Author: Baylor Lariat

Diverse representation on American currency received a new wave of support after it was announced by the U.S. Department of the Treasury last year that a woman would appear on the $10 bill. Almost a year later, public opinion helped push the boundaries of what was originally planned for the future of U.S. currency. Last week, the department announced that the $20 bill, and not the $10 bill, would get Harriet Tubman, an African-American abolitionist and woman, to grace the front of the bill. Taking it a step further, Treasury Secretary Jacob J. Lew announced that the $5 and $10…

The majority of Americans seem to think there is a war on police in our country based on a 2015 survey by the Cato Institute, a libertarian think tank. With the number of fatal police interactions increasing, there has been a call to put more measures in place to increase transparency and accountability of officers. One solution, has been implementing body cams. The body cams are small cameras police officers can wear to record their interactions with others while they are on duty, which can provide audio and visual context to any given situation. Body cams can provide more than…

Baylor recently appointed Dr. Elizabeth Palacios as the special assistant to diversity to address diversity on campus.

By, Jonathon S. PlattOn the morning of May 2, 1963, thousands poured out of 16th Street Baptist Church and onto the streets of Birmingham, Ala. Their goal was to integrate the downtown businesses regardless of segregation laws, Commissioner of Public Safety Eugene “Bull” Connor or his jails. “The only thing that we did wrong was waiting in the wilderness too long,” a lone voice began. Then, thousands joined: “Keep your eyes on the prize. Hold on. Hold on.” Birmingham was such a nasty place in the mid-century its nickname was “Bombing-ham.” It’s said Jesus told a black man to get…

There has been an onslaught of static regarding the presidential nomination process, particularly on the Republican side. The current frontrunner of the Republican race, Donald Trump, has been the catalyst for the complaints of an apparently “rigged” system and an unfair nomination process, in his words. Now before we continue any further, let it be clear that this is not an editorial designed to bring down Trump and promote any of the other candidates in the race. As Americans, working for a fair nomination process should be a concern for all of us involved in the election. However, Trump and…

When asked the question how much should someone spend on an engagement ring, many people might already have a preconceived price tag. Some believe the special number is somewhere around $5,000. Others might be bargain shoppers and find a ring for a few hundred dollars without breaking the bank. Meanwhile, there are some who have a standard in mind when it comes to the amount someone should spend on an engagement ring. Maybe parents or older generations have influenced this decision. According to the most recent data from a 2013 report by Jewelers of America, couples spent an average of…

The Baylor Bears Acrobatics and Tumbling team won their second straight title Tuesday night against the Oregon Ducks.

Exams, term papers, projects. Every student is familiar with the onslaught of final responsibilities that come with tying up the semester’s loose ends. In the midst of all that hustle and bustle, it’s tough to make time to complete what is essential to evaluate the quality of the semester ­– course evaluations. In most classes, course evaluations are optional. Students receive emails from Baylor Institutional Research and Testing, the department in charge of administering course evaluations, when the surveys are made available. They’re also likely to receive verbal reminders from instructors to complete evaluations. Some instructors, however, have made course…

In almost every field of work, questions of ethics will arise. Baylor helps prepare students for the inevitable, tough decisions by offering a variety of ethics classes. From environmental to business to journalism ethics, these classes force students to explore situations from an ethics-based standpoint. These situations occur outside of the classroom daily, and local journalists had to face a tough issue recently. The issue was whether or not it was acceptable to release former Baylor football player Shawn Oakman’s name prior to his arrest on sexual assault charges last week. Some bloggers and reporters apparently had no qualms with…

In preparation for the National Championship, the Baylor Acrobatics and Tumbling team has been hard at work preparing to defend their title.

With new businesses coming to Waco, it can be a challenge to balance city development with the needs of a community. As the city continues to grow, the disparity between income levels will have to be an issue of continual consideration. With a population of more than 130,194, nearly 29.4 percent of the population is in poverty, according to the United States Census Bureau. This statistic should come to no surprise to anyone who lives in the area. Lower-income areas are scattered all around the city and are especially stark in contrast to Baylor University’s expanse over one side of…

The gender pay gap: a phenomenon some say doesn’t exist. However, the recent lawsuit filed by the US women’s national soccer team is shedding new light on an old controversy. On March 29, five women from the national team– Carli Lloyd, Alex Morgan, Megan Rapinoe, Becky Sauerbrunn and Hope Solo – filed a wage-discrimination action against the U.S. Soccer Federation for being paid substantially less than the comparable U.S. men’s national soccer team. Members of the women’s team earned about one-fourth of what male soccer players earned in 2015, despite winning their World Cup and bringing in $20 million more…

The annual Diadeloso held on Fountain Mall was a welcomed break from class for all students. Archery tag, a zip line, food, and exotic animals made this year’s Dia was one for the books. Students from all around flocked to Fountain Mall to celebrate the day. While the Baylor events were a plus, many students were more excited about the chance to have a Tuesday off from school. With finals quickly approaching, this day was much needed for those stressing about the end of the school year. Erin McGrew, a sophomore from San Antonio said, “It’s just a great day…

We hear it every year. “Why can’t Chamber ever book any good headliners?” While the relevance of Diadeloso headliners could be debated, we’re more concerned with the student response than the choice of music artists. The Baylor Chamber of Commerce is made up of students who tout the slogan, “Anything for Baylor.” This group works to uphold that banner, organizing Traditions Rally, Diadeloso, Homecoming, Family Weekend and more. In addition to arranging events, Chamber members are also doing what each of us often struggle to do: balance classes. In spite of the fact that they are just students like the…

