We appreciate that the University and Board of Regents have acknowledged that all students, regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity, are made in the image of God and entitled to equal dignity and respect, including on Baylor's campus. Thousands of Baylor alumni, the Baylor student body, and the Baylor faculty senate have supported Baylor's LGBTQ+ students who have tried for years to charter their own student organization and the Board's announcement today to empower the Baylor administration to create a pathway for LGBTQ+ student organizations represents a first step on a long road.  We will continue to support current students, including members of Gamma Alpha Upsilon, who seek to be acknowledged and recognized.  

With respect to the Board's statement regarding its view of scripture, we note that the Baptist tradition has long affirmed that no one person is a high priest, that there is no one definitive interpretation of scripture, and that God enables each individual to interpret scripture through the lens of the life of Christ.  We encourage the Board of Regents to embrace these longstanding, fundamental freedoms of the Baptist faith.  For two years, thousands of alumni, the Baylor student body, and Baylor faculty members have worked through civil discourse to achieve greater inclusion and acceptance of LGBTQ+ students. We will continue to do so and look forward to the ongoing work to support and affirm LGBTQ+ students at Baylor.