Looking back on a record-setting 2007-08 school year

The Baptist Standard ran a nice wrap-up last week of Baylor’s significant developments and achievements from 2007-08. Among the year’s highlights:

* Welcoming the most academically qualified freshman class in school history;
* Jumping six spots to No. 75 in the U.S. News rankings, Baylor’s best-ever mark;
* Adding 15 new faculty positions and 31 new staff positions;
* The positive national story that followed the men’s basketball team making the NCAA Tournament for the first time in 20 years; and
* An increase to 40 percent in the number of students living on campus as Brooks Village opened.

The one that jumped out to me was the increase in giving to the University. During the past year, Baylor received more than $80 million in gifts and pledges, including more than $21.9 million given specifically to Baylor’s endowment — the seventh straight year Baylor has seen an increase in the support of endowed scholarships, endowed faculty positions and endowed programs. Overall, Baylor’s endowment increased to a school-record $1.1 billion this year, even while the financial market has struggled nationwide.

KCEN-TV ran this short report, and there’s plenty more in the official release. (And of course, we’ve covered even more to be proud of on the Baylor Proud blog.) As President Lilley said, “Alumni and friends of Baylor University should be greatly encouraged with our remarkably strong trajectory.”

Sic ’em, Baylor!