Baylor University
Private university in Waco, Texas, member of the Big 12 Conference
- Entries
- 12
- On the record
- 3
- Stories
- 1
- Latest entry
- Oct 25, 2026
The record
Baylor University is a private Christian university in Waco, Texas, chartered by the Republic of Texas on February 1, 1845, and described by the university as the oldest continually operating university in Texas. It reported 19,858 students in fall 2025, gained the R1 classification for very high research activity in December 2021, and is a member of the Big 12 Conference. Its men's basketball team won the school's first national title in April 2021, beating Gonzaga 86-70 in Indianapolis.
Its institutional record centers on how it handled reports of sexual and interpersonal violence between 2010 and 2015. A review by the law firm Pepper Hamilton, commissioned in August 2015, found a fundamental failure to implement Title IX. In May 2016 the regents moved Ken Starr from president to chancellor, suspended head football coach Art Briles with intent to terminate and sanctioned athletic director Ian McCaw. The Big 12 later fined Baylor $2 million and withheld $14,255,000 in distributions, the NCAA recorded.
Regulators and the NCAA reached their own conclusions. The U.S. Department of Education fined the university $461,656 in 2020 for Clery Act violations between 2011 and 2016. In August 2021 the NCAA Committee on Infractions found Level II violations in football and the student host program, but said it could not conclude that the sexual-violence failings, which Baylor admitted as moral and ethical failings, broke NCAA rules. It imposed four years of probation and a $5,000 fine.
Roles and honours on the record
- 1845-present Private Christian research university in Waco, Texas, chartered by the Republic of Texas source
- as of 2021 Member of the Big 12 Conference, sponsoring eight men's and 10 women's sports source
- 2021-2025 On NCAA probation from August 11, 2021, through August 10, 2025 source
- 2021-present Classified as a doctoral institution with very high research activity (R1) since December 16, 2021 source
Every entry, newest first
- Reported
Baylor named defensive coordinator Joe Klanderman interim head coach, per athletic director's statement in KWTX. LSU reportedly works to add fired Baylor coach Dave Aranda
Stories in this file
The record, entry by entry
- 1845-02-01 Official Republic of Texas President Anson Jones signed the act of Congress chartering Baylor, after the Texas Baptist Education Society petitioned for a Baptist university in 1844. Classes began at Independence in 1846. Baylor University, history of the university
- 2015-08 Official Baylor engaged Pepper Hamilton to conduct an independent review of its institutional response to Title IX and related compliance through specific cases. The firm interviewed more than 65 people. Baylor Board of Regents, Findings of Fact
- 2016-05-26 Admitted The regents released findings of a fundamental failure to implement Title IX and the Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act, including failings in the football program and athletics leadership. They named David Garland interim president, moved Ken Starr to chancellor, suspended Art Briles with intent to terminate, placed Ian McCaw on probation and self-reported to the NCAA. Baylor University, Board of Regents media release
- 2017-02-08 Official The Big 12 board withheld conference distributions and requested an independent review. Interim president Garland said Baylor welcomed the review and that the withholding would not materially affect its overall financial position. Baylor University, statement by interim president David E. Garland
- 2018-10-30 Official The Big 12 completed its verification review, confirmed all 105 Pepper Hamilton recommendations as complete and implemented, and restored full league distributions going forward, President Linda Livingstone told the Baylor community. Baylor University, letter from President Linda Livingstone
- 2020-10-09 Official The U.S. Department of Education finalized a Clery Act program review and fined Baylor $461,656 for violations between 2011 and 2016, including failure to report accurate crime statistics and to issue timely warnings. Baylor University media release
- 2020-12-15 Official Baylor completed a two-day virtual hearing before a seven-person panel of the NCAA Committee on Infractions. Baylor University, update on the NCAA process
- 2021-04-05 Reported Won the NCAA men's basketball championship, the school's first, beating Gonzaga 86-70 at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis under coach Scott Drew. NBC News report
- 2021-08-11 Ruled The NCAA Committee on Infractions classified the case as Level II-Standard, finding impermissible benefits and drug-testing violations in football and violations in the student host program. It did not conclude that Baylor broke NCAA rules in its handling of sexual violence, that the former head football coach failed to promote an atmosphere of compliance, or that Baylor lacked institutional control. NCAA Division I Committee on Infractions, Baylor public infractions decision
- 2021-08-11 Ruled Penalties included four years of probation, a $5,000 fine, recruiting restrictions, vacation of records for ineligible competition and a five-year show-cause order for an assistant operations director. NCAA Division I Committee on Infractions, Baylor public infractions decision
- 2021-12-16 Official Baylor earned the R1 designation as a doctoral institution with very high research activity. Baylor University, facts and figures
Documents
- Baylor Board of Regents, Findings of Fact (May 2016)
- Pepper Hamilton recommendations to Baylor University (May 2016)
- Baylor Board of Regents, summary of board actions taken on May 13, 2016
- NCAA Committee on Infractions, Baylor University public infractions decision (Aug. 11, 2021)
- Baylor University release on the Department of Education's Clery Act review (Oct. 9, 2020)