President’s January Academic Last Perspective Focus Agenda Glance Great place to work: Behind the scenes: Carnegie listings: Y2K and counting: Administrators constantly From basketball to concerts Baylor’s designation an Are Baylor computers ready for seek ways to improve work to banquets, the Ferrell important benchmark for the new millennium? Plus, test environment at University. Center2 staff can stage it3 all. institution’s3 reputation.5 your own “bug” knowledge.5 2 Vol. 9, No.10 1 • JANUARY 1999 Behind the Scenes at the Ferrell Center Rob Seitz (right), director of special events, and Ted Mitchell, operations manager, oversee Ferrell Center action. With precision planning, careful scheduling and a host of volunteers, anything is possible...on a good night. By Kate Langston Midnight Madness basketball arena in a matter eager basketball fans who somehow found their t’s 8:45 p.m. on a Friday night. A complete of a few hours would seem to require nothing way into the arena before the midnight hour. transformation must take place before the less than a miracle. But with the fine-tuned The Ferrell Center staff simply promised T-shirts stroke of midnight, and there’s not a fairy communication skills of Rob Seitz, director of to the fans and ushered them out of harm’s way. I godmother in sight. Pre-Midnight Madness special events at the Ferrell Center, and his staff, The crew then went back to work, as there were has begun. the evening’s high-stressed transition was pulled few moments to spare. Transforming the Ferrell Center from the off without a hitch — or even a magic wand. “That was definitely the tightest conversion Development Council banquet hall to the Well, almost. There was the group of 180 See “January Focus” on page 3 President’s Perspective Chartered in 1845 by the Republic of Texas, Baylor seeks ways to be an even better place to work Baylor University is the state’s oldest continually operating institution of higher any people historically have regarded several new programs, events and emphases to learning and is the largest Baptist university in Baylor University as a great place to contribute to the effort to make Baylor a better the world. With almost 13,000 students and work. That fact is evidenced by the place to work. Examples include last month’s more than 600 full-time faculty, Baylor offers M President undergraduate, graduate and professional significant number of faculty and staff who have faculty-staff Christmas dinner at the Ferrell Center. Robert B. Sloan Jr. degrees through the College of Arts and been at this institution for 20, 30, 40 and even 50 It was an opportunity to celebrate the holidays and Sciences, the Hankamer School of Business, years or more. One of the more important issues at the same time build camaraderie. It also was a the School of Education, the School of Music, that we are addressing at the administrative level is showcase for our talented faculty, staff and students forum also provided an occasion for staff to ask the School of Nursing, the School of Engineering and Computer Science, the how to make Baylor an even better place to work. who provided the entertainment. questions and receive feedback. In the future we School of Law, the Graduate School and I believe there are at least three reasons to plan to have a fall and spring Staff Forum each George W. Truett Theological Seminary. Baylor support this objective. Bonding, team building year. is consistently ranked among the top college First, as a Christian institution we should Staff participation in Diadeloso this past Certainly the expanded programs in values in the country by such publications as strive to treat our faculty and staff as people who spring also provided an opportunity for bonding professional development offered through the Fisk Guide to Colleges, Princeton Review and Money magazine. are created in the image of God and who have and team building. The University plans again this Office of Organizational Development also help value as individuals. Does that mean we never spring to encourage departments to allow as many equip us to do our jobs better and gain satisfaction Dr. Robert B. Sloan Jr. have conflict? Of course not. But as an institution staff as possible to take advantage of the afternoon from our work, as well as from our personal lives. President our policies and programs should, insofar as activities that are associated with Diadeloso and to There is gratification in possessing the tools we Marilyn A. Crone possible, reflect an emphasis on the value of each get out of the office to interact with our colleagues need to perform our responsibilities efficiently and Vice President for Human Resources individual faculty and staff member. in a fun environment. effectively. In addition to the in-house programs Second, the more that our faculty and staff Other ways that we seek to foster camaraderie provided