The world is getting warmer, and the Trump administration continues to grow colder toward the situation.Thirteen federal agencies released a report on current and predicted effects of global warming on American public health, ecosystems, agriculture, infrastructure and economy on Nov. 23, to which President Donald Trump responded, “I don’t believe it.”The report said “future risks from climate change depend primarily on decisions made today.” Waiting for future generations to find solutions is not an option; our current actions matter. Ignoring these issues until they affect us is not an option — we are facing the consequences now.According to the report,…
Author: Baylor Lariat
This holiday season, Santa Claus will come bearing gifts for over 300 kids.
Story by Bridget Sjoberg | Staff Writer, Video by Julia Lawrenz | Broadcast Reporter Every year, the Baylor and Waco communities unite for one of the university’s most cherished traditions- Christmas on Fifth Street. The festivities last from 5 to 10 p.m., and take place in a variety of locations on Baylor’s campus, including Fountain Mall, Burleson Quadrangle, Traditions Plaza and the Bill Daniel Student Center (SUB). Whether it be food trucks, pictures with Santa or a horse carriage ride, Christmas on Fifth events are geared to students and families alike. Park City, Utah, junior Abby Powell was involved in…
By Lauren Atchley | ContributorIt has been 33 years since a new National Panhellenic Conference sorority chapter was introduced. A few weeks ago, Baylor’s Panhellenic Council unanimously voted in Alpha Phi as the newest chapter to be represented on our campus. Having served as Pi Beta Phi’s Panhellenic Delegate since January of this year, I was involved in a lot of the in-depth conversations about what this addition would bring to campus. This idea was first introduced to our community in January and henceforth, began the long road to creating an opportunity for a new sorority to join. From the…
The four years of college are unlike any other time period in life. Professors are at the ready to answer tough questions. Friends are always nearby. Students are forced to challenge themselves and gain knowledge like never before. However, during the first few years of college, it can be difficult to really embrace the unique opportunities college offers. Here are a few tidbits of advice from seasoned junior and senior members of the Lariat Editorial Board looking back on their Baylor experience to help the freshmen with one semester under their belt, but many more to go. We hope you…
By Elyse Delano | ContributorThe Salvation Army of Waco prides itself on helping more than 100 homeless or low-income people in the community a week by serving meals, sheltering homeless and providing other types of aid. The Christian organization has been a key instrument in turning the lives of many around, helping them find jobs and apartments to get off the streets.The shelter’s food kitchen is one of the few organizations that allows pre-prepared food donations to help feed their clients. While they have a budget to buy supplies for hot meals served, a lot of food comes from local…
By Kai Zhang | ContributorIn 2016, Baylor University decided to close down 3rd Street on its campus as a means to make the school more “pedestrian friendly.” This street was once largely used because it passed by Moody Memorial Library, a popular spot for Baylor students to study or spend time with fellow classmates. Since closing 3rd Street to all cars, students are now forced to either park their cars further away and walk to the library or find another (longer) route to the library that is inconvenient for their commute.After careful observation these past few years, I have noticed…
By Braden Smith | ContributorThe Student Life Center at Baylor sees thousands of students per day and is considered to be one of Baylor’s esteemed facilities, but the top complaint about the SLC is not about the quality. The student body’s main concern about the SLC is the size of the weight room. While there are many additional facilities inside the SLC that the students can use, the weight room is the most heavily occupied room. Baylor recently upgraded the equipment in the SLC’s weight room, even re-arranging the floor plan for the positioning of its equipment, but the problem…
By Jessika Harkay | ContributorIt wasn’t surprising that when Baylor announced its new billion dollar campaign, it would highlight the renovations of two buildings that rarely impact student life: The Welcome Center and Ferrell Center.Since becoming a full-time student, I’ve been to the welcome center once, which was for a class assignment. The only reason I can think of for making my way over there is if I were a student ambassador who worked there. Most students that I’ve talked to about this have agreed with me.In fact, being curious, I even went as far as to make a social…
The idea of consent and maintaining healthy, egalitarian relationships has been thrust into the limelight with Title IX scandals, the Kavanaugh confirmation hearings and the #MeToo movement. The secret to combating unhealthy relationships and unwanted physical encounters lies in an unlikely place: Children.It’s never too early to teach children about unhealthy relationships and the importance of consent. But simply having isolated conversations about these issues with children isn’t enough. The idea that we owe physical affection to someone or that someone is entitled to our emotional energy starts very early on in our development.For many of us, thoughts of our…
The Bears shot 32 percent in the first half, but bounced back to secure the win.
