continued commitment to effectively addressing issues of sexual assault and interpersonal violence, including Title IX and Clery implementation, incorporates building on the key accomplishments and initiatives outlined below. The University has undergone numerous successful reviews of the implementation of 105 recommendations for improvement made by the group who thoroughly investigated our past response – including an external verification initiated by the University to ensure full implementation and an independent review of the implementation of improvements by the Big 12 Conference, which also found the University successful in completing the changes. Additionally, Baylor’s accrediting body, SACSCOC, affirmed Baylor’s progress and accredited the University through 2027. Continued improvement in our processes, policies and support for our students is an ongoing priority of Baylor University.

I am pleased to share with you the good news that Baylor University has received official reaffirmation of its 10-year institutional accreditation by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC), the recognized regional accrediting body in 11 southern states and Latin America for higher education institutions that award associate, baccalaureate, master's or doctoral degrees.

(Updated Oct. 31, 2018, 2:00 pm)A point in the Big 12's “Report on Verification of Implementation of 105 Recommendations by Baylor University” -- amplified this morning by the Fort Worth Star-Telegram – contains a mischaracterization of the results of the University’s publicly available campus climate survey.

I am pleased to report that the Big 12 Conference has completed its Verification Review of Baylor University’s 105 recommendations in response to past reports of sexual assault and interpersonal violence within our campus community and has confirmed all recommendations as complete and implemented.

Baylor University has been actively investigating an allegation that former Board of Regents Chair Richard Willis used extremely offensive and hurtful language in a private conversation in Mexico in 2014. Mr. Willis, who served as Chair from 2012-16 and left the Board in 2017, adamantly denies making the statements.

The Plaintiffs have become hidden figures in this litigation, serving as a backdrop for Plaintiffs’ counsel’s continued campaign to broadly investigate the operations of Baylor University. Despite the Plaintiffs’ counsel’s scorched-earth discovery of Board operational issues, these matters are not before the Court in this case. The stories of 10 female students who have reported incidents of sexual assault are.

The continued efforts of Art Briles and his supporters over the past two years to rewrite history cannot go unchallenged. Just as when he was coach, he again attempts to skirt responsibility for actions of the football program that he led, the players he recruited and coached, the coaches he managed and the loose discipline he championed.

This case is not about former Baylor football player Tevin Elliott, who has already been convicted in a court of law and is currently serving in a state prison. None of the 10 Plaintiffs in this case are claiming they were assaulted by Elliott.

Baylor University took several unprecedented actions in May 2016 regarding its response to incidents of sexual and interpersonal violence within the campus community – making significant changes to University and athletics leadership, publicly releasing findings from the investigation that outlined the University’s failures and making public a broad array of 105 recommendations for improvement that were drawn from the investigation.

Despite the numerous, factually baseless assertions in Mr. McCaw’s deposition, one fact remains – several incidents of sexual and interpersonal violence involving student-athletes were reported during his tenure as athletics director. It was the Baylor Board of Regents that stepped up and took action, launching an independent investigation – by the nation’s top sexual assault legal experts – of not only the football program but of the entire campus in terms of how reports of sexual violence were handled over a specific period. The results of this investigation were outlined in a Findings of Fact document that led to sweeping leadership changes and a slate of 105 campus-wide recommendations for improvement, which have since been completed.

WACO, Texas (Feb. 8, 2018) – A team of assessors from the International Association of Campus Law Enforcement Administrators (IACLEA) will be on campus Sunday, March 11, as the Baylor University Police Department (BUPD) seeks IACLEA accreditation—a highly prized recognition of campus public safety professional excellence.

We are pleased to announce that the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) has finalized its review of Baylor University and today officially lifted the University's warning sanction, which was instituted last December.

An external review has found that Baylor University has effectively implemented the 105 Recommendations. From all walks of the University community – students, faculty, staff, senior leadership, the President, and the Board of Regents – the reviewers have seen tremendous effort and engagement that has met or exceeded the tasks set forth in the recommendations.

