Close Menu
The Baylor Lariat
    Facebook X (Twitter) Instagram YouTube LinkedIn
    Trending
    • Students react to emergency alert following campus lockdown
    • Baylor shelter-in-place lifted following police pursuit of robbery suspects
    • Baylor graduate charged after killing cats with pellet gun, hanging bodies over utility lines
    • Baylor Football’s Alex Foster dies at 18
    • Board of Regents confirms budget, renovations, new leadership in May meeting
    • How facilities responds to storms, flooding in campus buildings
    • Welcome Week leaders now paid in hopes of increasing numbers
    • 5 Baylor sports storylines to look forward to in 2025-26
    • About us
      • Spring 2025 Staff Page
      • Copyright Information
    • Contact
      • Contact Information
      • Letters to the Editor
      • Subscribe to The Morning Buzz
      • Department of Student Media
    • Employment
    • PDF Archives
    • RSS Feeds
    Facebook X (Twitter) Instagram YouTube LinkedIn
    The Baylor LariatThe Baylor Lariat
    Subscribe to the Morning Buzz
    Tuesday, July 8
    • News
      • State and National News
        • State
        • National
      • Politics
        • 2025 Inauguration Page
        • Election Page
      • Homecoming Page
      • Baylor News
      • Waco Updates
      • Campus and Waco Crime
    • Arts & Life
      • Wedding Edition 2025
      • What to Do in Waco
      • Campus Culture
      • Indy and Belle
      • Sing 2025
      • Leisure and Travel
        • Leisure
        • Travel
          • Baylor in Ireland
      • Student Spotlight
      • Local Scene
        • Small Businesses
        • Social Media
      • Arts and Entertainment
        • Art
        • Fashion
        • Food
        • Literature
        • Music
        • Film and Television
    • Opinion
      • Editorials
      • Points of View
      • Lariat Letters
    • Sports
      • March Madness 2025
      • Football
      • Basketball
        • Men’s Basketball
        • Women’s Basketball
      • Soccer
      • Baseball
      • Softball
      • Volleyball
      • Equestrian
      • Cross Country and Track & Field
      • Acrobatics & Tumbling
      • Tennis
      • Golf
      • Pro Sports
      • Sports Takes
      • Club Sports
    • Lariat TV News
    • Multimedia
      • Video Features
      • Podcasts
        • Don’t Feed the Bears
      • Slideshows
    • Advertising
    The Baylor Lariat
    Home»News»Baylor News

    New student government bill calls for religious diversity

    Micaela FreemanBy Micaela FreemanFebruary 8, 2018Updated:February 9, 2018 Baylor News No Comments3 Mins Read
    Jessica Hubble | Multimedia Editor
    Share
    Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Pinterest Email

    By Micaela Freeman | Staff Writer

    In the political realm of Baylor University, there is an outcry for diverse religious groups. The Student Senate is reviewing a bill that states that there is a need for diverse religious groups on campus. The university currently has a rule that students religious organizations must affirm their beliefs align with the Baylor University Statement of Common Faith.

    Amman, Jordan, senior Abdula Ghali, a Muslim student, wrote the bill in November and it is currently under review by the Student Senate Campus Improvements and Affairs Committee. Ghali, a future medical school student, is an advocate for diverse religious groups since his freshman year.

    “This bill means everything to me,” Ghali said. “The bill means I can practice my culture and religion and have a place on campus. Even though I am graduating [in May], it won’t affect me very much, but it’s for those who are in my place looking for a sense of belonging but couldn’t find it.”

    Dallas sophomore Suzie Tkach is a sponsor of the bill, believes that students of different faiths should be allowed to form groups and be recognized by the university. As a Senator in Baylor’s Student Senate, Tkach is eager to be a part of this bill with Ghali.

    “I believe that this bill asking Baylor to be more accommodating and I’ve recognized how Baylor capitalizes on its diversity when recruiting students of other faiths and then doesn’t allow equal opportunities when they are,” Tkach said.

    The bill, under the 65th legislative session of the Baylor Student Senate, also acknowledges in Texas that other Christian Texas universities allow non Christian religious groups on campus. Schools such as Texas Christian University and Southern Methodist University allow for the existence of non-Christian religious organizations. At Baylor, a non-Christian religious group would not reflect the “faith statement” it adheres to.

    “I think that it’s really important,” Tkach said. “A Muslim organization would not reflect the faith statement of Baylor, but I believe it should be allowed to be recognized, because I think this is kind of crossing that line of being a private Christian school and being unable to accomodate.”

    The bill acknowledges Baylor’s faith statement and the effects it has on Baylor’s student body.

    “Placing the faith statement as a requirement prevents the existence of organizations such as but not limited to ‘The Muslim Student Association’ or ‘The Jewish Student Association’; and Baylor University adheres to the teachings of Christianity, and the Bible includes many references about inclusion for those who do not adhere to Christianity,” the bill states.

    Tkach and Ghali said they hope the bill will be passed later this semester and offer the resolution of amending the Baylor University charter requirement.

    Micaela Freeman

    Keep Reading

    Students react to emergency alert following campus lockdown

    Baylor shelter-in-place lifted following police pursuit of robbery suspects

    Baylor graduate charged after killing cats with pellet gun, hanging bodies over utility lines

    Baylor Football’s Alex Foster dies at 18

    Board of Regents confirms budget, renovations, new leadership in May meeting

    How facilities responds to storms, flooding in campus buildings

    Add A Comment

    Comments are closed.

    Recent Posts
    • Students react to emergency alert following campus lockdown June 27, 2025
    • Baylor shelter-in-place lifted following police pursuit of robbery suspects June 26, 2025
    About

    The award-winning student newspaper of Baylor University since 1900.

    Articles, photos, and other works by staff of The Baylor Lariat are Copyright © Baylor® University. All rights reserved.

    Subscribe to the Morning Buzz

    Get the latest Lariat News by just Clicking Subscribe!

    Follow the Live Coverage
    Tweets by @bulariat

    Facebook X (Twitter) Instagram YouTube LinkedIn
    • Featured
    • News
    • Sports
    • Opinion
    • Arts and Life
    © 2025 ThemeSphere. Designed by ThemeSphere.

    Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.