Presidential Perspective - September 12, 2024

Baylor Students, Faculty, Staff and Parents:

Earlier this week we kicked off the fall Baylor Conversation Series on civil discourse with a day-long slate of activities with David Brooks – a New York Times best-selling author, columnist and commentator. Before his keynote lecture on Tuesday evening, David met with groups of students, faculty and staff to discuss current events, his latest book, How to Know a Person: The Art of Seeing Others Deeply and Being Deeply Seen, and how he navigates his Christian faith while engaging fully in politics.

Listening to and talking with David reminded me that whether in politics, the church, on campus or within our families, there is a need for civil discourse. While we may not always agree, civil discourse requires mutual respect and objectivity without hostility – demonstrating an appreciation for the experiences of others. As a Christian university, Baylor seeks to both model civil discourse and train students to do the same.

David’s evening lecture, which is available on-demand for a limited time to the Baylor community with a university email address – was filled with hundreds of students eager to learn those skills. While I talked with him on-stage, I was encouraged by the heartfelt and earnest questions submitted, ranging from advice for students voting for the first time to understanding how suffering shapes character to the need for trust in civility.

I was so proud of Baylor and all of you who attended, putting on display the caring Christian community we strive to foster.

Some updates for this week:

• GET READY TO VOTE: Over the coming weeks, student leaders from Student Government and Baylor Ambassadors and their partners in the Black Student Union and other campus organizations across the University will lead a voter registration initiative among our student body. On Sept. 17, which is National Voter Registration Day, and again on Oct. 7, the final day to register to vote in Texas, volunteers will be available at Memorial and Penland dining facilities, the BSB, Foster Campus, the SUB and Fountain Mall to answer questions and assist eligible voters with registration from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. each day. You can learn more about the student-led voter registration initiative at baylor.edu/bears-vote. Don’t forget that the Hurd Welcome Center is an official voting location on Election Day, Nov. 5.
• BAYLOR 101 WEBINAR: I hope faculty and staff will join the first Baylor 101 webinar of the semester on Tuesday, Sept. 17, at 4 p.m. Jason Cook, vice president for marketing and communications and chief marketing officer; Dr. Robyn Driskell, vice president and chief compliance and risk officer; and Dr. Kevin Jackson, vice president for student life, will discuss Baylor policies related to expressive activities, invited speakers and student and faculty engagement, and explain how communications around these activities are managed. This one-hour Zoom session is an extension of the civil discourse series that began last January.
• HOWDY TO TEXAS: On Friday, Sept. 27, Baylor students, faculty and staff will celebrate the 68th Annual All University Howdy. This is a beloved Baylor tradition in conjunction with Pi Beta Phi that’s branded as the “first official Texas welcome to campus” for our out-of-state students – which comprise about 40% of the freshman class. The event features more than 25 vendors, ranging from food trucks to fun activities, including a live country concert, axe throwing and more. Event information is available on the Howdy website.
• RED ZONE AWARENESS: Baylor is committed to awareness, prevention education and advocacy to cultivate and maintain a safer campus, and we’ve joined universities and communities around the country to bring awareness to “The Red Zone” – the period between the start of the fall semester and Thanksgiving when most campus sexual assaults occur. The Equity, Civil Rights, & Title IX Office is elevating awareness of this time frame in the hope that students make informed decisions while also knowing the resources available to them. Yard signs have been placed at emergency “blue light” call boxes across campus that contain important resources and information, along with QR codes where students can check in and be entered to win a giveaway. Additionally, drop by the Equity, Civil Rights, & Title IX Office table Sept. 25 from 2 to 4 p.m. on Fountain Mall to meet the staff and learn more about their events, programs and resources.
• ADOPTION BENEFITS RECOGNITION: In 2017, Baylor announced a comprehensive parental leave policy and adoption assistance program, a decision that aligns with our Christian mission and reflects our deep commitment to supporting and strengthening families. Through its signature Adoption-Friendly Workplace program, the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption has recognized Baylor among the nation’s top 3 education institutions offering robust adoption benefits, including paid parental leave and financial assistance for adoption-related expenses, and for offering paid parental leave to foster parents. We have made it a priority at Baylor to provide a supportive work environment that enriches the lives of our staff and faculty and their capacity to flourish.
• MISSION SELLOUT: Baylor Football’s “Mission Black Ops” is now “Mission Sellout” as less than 2,000 tickets remain for Saturday’s Air Force vs. Baylor game at 6:30 p.m. at McLane Stadium. Get your tickets now at BaylorBears.com, and let’s sell out McLane! This is our annual Salute to Service game that will feature the Bears wearing their new anthracite jerseys, a flyover by a pair of F-16 jets piloted by Baylor and Air Force alumni and a giant American flag presented by our Baylor VETS Program. We also will welcome back and celebrate our 1974 Southwest Conference Champions known forever as the “Miracle on the Brazos” team.

I look forward to seeing everyone – including parents – at Family Weekend activities beginning tomorrow!

Linda A. Livingstone, Ph.D.
President

PHOTO OF THE WEEK

Check out these awesome vintage Baylor logos! Stop by the pop-up shop at the Hurd Welcome Center on Saturday from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. to pick up one of these limited-edition t-shirts.