Today, we are releasing the results of Baylor University’s student-based 2017 Social Climate Survey from the Spring 2017 semester. The study, which focused on harassment, stalking, dating and sexual violence, and overall campus climate, provides a deeper view into the perceptions and experiences of Baylor students affected by those issues.

As part of our ongoing efforts to keep the Baylor Family informed and engaged, we want to take an opportunity to provide a few brief updates following last week’s quarterly Board of Regents meeting.

From October 1-4, 2017, the University hosted a Special Committee on campus related to the warning sanction that the institution received in December 2016.

WACO, Texas (Oct. 20, 2017) – During its annual Homecoming meeting, the Baylor University Board of Regents heard updates from Baylor President Linda A. Livingstone on the University’s recent successful accreditation visit, academic strategic planning process and new organizational changes, and celebrated the recipients of the 2017 Baylor Meritorious Achievement Awards.

We share the authors’ view that student sexual violence is a complex and important problem that defies simple solutions. We are deeply sorry for anyone connected with the Baylor community who has been harmed by sexual violence.

Mark Childers, associate vice president of public safety and security, discusses the implementation of more than 1,000 security cameras on and around the Baylor campus. Childers described this initiative as another example of the Department of Public Safety’s focus on continuous improvement. “(Public safety) is that intense, a 24/7 strong forward lean,” said Childers. “Always assessing and re-assessing what we’re doing. We can never stop and say, ‘We’ve made it.’”

Last week the Baylor University Board of Regents held its quarterly meeting, which included an orientation for seven new Regents, a new committee structure and implementation of a comprehensive slate of governance reforms aimed at making our University even better.

WACO, Texas (July 21, 2017) – The Baylor University Board of Regents held its first meeting since adopting a slate of best-practice governance reforms in the spring that enhance operations, Board diversity, open communication and constituent representation.

Added security for students, improved response in a medical emergency and a direct line in a crisis situation – all are built in features of Baylor Department of Public Safety’s BU Campus Guardian App.

I am honored for the opportunity to lead Baylor University — its students, faculty, staff, alumni, parents and friends — into a very bright and exciting future as we continue to develop the heart of Baylor: our students.

I leave the office of the president confident that what has been planted this past year will further Baylor’s grand ambitions as a national research university grounded in Christian principles.

For the past 12 months, Baylor University has been intensely focused on substantive improvements to awareness, prevention and response to the needs of those impacted by sexual violence.

Almost a year after a sexual-assault scandal rocked Baylor University and toppled its leaders, the lawsuits keep on coming. One filed last week by a student who said she was raped by football players serves as the latest evidence that the scandal’s fallout won’t abate anytime soon.

I call Waco, Texas, of all places, because there is an agency there known as the Advocacy Center for Crime Victims and Children. According to the website, it began as the Waco Rape Crisis Center in 1976 and has since mushroomed to serve all crime victims, include those of sexual assault.

“Baylor University wants Rep. Gutierrez to know the real Baylor community and campus. Rep. Gutierrez and the Regents or administration have never met or visited. So, we ask that Rep. Gutierrez, after the legislative session, please come to Waco and visit our campus with both of his daughters. He will find that the Baylor campus is extremely safe and welcoming, not as depicted in his recent op-ed. We worry that the op-ed may be influenced by second-hand information provided by people with agendas.

For Rhule, this tour isn't just about meeting alumni or raising money. It's a declaration of Baylor's future.

"I want to make sure I'm very clear," Rhule said. "That doesn't mean we don't ever respect, talk about or learn from the past. But our future is rising up out of our past."

On April 18, 2017, Baylor University announced the selection of Linda A. Livingstone, PhD, current dean and professor of management at The George Washington University School of Business, to become the institution’s 15th president.

The opportunities for students to connect and develop a sense of belonging at Baylor are on the rise.

On May 11, 2017, the Baylor Board of Regents received a briefing affirming that all 105 recommendations are now structurally complete, with some elements that remain ongoing to sustain this effort. For each recommendation, the infrastructure and foundation are in place, and the University continues to work diligently to integrate implementation efforts across campus.

