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[quote]
With the MOU due to expire this month, the leadership of both institutions decided it is in the best interests of both BCM and Rice University to strengthen the existing relationship without a formal merger.
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</p>
<p>I have kept an eye on the development of this merge since last March. I notice that most Rice Alumni seem to be against this merge. It appears to me that they think that Rice is "richer" than Baylor College of Medicine.</p>
<p>Since many private colleges are hurt financially in recent years, I wonder whether this (i.e., the economic downturn) is the real reason. Because of the economic downturn, many colleges try hard to cut back. For example, Harvard has the hiring freeze and students there do not have hot breakfast; Yale postpones its expansion of Residential Colleges, and has its share of cutback also.</p>
<p>“In the past few weeks, numerous sources have told the Chronicle that Baylor University, which retains some ties to the Houston medical school, has been making serious overtures to bring it back into the fold.”</p>
<p>"Baylor University has an endowment of $936 million, or slightly more than Baylor College of Medicine’s $874 million. Rice’s is $3.6 billion.</p>
<p>Baylor College of Medicine sought independence from Baylor University four decades ago because the Baptist General Convention of Texas was giving the medical school minuscule funding and expressing concern that BCM federal funding might violate its ideal of the separation of church and state; and because BCM could more easily attract Houston philanthropy on its own than as part of a Waco school.</p>
<p>Baylor University severed ties with the Baptist General Convention of Texas in 1991.</p>
<p>The leader of a Rice faculty movement opposed to the merger applauded the news."</p>
<p>I learned from another source that only 3 of the top 25 universities do not have an affiliated medical school.</p>
<p>My understanding from BCM faculty is that the recent administration spent themselves into a deep hole, and they badly needed Rice’s $$. The merger seemed to make sense, given the geography and Rice’s academic upward mobility.</p>
<p>drb, from my reading, it wasn’t just spending (although that new hospital wasn’t brilliantly timed, was it?) . It was also on the income side as previously profitable relationships were cast aside over worries about autonomy (or somesuch). But on a brighter note it appears that medical education has not suffered a whit and the “economics” are looking better. Research new $ look good.</p>
<p>It remains a very likely candidate for a pre-med I know pretty well.</p>
<p>BTW, I loved the idea of a Rice merger, if a merger had to happen.</p>
<p>Baylor Medicine’s New Partner Talks Prompt Petition
“Baylor College of Medicine confirmed Tuesday that its in discussions to partner with former parent institution Baylor Univ, but not before many on Texas Med Center campus and beyond began assailing the plan as a threat to med school’s elite reputation.”
Houston Chronicle, January 20, 2010
[Baylor</a> Medicine’s new partner talks prompt petition | Houston & Texas News | Chron.com - Houston Chronicle](<a href=“http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/metropolitan/6825332.html]Baylor”>http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/metropolitan/6825332.html)</p>
<p>From the article:
" Last week, Butler announced that merger negotiations with Rice had ended after 15 months of talks. The medical school instead turned its focus to Baylor University, which sources said offered greater independence and more money than Rice. Such a deal would help fix the medical school’s shaky financial situation and give the university added prestige."</p>