Presidential Perspective - September 11, 2025

Baylor Students, Faculty, Staff and Parents:

On this National Day of Remembrance, we once again find ourselves grieving a senseless loss of life motivated by hate. I am sure that by now you are aware of the fatal shooting of Charlie Kirk during an event at Utah Valley University. Regardless of your stance on Mr. Kirk’s beliefs and politics, there should be no place for such violence in our country, particularly on a college campus.

Today, we took the symbolic gesture to lower our flags across campus to demonstrate the opportunity Baylor has as a Christian university to help bring the nation together during these divisive times.

And it’s during times like these that we can never forget what happened in our country on Sept. 11, 2001. Each year Baylor honors those who lost their lives during the 9/11 terror attacks, and we will do so again, first with our traditional McLane Carillon Memorial Concert and then by lighting Pat Neff Hall and the Mark and Paula Hurd Welcome Center red, white and blue.

As you reflect on what happened 24 years ago, before some of you were even born, and then what happened 24 hours ago, I urge you to remember who we are as an institution. Baylor strives to be a place where every individual is treated with respect, and as a community, we cannot forget our call to be a light to the world. Baylor Bears should lead with civility, love and compassion, even when we disagree. In that spirit, please join me in continuing to pray for our nation and leaders.

Here are a few updates for this week:

• FAMILY WEEKEND: A tradition at Baylor since 1960, Family Weekend is designed to help students and their families become better acquainted with the University and its beloved traditions. Scheduled activities include After Dark, our premier display of student talent, plus Meet the Faculty at the Hurd Welcome Center and A Taste of Waco on Fountain Mall. New this year is a sold-out concert with two-time GRAMMY® award-winning contemporary Christian artist Lauren Daigle at the Paul and Alejandra Foster Pavilion. I look forward to seeing many of you around campus and at McLane Stadium on Saturday when the Bears take on Samford. Remember traffic around campus will be quite busy with all the activities this weekend, so please be patient and plan ahead.
• BSM CENTER GROUNDBREAKING: Earlier this week I was excited to join Baylor Baptist Student Ministry, Baylor Spiritual Life and Texas Baptists for the official groundbreaking for a new BSM center. In spring 2024, Baylor deeded land for the new facility at the corner of South Fourth Street and Daughtrey Avenue — near East Village and the Paul L. Foster Campus for Business and Innovation – to the Baptist General Convention of Texas. The new BSM centerwill offer another sacred space on campus for Baylor students to grow spiritually, know God and make Him known.
• BAYLOR CONNECTIONS PODCAST: Baylor Connections has a brand-new video format and a biweekly schedule to showcase the people behind Baylor’s teaching, research and distinct role in higher education. I was honored to be the first guest with host Derek Smith. Derek gave me an opportunity to reflect on Baylor’s expanding global footprint and our vibrant campus life. I hope you will take a few minutes to watch (or listen) to Baylor faculty, staff and others making an impact on our University throughout the academic year.
• HAZING PREVENTION TRAINING: Hazing undermines our physical, emotional and spiritual wellbeing, and it contradicts Baylor’s values of integrity, service and respect for others. Recently, the laws around hazing have changed, and it is incredibly important for students, faculty and staff to understand how the changes affect our campus community. Baylor partners with Prevent.Zone to provide comprehensive, research-based hazing prevention education, and I encourage everyone to complete the online training program. Students, if you complete the training by tomorrow, you will be entered to win 1-of-5 faculty/staff parking passes for the rest of the academic year!
• NEW FRONTIER IN SPACE RESEARCH: NASA is preparing for two major space initiatives, and Baylor faculty are playing key roles in both. Astrophysicist Benjamin Rose, Ph.D., led a research team that released a powerful new simulation previewing the extraordinary discoveries expected from the Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope, which will scan the sky 1,000 times faster than Hubble and uncover thousands of cosmic phenomena. Meanwhile, NASA has selected planetary geophysicist Peter B. James, Ph.D., to serve on the prestigious SPARX Science Definition Team charged with shaping the vision for a future robotic mission to the far side of the Moon. Their work not only advances space science but creates exciting opportunities for Baylor students to engage in pioneering research alongside faculty experts.
• AMERICA 250 AT BAYLOR: America 250 at Baylor is a year-long celebration promoting a range of activities that recognize the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. During the academic year and into next summer, Baylor students, faculty and staff will deliver presentations, exhibitions, artistic projects and more as we reflect on American’s past, present and future together.

I’m thrilled to report Baylor’s own Saralyn McKinnon-Crowley, Ph.D., will be competing on Jeopardy! tomorrow. Dr. McKinnon-Crowley is an assistant professor of higher education studies and leadership. Good luck, Dr. McKinnon-Crowley. We are rooting for you!

Linda A. Livingstone, Ph.D.
President

PHOTO OF THE WEEK

The fall staff meeting ended with an enthusiastic “Sic ’em,” led by new University Chaplain Charley Ramsey.