WACO, Texas (May 12, 2017) – At its regular spring meeting, the Baylor University Board of Regents announced structural completion of the 105 recommendations related to the institution’s response to sexual violence and implementation of best-practice governance policies and procedures, and took action to approve new Board members, a $621.7 million operating budget for 2017-2018 and a new joint B.A./M.A. degree in communication studies.

Beginning Summer 2017, Baylor University’s Title IX Office will launch an innovative and growing prevention initiative called, the Green Dot, etc. program.

Increasing student awareness of the support available through the Title IX Office, the effects of sexual violence on survivors and the ways in which bystanders can diffuse violent or potentially violent situations are key priorities of Baylor’s sexual assault awareness and prevention programming.

“Baylor University is committed to safety. We wake up each day focused on how to get better and create an even safer campus,” Wigtil said. “The Baylor Police Department will never become complacent and will continue to evaluate, research and implement new programs to enhance safety on campus.”

The Baylor University Police Department (BUPD) recognized a growing need to implement new approaches to working with sexual assault victims using trauma-informed, victim-centered methods. Through intensive training and a commitment to serving the Baylor community, the BUPD is specially equipped to respond to reports and to conduct investigations concerning sexual violence.

Baylor’s commitment to student safety means being available 24 hours a day. When a student is victimized by sexual or interpersonal violence, it is vital that resources and support are available right away.

Baylor University, like many other universities, has been working diligently to establish a Title IX office and support services that provide timely and sensitive responses to campus sexual assault survivors who report through Title IX, as well as proactive strategies to prevent sexual violence from occurring.

An intense focus on training enables the Baylor University Police Department to stay prepared and to serve the campus community

The safety and wellbeing of our campus community is of utmost importance to Baylor University. The Department of Public Safety has made tremendous strides strengthening campus safety and security over the past few years.

Throughout the 2016-17 academic year, staff at the Baylor University Counseling Center have met with over 2,000 individual students. This represents a 62 percent increase from last year and is a direct result of opening a second facility on campus, which made possible the hiring of more staff and the increased provision of a range of counseling services.

The partnership between the Baylor University Police Department (BUPD) and the Waco Advocacy Center is a steadfast alliance that has sought to bring about change in response to sexual assaults.

In a world that can feel unsafe to a sexual assault victim, Liz Noble provides a safe place. She is Baylor’s new Advocate for Students.

To provide trauma-informed care means you must suspend any sense of disbelief and assume the victim is telling the truth – even if the victim’s account is disjointed and imprecise.

“As legal proceedings continue, Baylor University maintains its right to present facts – as available to the institution – in response to the many allegations contained in these cases. This legal response in no way changes Baylor’s position that any assault involving members of our campus community is reprehensible and inexcusable. The University remains committed to eliminating all forms of sexual and gender-based harassment and discrimination within our campus community.”

An external review of the Baylor Police Department by Margolis Healy & Associates resulted in the reorganization and enhancement of the Baylor University Police Department, including the hiring of a new police chief.

Baylor’s vice president for facilities and operations, Brian Nicholson, sent an email to students, faculty and staff Wednesday afternoon with information about improvements Baylor’s Department of Public Safety has made since commissioning the review.

I knew that sexual assault was happening at Baylor University. I chose to be a part of the 2020 class anyway.

Column by Megan Garland, a freshman journalism student at Baylor University.

When I accepted the job as Baylor University’s vice president and director of Athletics last summer, there was no shortage of people — including some of my closest friends — who questioned my decision.

Over the past three years, Baylor University has made a significant investment in leadership, staffing and training in the Department of Public Safety (DPS) to establish a professional public safety operation that pursues excellence in all things.

The Baylor Counseling Center has long offered students a wide array of services to support student well-being, but the University’s action plan presented an opportunity to dramatically enhance Baylor’s caring community and take mental health services to the next level.

