By Mackenzie Grizzard | Assistant News Editor
Vice President and Provost Dr. Nancy Brickhouse announced her departure from administration last week — a decision that raised questions throughout the Baylor community. Amid a recent tuition increase, budget cuts and national attention over Baylor hosting Turning Point USA on campus, Brickhouse emphasized the reasoning behind her choice.
“This is not a political decision,” Brickhouse said. “It’s not a factor at all. It certainly has nothing to do with Turning Point being here.”
After Brickhouse’s official announcement, Baptist News Global posted an article insinuating discussions within the Faculty Senate to hold a “vote of no confidence” concerning Brickhouse and University President Dr. Linda Livingstone. A statement from Faculty Senate Chair Dr. Karenna Malavanti denied the claim.
“The statement that the Faculty Senate is considering a vote of no confidence in the president and provost is categorically false,” the statement reads.
Multiple sources within the Faculty Senate confirmed that there was no discussion of a vote of no confidence. Brickhouse said she was “incredibly surprised” at the article and emphasized that “not every decision is a political one.”
Brickhouse pointed back to her original letter announcing her departure, citing personal reasons and her desire to return to the professoriate.
“I think that the outpouring of gratitude that I’ve received from faculty across campus has been really heartwarming and reinforces my confidence that there are no secrets here,” Brickhouse said.
In a Presidential Perspective email, Livingstone highlighted Brickhouse’s decorated tenure and expressed her gratitude for her seven years of dedication to the university.
“Under her guidance, our research expenditures and research doctorates have increased significantly, and by all measures, Baylor is well-positioned for continued forward momentum,” Livingstone said. “Additionally, Provost Brickhouse has been instrumental in helping the University achieve all-time highs in graduation and retention rates, understanding the crucial connection between timely graduation and affordability for students.”
Brickhouse said her decision was in complete alignment with the university administration and Livingstone.
“I’ve been in conversation with the president about this for several months,” Brickhouse said. “This was not a rash decision that came all of a sudden. It just seemed like it was the right time. It was the right time for me. And a good time for the institution as well.”
Despite previously serving as provost at Saint Louis University and 27 years at the University of Delaware, Brickhouse’s appointment as Baylor’s chief academic officer in 2019 was as much a homecoming as anything else.
“I’m a Baylor alum,” Brickhouse said. “So a lot of coming back as Baylor’s provost was an opportunity to kind of give back to the people that launched me. It was a familiar community in many respects; I understand the values. I understand our Christian commitments.”
Looking back on her tenure, Brickhouse recalled her first week on the job, when Baylor received a $100 million gift to the “Give Light” philanthropic campaign, which advanced the university toward its eventual Research 1 designation a couple of years later.
“The week that I arrived was the announcement of a gift that would allow us to hire new endowed chairs,” Brickhouse said. “And these endowed chairs were also very important to helping us achieve the R1 designation.”
Brickhouse said her time at Baylor as a student and a provost was fundamental to her growth and is what she hopes for all Baylor students who step onto campus.
“That’s what education should do; it changes who you are as a person,” Brickhouse said. “It changes what you’re able to do, how you’re able to move in the world. And so to be able to give that back to today’s Baylor students, I think, is particularly special for me.”
After championing a new strategic plan and Baylor’s R1 status, Brickhouse also reflected on challenges during her tenure, most notably Baylor’s recent decision to increase tuition and decrease budgets.
“To be able to work collectively with other senior leaders on that effort with the full support of the board of regents has made this year, you know, hard in some respects, but it’s also good work,” Brickhouse said. “I mean, it was needed work in order to make a Baylor education more accessible.”
Dr. Lee Nordt, former dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, will step in as interim provost upon Brickhouse’s departure this summer. Brickhouse said she and the faculty were fully supportive of Livingstone’s decision to appoint Nordt.
“We did have conversations about who’d be good in the role, and I’m incredibly supportive of Lee in that role,” Brickhouse said. “He’s trusted by the deans and the vice provosts, and he’s trusted by the administration. He’ll be a great, steady hand. He also understands R1 very well, so he will be great during the transition.”
For Brickhouse, a transformational seven years at Baylor fill her with pride and gratitude for the relationships she’s cultivated with students and faculty. Amid struggles and celebrations, Brickhouse remains excited for what’s in store next — for her and the university.
“I love a challenge,” Brickhouse said. “I love hard work. But right now, I do feel like I’m ready to hand off the baton to someone else and let someone else take it from here.”