By Vanessa Hagen | ContributorIt’s the time of year where seats are empty in classes due to students being sick. Students spend a lot of time together and usually live in close quarters, so the flu spreads quickly. It seems students don’t realize how important flu shots are. As a senior, I have noticed flu season hits campus every year, and students need to be more aware of how to prevent it. Growing up, most kids got flu shots because their parents told them to. However, at college, parents are not here to enforce it. Students are busy and don’t…
By Tiana Dyson | Contributor As a freshman, I knew I was going to frequently be providing the same basic facts about myself to somebody new. I am from Illinois, my major is pre-business and I came to Baylor for the combination of a Christian community and top-notch academics. What I did not know was that here at Baylor, where you go to church often defines how other people are going to perceive you. Baylor is often referred to as a unique university because of its Christian community. In fact, that is one of the main reasons I came to…
The fact that former Baylor head football coach Art Briles is unemployable in an educational setting seems indisputable. So, when Texas Tech University fired its head football coach Kliff Kingsbury Sunday after a disappointing loss to Baylor on Saturday, Briles is the last person that should have been proposed for the open position. However, the Fort Worth Star Telegram ran an opinion column Monday suggesting that Texas Tech offer the job to Briles. Briles was fired in 2016 after he was found to be complicit in a sexual assault scandal that rocked the university and brought about a massive overhaul…
Do you ever find yourself in the middle of a conversation with a friend only to realize they’ve stopped listening and are already planning what they’re going to say once you finish talking? Trying to explain your problems or share your joys with someone only to feel like they don’t care can be hurtful to friendships. In today’s society, it can be extra difficult to truly give someone your full attention when we’re trained to constantly be checking our phones or other devices. It’s nearly impossible to be a good listener when you’re on constant alert for some other, more…
By Lauren Reid | ContributorMy mom lives on the “Baylor Class of 2022 Moms” Facebook page. I’m not sure if its because she’s making friends through it or because I’m over a thousand miles away and don’t call often enough. But she seems to know more about college than me – A first generation college student. And that’s why I’m not allowed to come home for Thanksgiving break.Apparently, according to the Baylor moms on that Facebook page, if your child comes home for any break before Christmas, they won’t want to go back to school. So, my mom wants me…
By Alexandra Bebout | ContributorBaylor University professor and former United States science envoy Dr. Peter J. Hotez spoke to a crowd of Baylor students on Thursday about the dangerous repercussions of the anti-vaccine movement and his personal experience as the parent of an autistic child.Hotez spoke to the audience about his new book “Vaccines Did Not Cause Rachel’s Autism,” which debunks a widely propagated theory that vaccines are responsible for causing autism. Hotez explained how a fraudulent paper published in 1998 suggesting vaccines caused children to develop autism produced a surge in anti-vaccine sentiment, which resulted in a measles outbreak…
In this week’s episode of Lariat TV News Today, our anchors cover the Care Net organization and how it aids pregnant, homeless women, the new Fantastic Beasts movie and why some students may not have grown up reading Harry Potter and the soccer team’s advancement to the next round of the NCAA Tournament.
