On January 1, 2023, the Baker Institute announced updates to its Baker Roundtable membership program. The goal of updating our membership program is to simplify and broaden the Baker Roundtable network. In doing so, we are able to offer expanded access to timely programming for Baker Roundtable members. We remain committed to the fulfillment of compelling, civic-minded benefits for all Baker Roundtable members, and are grateful for the unwavering dedication of our membership community through the years.
Effective January 1, 2023, the Corporate Roundtable will no longer be active. All active Corporate Roundtable members have been moved over to the equivalent Baker Roundtable level, and will not lose any of the benefits nor any of the corporate designees that were part of their initial membership level. At renewal, active Corporate Roundtable members will be asked if they wish to renew at the equivalent Baker Roundtable level for 2023 and beyond. Please email roundtable@rice.edu with any questions.
The Baker Institute’s revised Baker Roundtable membership program will not change the benefits provided to individuals and corporations that support the Energy Forum and/or the U.S.-Mexico Forum.
Invitations for two (2) people to attend Partner-level Baker Roundtable events — a listed benefit for companies who belong at any level to the Energy Forum — will continue with no changes. Similarly, invitations to the Annual Fall Reception for U.S.-Mexico Forum members of all levels will also continue with no changes. For more on how to support the work of specific centers and programs at Rice University’s Baker Institute for Public Policy, please visit our Corporate Support page.
In an effort to expand the Baker Roundtable membership network and provide increased access to events at the institute, the Roundtable Young Professionals program has been rolled into the Baker Roundtable. There are no longer age limitations for Baker Roundtable members at any level.
The two previous age-limited groups — Roundtable Young Professionals Emerging Leaders ($500 annual dues) and Emerging Leaders University ($350 annual dues) — are now known as the Baker Roundtable Delegate and Baker Roundtable Delegate University levels, respectively. Annual dues for both membership levels remain the same, and each level still receives all core benefits as part of the reimagined Baker Roundtable.
Members who previously served as volunteers on the Roundtable Young Professionals advisory boards will now have the opportunity to apply for a seat as a Roundtable Representative, an individual who represents their membership level as part of the Membership Committee. See below for a detailed description of how to get involved.
Baker Roundtable members can also stay engaged in our policy programming by submitting ideas for member-exclusive events using our Baker Institute Member Event Proposal Form.
The Baker Institute deeply values the support and engagement of our Baker Roundtable members. In order to cultivate a forum for discussion and ongoing evaluation of our membership program, we are creating a membership committee — Roundtable Representatives — which will comprise representatives from the Baker Roundtable.
Roundtable Representatives is an advisory group that meets twice a year with staff from the Baker Institute to evaluate its membership program and initiatives. Roundtable Representatives is composed of individual members who represent their Baker Roundtable level and share personal knowledge, provide valuable feedback and lend input as it relates to member-exclusive events and initiatives at Rice University’s Baker Institute for Public Policy.
All members of the Baker Roundtable have the opportunity to serve as a Roundtable Representative after one year (12 total months) of active membership in the Baker Roundtable. Members who wish to be considered for a seat as a Roundtable Representative must apply by sending an email to roundtable@rice.edu. In the application email, members must state their current level of membership, how long they have been a member, what they enjoy most about being involved in the Baker Institute and what they hope to contribute as a Roundtable Representative.
Roundtable Representative selection takes place every July, with annual terms commencing every August and lasting for a total of 12 months and no longer.
The terms of service for the Roundtable Representatives advisory group are as follows:
There are a total of 16 seats available each calendar year, or term, on the Roundtable Representatives Membership Committee.
- There are two (2) available seats for each level of membership within the Baker Roundtable:
- Baker Roundtable Delegate University ($350 annual dues),
- Baker Roundtable Delegate ($500 annual dues),
- Baker Roundtable University ($625 annual dues),
- Baker Roundtable Colleague ($1,250 annual dues),
- Baker Roundtable Partner ($2,500 annual dues),
- Baker Roundtable Diplomat ($5,000 annual dues),
- Baker Roundtable Ambassador ($10,000 annual dues),
- Baker Roundtable Statesman Circle ($25,000 annual dues).
- There may not necessarily be a Roundtable Representative for each level, but there cannot be more than two (2) seats per level.
- Terms last for a total of 12 months for each Roundtable Representative, and once the 12-month term ends, outgoing Roundtable Representatives cannot apply for another year on the Membership Committee until at least two (2) years have passed since their last term.
- Roundtable Representatives must be active members; that is, their membership cannot be expired if they wish to serve.
- Roundtable Representatives meet twice a year as part of the Membership Committee — once in the spring and once in the fall — and all members are required to be present at both meetings to maintain Roundtable Representative status.
- Individuals must be members at the Baker Roundtable Delegate University ($350 annual dues) level or higher to qualify; unfortunately, Associate Roundtable members are not eligible to be part of the Roundtable Representatives program at this time.
- Baker Institute staff reserve the right to remove any Roundtable Representative from service on the Membership Committee at any time during their 12-month term.
All Baker Roundtable members at the Roundtable University ($625 annual dues) level or higher receive one (1) member-exclusive gift per membership as part of their listed benefits. These gifts are presented once a year, every fall, at the Annual Roundtable Reception.
Members are welcome to submit ideas for Baker Roundtable events by filling out our Baker Institute Member Event Proposal Form online.
Please note that submitted proposals will be reviewed by the Baker Institute Director's Office, a response will be provided within 10 business days, and the Baker Institute Director's Office reserves the right to accept or deny any application submitted.
Generously underwritten by Mr. Ali and Ms. Haydeh Davoudi, the Davoudi Scholars program provides one (1) year of membership to 11 individuals at the Baker Roundtable Delegate level. Nominations are made by Baker Institute experts and community members, and recipients are chosen based on personal recommendations, as well as educational, professional and philanthropic achievements and involvement. Please email roundtable@rice.edu for more information or with questions.