By Tyler Bui | Staff Writer
Board of Regents chair Jerry K. Clements announced a completed contract extension with Dr. Linda Livingstone, which will extend her tenure as president at Baylor through May 31, 2024.
Livingstone has been serving since June 2017 as Baylor’s 15th president. Since starting her role at Baylor, Livingstone has led the university in the creation of the Give Light Campaign and Illuminate. In addition, she has been working to help Baylor achieve recognition as an R1 research university.
Clements said Livingstone is a great model and leader of Baylor’s Christian mission.
“These long-term contract extensions reflect the tremendous positive momentum Baylor has experienced over the past two-plus years under our current university leadership,” Clements said in a university news release. “Dr. Livingstone is an exemplar of Baylor’s Christian mission. Stability in leadership is critically important as we aspire for success as a top-tier university in academics, research and athletics and to reach the $1.1 billion goal of our Give Light philanthropic campaign.”
She also said Livingstone has contributed to Baylor’s resilience and its promising future.
“Dr. Livingstone has energized our faculty, staff, students and alumni with an aspirational vision, as Baylor strives to become a Research 1/ Tier 1 university under her Illuminate strategic plan,” Clements said. “With Dr. Livingstone’s steady hand, Baylor has proved to be strong and resilient with a bright future ahead.”
Livingstone said she is excited to continue progressing Baylor towards its goals of becoming an R1 University and having a greater impact in education.
“I’m really excited about the work that we’re doing on Illuminate, our academic strategic plan to move us to R1/Tier 1 status,” Livingstone said. “I think there’s tremendous opportunity for Baylor as we move in that direction to really have a greater and more significant voice in higher education. We’re also having great success with our Give Light Campaign, the $1.1 billion campaign for Baylor, so I’m really excited about both of those opportunities and the impact it’s going to have for the university, for students, faculty and staff.”
She said that she is thankful for the support of the Board of Regents and is honored to be a part of the Baylor family.
“I really appreciate the Board of Regents expressing the level of confidence in me that they did,” Livingstone said. “I think we’re accomplishing a lot right now at Baylor; it’s a wonderful and exciting time to be here so I’m thrilled to be able to extend that contract and really make the commitment to be here for the long run to finish the work that we’re doing.”
Linda Livingstone and first gent Brad Livingstone will be hosting the third annual Family Dinner with the Livingstones at 6:30 p.m. today on the front lawn of the Allbritton House. The event will feature eight food trucks free to students with a Baylor ID, as well as picture opportunities with the Livingstones beginning at 7:30 p.m.
Dr. Matt Burchett, director of student activities, said the dinner came from the Livingstones’ desire to interact with the Baylor community.
“The idea was born from her inauguration ceremony two years ago, whenever she wanted to put students first,” Burchett said. “The first events out of the gate were Dr Pepper Hour and dinner at her house, and then it was such a popular endeavor that we did it again, and now we’re doing it again for a third time. The spirit of the event has always been to find a space to express our gratitude and appreciation to the students at Baylor University.”
Burchett said that the dinner serves as a way to begin the homecoming celebrations with students.
“It really fit with the spirit that the Livingstones are all about—really putting our students first and giving us a way to kick off homecoming week with students,” Burchett said. “The Livingstones will be there the entire time. They have always arrived early and stayed late. They are gracious hosts; they’ve always been very kind.”
Burchett said he views Livingstone as a genuine person both in and away from the spotlight.
“The way I have experienced her is that there’s an authenticity to the way she cares for students,” Burchett said. “I get the opportunity to see her at a large scale of events where she shakes a lot of hands, but I also see her in the less noticeable moments where the crowds or the cameras aren’t there, and the way I have experienced her is incredibly authentic and genuine. I’ve always deeply appreciated that about her.”