The Baylor offense struggled all afternoon in the loss to the Horned Frogs
Story by Bridget Sjoberg | Staff Writer, Video by Kennedy Dendy | Broadcast ReporterCold weather? Fear not! The Baylor community gathered on Wednesday for a night of Thanksgiving food and fall festivities in three campus dining halls — Penland, Memorial and East Village. The event typically occurs on Fountain Mall, but it switched locations to Baylor dining halls to accommodate for the cold weather. This All-University Thanksgiving event serves as a popular campus tradition, allowing all students, staff, faculty and families to celebrate with free food and engage in conversation and fellowship. Weatherford senior Emma Beaird is involved in planning…
By Libby Read | ContributorWith graduation approaching, I can’t help but think about what my faith environment will look like outside of the Baylor community. For the last four years, I have been surrounded by uplifting peers, inspiring professors and a strong church family. I feel as though this atmosphere is similar for a majority of students who come to Baylor, many of whom had not experienced what it’s like to be surrounded by so many strong Christians.Friends that have graduated and moved away have told me that Baylor truly is a unique place. The rest of the world pales…
By Matthew Muir | ContributorIf you had told me four years ago that I’d be attending Baylor University, I would have said you were crazy. It had nothing to do with sports teams, or what schools my parents went to; it’s deeper than that. Going to Baylor would run contrary to who I knew myself to be — an atheist.I was raised in a house where religion was never discussed, so I wasn’t exposed to it at the same young age most people at Baylor were. My dad is nonreligious, and I still don’t really know what my mom believes.…
While Baylor is affiliated with the Baptist General Convention of Texas, the university has provided programs and events to include other faith communities. However, there is always more that Baylor can do to promote religious inclusivity within the Christian college culture at Baylor. Baylor’s commitment to diversity and inclusion states that the institution seeks “to embody Christ’s teachings of love and inclusivity across boundaries of racial, ethnic, gender, socio-economic, religious and other expressions of human difference.” This commitment expresses a desire for not merely toleration, but reconciliation. The Campus Diversity Committee works alongside the Office of the President to promote…
The collective blood pressure across campus seems to be slowly returning to equilibrium now that the midterm elections are in the past. Not unlike the most recent presidential election, the midterm election was quite polarizing, and tensions across party lines were far more pronounced than normal day-to-day life.Voting season naturally surfaces points of dissension across party lines among friends and peers, often leading to tension and social dissonance. However, students should work to combat the toxic, divisive forms of discourse characteristic of the modern political world. We should instead work to exclusively engage in mature, civil discourse. In other words,…
Story by Bridget Sjoberg | Staff Writer, Video by Kennedy Dendy | Broadcast ReporterBaylor students gathered together Tuesday night to enjoy a Thanksgiving meal through fellowship and community as one of the Neighbor Nights program’s most popular events. The Neighbor Nights second annual “Friendsgiving” was hosted by Baylor Spiritual Life and Better Together BU, an on-campus interfaith group that encourages dialogue and community through a variety of faith traditions. The event was part of Baylor’s Neighbor Nights program, which takes place every other Tuesday for students to enjoy a meal from a different culture or region of the world. Sharyl…
By Luke Lemley | ContributorToward the beginning of Fall 2018, Waco was picked to be the ninth location in Texas to be a partner for Bird Corporation. Bird is an electric scooter company that works with cities to make transportation enjoyable, easier and more environmentally-friendly. Bird scooters are accessed through an app that allows you to locate the nearest scooter, access it quickly and leave your scooter wherever you want when you’re done with it. For two days, Baylor students used these scooters to travel to and from campus with little expense and effort required. Unfortunately, these scooters were removed…
By Heather Hansen | ContributorLeaders are a fundamental part of life. We will always have them. Without great leadership, America would not have gained freedom, technology wouldn’t have become advanced and the world could’ve turned out completely different.Leadership is important and people in the spotlight need to understand that what they do publicly affects younger generations below them. Selena Gomez started out as a Disney star and now has progressed into a more adult area of performance. However, she still maintains those sweet characteristics that fans loved.Gomez likely realized her leadership capabilities and that young kids were watching her on…
By Carson Lewis | ContributorBaylor University hosted a summit on how to solve hunger and poverty issues this Wednesday through Friday in the Barfield Drawing Room of the SUB, bringing together professionals from the private and public sectors to collaborate.The ‘Together at The Table’ summit and hosted speakers from various nonprofits, including Max Finberg, the CEO of Growing Hope Globally, a Christian organization committed to fundraising food security programs.Finberg spoke about fighting the crisis of 18,000 people dying from malnutrition each day and described the dilemma of looking at this problem in isolation from its causes. The issues are more…
Social media usage has increased, and so have the negative impacts.
Websites like Hudl allow for quick and easy access to game film, but student athletes must also be wary of what they post online