Two weeks ago, there were three bomb incidents that have been reported to have been connected with terrorist groups. The attacks in Belgium and Iraq have been linked to ISIS (also referred to as ISIL or IS), while the Easter Sunday bombing in Pakistan is reported to have been done by the Taliban. The Brussels attack was the first and most widely reported attack of the three in American media from two weeks ago. Piling on to his controversial trip to Cuba, President Obama found himself receiving even more criticism after the Brussels attack for the way he responded to…

It’s time we talk about something, Baylor. Something that threatens the precious lives of us students on a daily basis. Something that plagues the campus every day. It’s time we talk about parking garages. No, this is not another whine-fest about the lack of parking on campus. This is about the danger that lurks around every parking garage corner. For far too long, students have mistaken these structures for NASCAR racetracks. They are not, in fact, NASCAR racetracks. They are parking garages, where cars park and pedestrians walk. Just so we’re clear: parking garage ≠ NASCAR racetrack. It’s no secret…

The Lariat’s Editorial Board sat down with the candidates running in the Student Government Elections to hear their platforms and how they plan to impact campus if elected.

The Lariat’s Editorial Board sat down with the candidates running in the Student Government Elections to hear their platforms and how they plan to impact campus if elected.

The Lariat’s Editorial Board sat down with the candidates running in the Student Government Elections to hear their platforms and how they plan to impact campus if elected.

The Lariat’s Editorial Board sat down with the candidates running in the Student Government Elections to hear their platforms and how they plan to impact campus if elected.

The Lariat’s Editorial Board sat down with the candidates running in the Student Government Elections to hear their platforms and how they plan to impact campus if elected.

For the 2016-17 student government elections, the Lariat editorial board is endorsing Port Barre, La., junior Lindsey Bacque for student body president and Katy junior Amye Dickerson for external vice president. Old River Winfree junior Joel Polvado is running unopposed for internal vice president.The board conducted interviews with each of the candidates and heard their platforms and aspirations for student government. These endorsements are based upon who we believe will best serve the campus and represent the student body.Student Body PresidentThe race for student body president is between Bacque and Tomball junior Alex Plott. Both candidates bring well-thought-out plans to…

By Helena Hunt, Lariat A&L Editor 10,000 glow sticks, 100 beach balls and one DJ will paint Fountain Mall neon when producer Elephante takes the main stage of this year’s Diadeloso. Elephante is an up-and-coming electronic dance music producer out of Los Angeles, who has moved from remixes of John Mayer and Calvin Harris to producing original songs like “Age of Innocence.” Elephante makes big beats and anthemic, pop-influenced dance tracks that get people moving. He will play at 7 p.m. next Tuesday on Fountain Mall after a yet-to-be-determined opening act. “We want people to know it’s not going to…

On March 22, a series of bombings in Brussels, Belgium, killed 31 people and injured 330. It was a tragic and horrific terrorist attack that was linked to ISIS and should have never occurred. However, the bombings in Brussels weren’t any more tragic than those that occurred later the same week in Iraq and Pakistan, but the way the media reported them, many people didn’t even know they occurred. In Iraq, on March 25, a man wearing a bomb walked into a soccer stadium and blew himself up, claiming the lives of 41 individuals and wounding 105. ISIS claimed the…

Since its founding in 1845, Baylor University has been a place of unwavering commitment to the Christian faith. Indeed, our devotion to Christ’s inspiring message of compassion and healing compels us to care deeply for one another, as well as for “the least of these.” In stark contrast, acts of sexual violence utterly contradict every value Baylor University upholds. As a caring Christian community, our careful focus on equipping each student to live out the promise of his or her future requires us to address – firmly and effectively – the scourge of interpersonal violence. We therefore join universities across…

Thomas Mott Broadcast Reporter The rock wall is the McLane Student Life Center’s main feature. However, many students pass up on this opportunity because they do not realize how easy it is to climb the wall. While most students come and have one of the employees at the SLC belay for them, Baylor also offers a quick and easy $5 class that teaches students how to climb on their own. Shoreline, Washington sophomore Danny Helms, who took the belay class said, “you have three check offs to do later on different days to show that you remember it and then…

Magnolia Market, a newly opened furniture and antique store by Chip and Joanna Gaines, also known as HGTV’s “Fixer Upper” couple, has sparked interest both in and out of Waco. An area that was previously just run-down, old property was converted into one of the best new tourist locations in Central Texas. The surrounding area of Magnolia, however, has perhaps felt the downside of this phenomenon in Waco. Although the area is small, the popularity and sheer mass of people trying to get into Magnolia has put a significant strain on parking and traffic in the couple of blocks affected…

Silencing and Shaming Benefits No One

For many students, regardless of classification, life after graduation is a sea of uncertainty. Some have their sights set on continuing in higher education. Others aim to go straight to work in their field. No matter the goal, once senior year hits, everything starts to feel scary. It’s no secret that some majors ensure more future job security than others. This is not new. Business Insider magazine released a list of the top 10 worst majors based on initial unemployment rates and starting salaries. The list is fairly predictable, with fine arts, liberal arts, philosophy and religious studies ranking high.…