Presidential Perspective - October 31, 2024

Baylor Students, Faculty, Staff and Parents:

We have been preparing for our nation’s general election for quite some time, allowing our Civil Discourse Series to remind us of our mission and values as a Christian research university. I hope you were able to participate in a few of the programs offered by various Baylor student, faculty and staff groups, including the recent faculty panel titled “Discovering Christian Civility in the Midst of Political Hostility.”

If you are planning to cast a ballot next Tuesday, remember the Mark and Paula Hurd Welcome Center is a designated polling place for McLennan County and is the convenient, on-campus location many of you have requested. You might notice additional traffic in the area on Election Day, so bring your patience and consider walking to the Hurd instead of driving.

If you have lingering questions about voting or about the local, state or federal races, I encourage you to visit the Office of Governmental Relations webpage that has links to many non-partisan resources.

Finally, and perhaps most importantly, remember that while we may not always agree on politics, our campus community will remain peaceful, and we must treat one another with respect on Tuesday (and the days and weeks to come) – always following Christ’s command to love our neighbors as ourselves.

Some updates for this week:

• HALLOWEEN ON CAMPUS: Students … plan to make a Trick-or-Treat stop at Allbritton House tonight from 5:30-7 p.m. for full-sized candy bars and to see the First Gent and me in our Halloween costumes. This fun, positive evening has quickly become a Baylor tradition for us! Then head on over to Jones Concert Hall as the Organ Studio presents its annual Halloween Organ Concert at 7:30 p.m.
• HURRICANE RELIEF: Baylor students formed a long line yesterday in front of the Bobo Spiritual Life Center to pack 100 five-gallon buckets with items that help families with the overwhelming job of cleaning up after hurricanes Helene and Milton. This effort was organized by Baylor Missions, Service & Public Life and the BearAid Disaster Relief Team in partnership with UMCOR. For those who have lost everything from these devastating storms, a simple relief kit is deeply meaningful. As we continue to pray for all those impacted, Baylor Missions is planning additional opportunities for students to serve, starting in January with a small BearAid team helping with cleanup in damaged communities, followed by a larger response team during spring break.
• FACULTY & STAFF APPRECIATION: Be sure to mark your calendar for Baylor’s annual Faculty and Staff Appreciation night – happening Saturday, Nov. 9, at 4 p.m. at McLane Stadium. Come enjoy activities for all ages, free food from local vendors and “Inside Out 2” showing from the football field. There will also be a special gift for the first 500 faculty or staff members to check in. There’s still time to register you and your family, and you only need your Baylor ID for admission. Don’t miss this special time of fellowship and fun!
• BAYLOR’S MOST-CITED RESEARCHERS: A Stanford University database of the world’s most cited researchers features 43 current or retired Baylor faculty and postdoctoral researchers – a testament to Baylor’s greater global impact and our rise as a preeminent Christian R1 university. The prestigious list is a monumental undertaking and recognizes only the top 2% of researchers in 22 scientific fields and 174 sub-fields. This is far from the only measure of research impact, but when Baylor faculty and postdoctoral researchers are cited by other scholars around the world, it means their research has contributed foundational, if not transformational, knowledge that influences the work of others. It also gives Baylor an important “seat at the table” with those seeking to find lasting solutions to worldwide concerns.
• CONGRATS AND GOOD LUCK: Congratulations to the Baylor soccer team for defeating Arizona, 2-1, in the first round of the Big 12 Championship. Our Bears will now play Texas Tech Saturday at 5:30 p.m. in Kansas City. And best of luck to the Baylor cross country teams as they host the Big 12 Championships tomorrow here in Waco at the Cottonwood Creek Golf Course.

And don’t forget to wear black to McLane Stadium this Saturday evening as our Bears will #SicTCU!

Linda A. Livingstone, Ph.D.
President

PHOTO OF THE WEEK

That Good ’Ol Baylor Line was in full display last weekend for Homecoming 2024! Thank you to all our students, faculty and staff who warmly welcomed our alumni, parents and friends back home.