through Organizational Development, Harold R. Cunningham VIce President for Finance and Administration feel appreciated and valued, the better job we will are by encouraging faculty and staff involvement this office awards staff development grants that do in meeting the needs of our students. I believe in recreational activities such as ESP (Employee allow individuals to attend conferences and Dr. Charles S. Madden that students benefit from being around professors Sports Program), as well as service activities such seminars outside the University. Vice President for University Relations and staff members who are enthusiastic about as Santa’s Workshop (and other projects led by I encourage you to take advantage of the Dr. Steven G.W. Moore their work. Thus, we can better serve our students Staff Council) and Steppin’ Out. many opportunities to gain enjoyment and Vice President for Student Life by ensuring that our faculty and staff are Last fall we held for the first time a Staff satisfaction from your work here at Baylor, and if Dr. Donald D. Schmeltekopf appreciated. Forum. While we have done this for faculty for a you have suggestions for making the University a Provost and Vice President for Finally, we must ensure that Baylor is a great number of years, this new initiative allowed me an better place to work, please forward your ideas to Academic Affairs place to work because fulfilled faculty and staff are opportunity to share with our non-teaching staff a Marilyn Crone, vice president for human resources. Dr. Richard C. Scott more effective. We can accomplish more as an perspective on where we are headed as an I know that she would be interested in hearing Vice President for University institution when we are doing our best work. institution and how they are playing an integral from you. Development In recent months, we have undertaken role in meeting our goals as an institution. The ____________ BaylorNews is published 10 times a year by the Office of Public Relations. The submission of suggestions for stories Regents OK Senior Lecturer, 2 New Programs is encouraged. The newsletter works two months in advance. Deadline is the first of Designs for Discovery Center, expansion of science facilities also endorsed each month (i.e. Dec. 1 for the February issue). Comments or questions should be t its November meeting, Baylor’s Board directed to: of Regents approved a new faculty BaylorNews Aposition of senior lecturer, eliminated 11 P.O. Box 97024 graduate programs and authorized two new Waco, TX 76798-7024 academic programs. (254) 710-1963 (254) 710-1490 (Fax) The Board also endorsed architectural [email protected] designs for the new Discovery Center and tennis pr.baylor.edu complexes, and adopted a resolution authorizing Larry D. Brumley the University to proceed with planning and fund- Associate Vice President raising for expansion and renovation of science for Communications facilities. The artist’s rendition of the new Discovery Center. Brenda S. Tacker Lecturers at Baylor now will be eligible for Director of Publications senior lecturer status after completing seven M.A. in educational administration; and the M.M. of technical knowledge found in the MS-IS courses. and University Editor consecutive years of full-time service. The in string pedagogy. The new Discovery Center will be constructed appointment will be contingent upon successful A recent review process underscored the need on a site north of University Parks Drive between Vicki Marsh Kabat Associate Director of Publications completion of a seventh-year review. Baylor to reduce programs because of low enrollments, the Hughes-Dillard Alumni Center and the Streich and Managing Editor currently has approximately 140 full-time redundancy and/or to allow departments to focus Tennis Courts. (See related story on page 4.) lecturers who are appointed annually. on strengthening other graduate offerings. The tennis complex, which will be located in Kate Langston Editor/Writer and Associate Editor “The review process conducted over the past the Jim and Julie Turner Riverfront Athletic Park Important recognition two years or more has been very helpful in focusing along University Parks Drive, includes six indoor Lori Scott-Fogleman “The new senior lecturer designation is an our attention on ways to strengthen the graduate and six outdoor courts. The 64,000-square-foot Director of Media Relations important recognition for those who have served program at Baylor,” Dr. Schmeltekopf said. “Our indoor facility also will have coaches’ offices, Writers Baylor well and faithfully for many years,” said Dr. goal for the Graduate School is to be excellent but locker rooms for men’s and women’s varsity tennis, Julie Carlson, Alan Hunt, LoAna Lopez Donald Schmeltekopf, provost and vice president selective. The elimination of moribund programs is a pro shop, lounge area and a training facility.