By Linda Wilkins
Editor in Chief
The Baylor Board of Regents voted today to establish the College of Health and Human Sciences. The meeting also included the election of new regents, the approval of new goals for Pro Futuris and presentations of appreciation by the Baylor Faculty Senate.
Four existing health-related academic units — Family and Consumer Sciences, Health, Human Performance and Recreation, the Louise Herrington School of Nursing and Communication Sciences and Disorders — will collaborate to form the college. This is part of the University’s commitment to health-related education and research.
“The HHS will draw upon Baylor’s Christian mission and tradition in health care to prepare scholars and leaders who can translate theory into practice and advance knowledge of health, human behavior and quality of life. The HHS will create curricula that promote a team-based approach to patient care, establish interdisciplinary research collaborations and form the infrastructure for future health-related graduate programs,” according to a press release published today.
Dr. Elizabeth Davis, executive vice president and provost at Baylor, said the creation of the college is “an important step forward strengthening our position in health and well-related education.”
The collaboration of the four units will help create a broader oversight of education, innovation and research at the University.
In addition, the Regents approved a budget of $518.5 million for the 2014-2015 school year. This includes an additional $11.8 million to support scholarships, graduate assistantships and Yellow Ribbon Program scholarships for military veterans, according to the press release. Personnel costs will increase by $15.3 million, supporting 11 new full-time faculty positions, 52 replacement positions and 29 new staff positions. The budget will take effect June 1.
Five detailed goals to advance Pro Futuris were also approved, and can be found at https://www.baylor.edu/profuturis. A draft of the goals were presented to the Regents by President and Chancellor Ken Starr in February, and a final draft was presented and voted on today.
The goals, “will inform the way that Baylor focuses its institutional resources and energies in the years to come, and permit the University to meaningfully demonstrate and measure its forward progress,” according to the press release.
Mark Hurd, Dr. Neal Jeffrey, Mark E. Lovvorn and Dr. Dennis Ray Wiles were welcomed to the Regents today.
“We are blessed to be able to add to our Regent membership these extraordinarily talented and dedicated servant leaders who love Baylor and want to see the University prosper in its impact on the world and in the lives of our students,” said Richard Willis, chair of the Baylor Board of Regents, in a press release. “These individuals bring a wealth of experience and knowledge to the board, as well as a deep understanding of and commitment to the University’s mission and vision. We look forward to serving alongside them in support of Baylor’s powerful upward trajectory under Pro Futuris.”
