Another View of That Good Old Baylor Line

During this past year, we have organized a new department at the University to help build relationships among all those who care about Baylor. As the need for this effort first was defined and then affirmed by enthusiastic participation, we changed the name of our efforts to The Baylor Network. It more accurately reflects our mission to build a worldwide system of Baylor stakeholders: parents, friends, donors and alumni who seek to connect to others and to support the University.
Occasionally, I have the opportunity to accompany football coach Guy Morriss on the banquet circuit, and it's always interesting to hear what he has to say about the progress of the Bears' offensive and defensive lines. When I am asked to lead our alumni at the end of these events, which always includes singing "That Good Old Baylor Line," I often remind those present that we are the real Baylor line -- a powerful network of support for Baylor and for each other.
Many of us, particularly those familiar with the college culture of Texas, understand the mystique of the "Aggie Network." Through the decades, A&M loyalists have knit together a rare community known for the ways its members look after and support each other. That kind of passion for one's alma mater also exists among Baylor alumni. The University's decision to activate a new unit to develop and direct the Baylor Network was based on an outcry from Baylor constituents.
The administration crisscrossed the country during the past three years for input from our graduates. One of the strongest and most consistent messages we heard was that Baylor graduates wanted opportunities to be better connected -- socially and professionally -- and better able to connect in diversified ways.
As Baylor raises its standard for academic excellence, we also must greatly improve the services we provide to our most valued group of supporters. We have assembled a team of professionals who are committed to making the Baylor Network a reality in cities all across America and abroad. 
The Baylor Network is you and me and all those who value the Baylor experience they were privileged to enjoy. You deserve this kind of attention and service, and I am pleased that the Network now can provide that for you. We easily can sing about the Baylor line, but it's even better to live it, benefit from it and extend it to each new class of alumni. 
In a sense, the new Baylor Network is another name for what many of us have thought of as "that good old Baylor line." May it ever be so!
 

Dr. Lofgren is associate vice president, The Baylor Network