Baylor’s Title IX Office, leadership and administration are committed to continuing to adapt to federal mandates and recommendations as a deeper campus understanding of Title IX and the requirements placed on educational institutions continue to take shape and to ensuring the University provides a caring community and safe campus for the entire Baylor Family.

Baylor University continues to be aware of the Bears for Leadership Reform’s views. Today’s statements by the BLR ignore the considerable progress the Baylor Board of Regents has made to create greater visibility into the governance of the University, as well as to combat the issue of sexual assault.

A few of the notable improvements completed or operationalized by functional areas, by March 2017

Despite the scandal that rocked its campus and resulted in the departure of President and Chancellor Ken Starr, football coach Art Briles and athletic director Ian McCaw, Baylor this year drew a record high number of freshmen applications. University and guidance counselors attribute the rise to a strong and loyal brand within the state and outreach to potential applicants over the course of their high school years.

Baylor University is encouraged by today’s ruling. The Court’s decision was based entirely on the plaintiffs’ pleadings and assumed that every claim they presented was accurate. The Court summarily rejected every claim under state law as well as dismissed some of the Title IX allegations related to four of the plaintiffs.

Baylor University renews its pledge to extend our full cooperation with governmental and law enforcement authorities surrounding the issue of sexual assaults that occurred within our campus community several years ago, as we have done with other external inquiries that are currently underway.

Baylor University Interim President David E. Garland released a statement today on Big 12 Board action.

Yesterday, Baylor University received a legal filing that outlined sexual assault allegations that occurred within our campus community several years ago. Our hearts are heavy at the thought of anyone experiencing sexual assault within our community. Any such acts are reprehensible and unacceptable. The University remains committed to eliminating all forms of sexual and gender-based harassment and discrimination within our community.

Our hearts go out to any victims of sexual assault. Any assault involving members of our campus community is reprehensible and inexcusable. Baylor University has taken unprecedented actions that have been well-documented in response to the issue of past and alleged sexual assaults involving our campus community.

In November 2016, the Governance Committee of the Baylor University Board of Regents approached six individuals with significant for-profit and not-for-profit board governance experience to form a Task Force to complete a detailed, independent review of the Board's governance policies and practices.

Last fall, the Baylor Board of Regents created a Governance Review Task Force to assess board operations and to recommend changes. On Monday, the Task Force delivered its final report to the Board’s Governance Committee. The report includes more than 30 detailed recommendations for changes to the Bylaws and Guidelines for Board Operations.

The athletics center at Baylor looks the same as it has for the last few years. The lobby is decorated with various trophies, green and gold murals, accolades for the different sports teams on display.

The coach talked with us about his impressions of Waco, the changes he'll make at Baylor, and his passion for ping pong.

Beyond confirming Baylor University is and will continue to be strong and financially healthy, we will not respond to such speculation with any further comment.

The Baylor University Board of Regents met Sunday in executive session to discuss a wide range of subjects, including a recent announcement regarding the University’s accrediting agency, a progress report about an investigation by the U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights into Title IX compliance, and input from faculty and staff during four recent “listening sessions” held by Regents.

For the past several months, the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) has been working with Baylor University to better understand the findings and implications of the Pepper Hamilton review on the status of overall safety and support for students on our campus.

The Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) has been working with Baylor University to better understand the findings and implications of the Pepper Hamilton review on the status of overall safety and support for students on our campus. We have received verbal notice that the University has been given a one-year "warning" sanction for noncompliance in three areas.

Now that Baylor has decided on Temple's Matt Rhule as the coach to rebuild its football program, not to mention its reputation, it'd help if everyone were headed in the same direction.

A regional accreditor has placed Baylor University on warning and the University of Louisville on probation for 12 months. Both sanctions typically require the institutions to correct their deficiencies and report back to the accrediting agency on their actions. The Southern Association of Colleges and Schools’ Commission on Colleges, one of the nation’s seven regional accrediting agencies, announced its decision on Tuesday at the end of its annual meeting.

Two Baylor University regents said the board is evaluating whether to release more information from a nine-month review of the school’s handling of sexual assault allegations during the past several years. Regents also said Baylor is in “good shape” financially, which faculty and staff leaders repeated.

In an era when egotism and narcissism will more than ever define our nation’s leadership and profile, one can appreciate all the more former Wake Forest University coach Jim Grobe’s thankless gesture of temporarily coaching Baylor University’s football team at a time when some fans stubbornly demanded head football coach Art Briles’ return and regent leadership engaged in escalating battles with alumni, donors and even BU’s assistant coaches.

A presentation in March at a summit for college administrators caught Peggy Fitch’s eye. As Title IX coordinator and vice president for student development at Central College in Iowa, she had noticed a numerical discrepancy between the sexual assaults reported to her office and those that showed up in the institution’s campus-climate and safety data.

Despite Baylor 's impending coaching change and a late-season slump, the school still intends to play in a postseason bowl, athletic director Mack Rhoades said Monday.

In November 2016 Baylor provided answers to a variety of questions from the Baylor Family and the media about the sexual assault crisis.

Baylor University has reached an undisclosed settlement with two women who reported being gang raped by football players in 2012, ESPN reported. Baylor confirmed that the football players are no long enrolled but didn't provide additional details. A statement from David E. Garland, interim president of Baylor, said, "It breaks my heart that even one student would be sexually assaulted while a part of this university. I offer my sincere apologies, both personally and on behalf of the university, that we did not do more to prevent, respond to or support the care of these young women."

Baylor University alumni groups are continuing to push for more transparency from the board of regents in the wake of the board’s decision to release agendas and minutes starting with its next meeting, scheduled for February.

At the same time, higher education experts say the step to publish agendas and minutes already goes beyond what most private universities do.

Thursday’s editorial [“Baylor regents must do better than simply posting minutes, agendas”] is at odds with the facts — and with news coverage in the Tribune-Herald itself.

The Baylor Board of Regents announced on Monday night that they will be releasing minutes for future meetings, but clarified that this will not include past meetings, causing some frustration among the Baylor community.

The tensions at the heart of the Columbia debate pose quandaries for other colleges. Among those grappling with how to balance transparency and privacy, the University of Kentucky has gone to court to block its student newspaper’s access to information from a sexual-misconduct investigation involving a professor. It has argued that the release of even heavily redacted copies of misconduct complaints would violate federal laws protecting student privacy and would discourage other students from filing them.

The Baylor University Board of Regents has committed itself to the highest standards in the governance of the University and in support of the Baylor mission. We have heard the concerns of our community and pledge to listen and respond to calls for increased transparency and accountability.

These past few weeks and months have been trying. The national media spotlight has shone brightly on Baylor University and emotions are running high. At this time, it is important to reflect on the institution we all love – the Baylor that continues to be a vibrant community where students engage spiritually and intellectually and build bonds that last a lifetime.

This Oct. 4 memo reflects how the Board itself has made changes pursuant to a number of Pepper Hamilton’s 105 recommendations.

Today the Board announced a new Governance Review Task Force that will review and recommend improvements in the Board’s practices, procedures and selection process.

WACO, Texas (Nov. 9, 2016) - The Baylor University Board of Regents on Wednesday announced the formation of a new Governance Review Task Force, the latest step taken by the Board to assess and recommend improvements in how the governing board can improve its practices, procedures and selection process.

With Baylor University at war with itself over the firing of its football coach in the wake of a sexual-assault scandal, this qualifies as good news: The NCAA is not planning to bring the hammer down on Baylor the way it did Penn State.

To those who were selling and buying #CAB shirts at last Saturday’s football game against TCU. To those who believe Art Briles should have never been fired. To those who mourn our football team’s recent descent and claim the allegations surrounding Briles’ coaching, his athletic program and his release are unjust. To those who believe we should bring Briles back: What are you doing? More precisely, what are you thinking?

In an October 20, 2016 story, KWTX quoted a Baylor statement about the University's decision to remove Jeremy Faulk from the football team.