By Vivian Roach | Staff WriterIn light of the recent murders of Black citizens George Floyd, Breonna Taylor and many others, followed by the Black Lives Matter movement exploding this summer, Baylor has responded in a number of ways to engage racial equity, inclusivity and diversity on campus.Special Adviser to the President for Equity and Campus Engagement Malcolm Foley is the first to take on his position advising the president and her president’s council as they consider initiatives for diversity, inclusion and equity. “My fundamental purpose is to see those who have hurt, healed, and those who have been ignored,…
Author: Vivian Roach
By Vivian Roach | Staff Writer, Video by Sarah Gill | Executive Producer White House Coronavirus Response Coordinator Dr. Deborah Birx visited Baylor on Monday for a coronavirus roundtable talk with administration, faculty, students and local officials about key components to keeping campus open. About two weeks ago, Dr. Birx said on a conference call with various school presidents and chancellors that she wanted to tour college campuses that had opened and stayed open. President of McLennan Community College Dr. Johnette McKown, who was on the call, suggested to President Linda Livingstone that Baylor be on the tour. The next…
By Vivian Roach | Staff WriterStudents are faced with many decisions as they navigate their way to their first lease agreement: one-year or two-year lease? How many roommates will they live with? Budget? Location? Amenities? Is there a best time to sign?Most apartment complexes around campus open their next leasing season around October. Those who sign earlier in the season will likely get the lowest rates.Caroll McCann, the general manager of U Pointe on Speight, said they start leasing mid-October, and those that sign first benefit.“The best time to sign is sooner rather than later,” McCann said. “You will also…
By Vivian Roach | Staff WriterOne thing is for sure, the 111th Baylor Homecoming will be happening this year. The capacity in which events will occur, whether that is in-person, online, or hybrid, is still up in the air.Homecoming is planned for the weekend of Oct. 16-17, with the football game against Oklahoma State that Saturday. Ingram senior Bailey Havis, Homecoming chairperson, and Frisco senior Ashley Madden, parade chairperson, said the final plan for the weekend is tentative until Baylor administration and the city of Waco give their approval. However, there will be an online component of events throughout the…
By Vivian Roach | Staff WriterFamily group leaders create a new type of Baylor experience for first year students who will miss out on time-honored traditions this year. Upperclassman leaders are assigned family groups of either freshman roommates and their next door neighbors, all transfer students or all-online students. They’re intended to build connections between students who come from different backgrounds, states or countries to attend Baylor. Senior Coordinator for Welcome Programs Vincent Phillips is part of the family groups planning committee that oversees student leaders and their faculty/staff mentors. Phillips said the faculty mentors were intentional to give student…
By Vivian Roach | Staff WriterCOVID-19 testing sites on campus, administered by My Labs Direct and the Health Center, have recently switched to more comfortable mid-nasal swabs. Those chosen for surveillance testing this week received an email that said “based on feedback, the university has shifted to a more comfortable nasal swab to collect test samples and not the more extended, nasopharyngeal swab.” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention lists a nasopharyngeal (NP) specimen and a nasal mid-turbinate swab under their acceptable specimen to test for COVID-19. Baylor University Health Services Medical Director Dr. Sharon Stern said the My Labs…
By Vivian Roach | Staff WriterThe first week of surveillance testing data has shown six positive cases out of 337 tests collected thus far. Test results are still to be filtered in as they are collected and returned throughout the week.Baylor began testing random samples of the campus population every seven days on Aug. 31. Those selected for random sampling are notified each Wednesday. The random sample includes 250 on-campus students, 480 off-campus students (including online-only students who live in Waco), 175 on-campus faculty and staff and 300 contractors. These numbers represent 5% of the off-campus student body, 5% of…
By Vivian Roach | Staff WriterBaylor plans to further develop digital online learning with iDesign and track additional metric points on the COVID-19 dashboard this semester. President Linda Livingstone and Provost Nancy Brickhouse facilitated the fall 2020 faculty meeting on Thursday, Sept. 3 via Zoom.CEO and founder of iDesign Paxton Rider spoke to faculty about how the partnership enhances work in professional development for teaching. He explained some of the concepts of iDesign, including what he called learning experience design, or LX design.Learning experience design blends the concepts of instructional design, putting content online and user experience, designing with the…
By Vivian Roach | Staff WriterSmall cookie shops give more than just a sugar rush to the Waco community by using their handmade products to give back to others.Without storefronts, some Waco cookie shops such as Milk Bottle Cookies and The Cookie Barn take advantage of pick-up, delivery and shipping sales to make a profit that they turn around and use to support teachers and families.Mackenzie Asisi, owner of Milk Bottle Cookies, runs her business online through her website and Instagram, but what she loves most about the business is being able to feed people.In August, Milk Bottle donated over…
By Vivian Roach | Staff WriterBaylor’s Christian mission is expected to be upheld by faculty on campus and in class through their courses. However, when classes went online, the Baylor Institute for Faith and Learning asked a new question: how might faith animate teaching and learning online?The Baylor Institute for Faith and Learning (IFL) and the Academy for Teaching and Learning have worked through the transition to online classes to answer this question.University Chaplain Dr. Burt Burleson said incorporating Baylor’s Christian mission happens in many ways.“Sometimes faith perspectives and conversations are central to course content. Sometimes the way a class…
By Vivian Roach | Staff Writer, Video by Winston Margaritis and George Schroeder | Broadcast Reporters After Martin Residence Hall students were placed under a Reside in Place order, a few of them decided to partake in fishing for food deliveries with their own shirts, sheets and other lengthy clothing. Students on the third and fourth floor of Martin Residence Hall were put under a Reside in Place order on Saturday, a hybrid quarantine measure that will last four days, after case numbers spiked from five to 21 on the two floors. Students are not allowed to leave their rooms…
By Vivian Roach | Staff WriterBaylor’s protocol for students who test positive for the coronavirus includes a team of contact tracers who work with the student to identify and notify the student’s close contacts.On Aug. 18, President Linda Livingstone said in a press conference that a team of trained contact tracers have been working with the county health department to quickly notify those with positive tests or who have been exposed.“We have a significant part of our staff who are a part of this and feel like we have a good plan in place for doing that,” Livingstone said. “Contact…
By Vivian Roach | Staff WriterBaylor Library and Academic Technology Services has had to rethink some of its computer resources for students in part because of social distancing guidelines and quarantine mandates.For years, the library has been lending out computers for students to use in the library or to check out for a week. Now, that doesn’t help students who are in isolation housing, self-quarantined for more than a week or those students who are utilizing remote learning.Andrew Telep, assistant director of experiential learning commons, explained the importance of computers now and the accommodations made for students who cannot benefit…
By Vivian Roach | Staff WriterWhen Texas first reopened after quarantine sometime around May, I returned to Waco after a quiet few months at home. Back in Waco, I quarantined with my three roommates for the summer. It was the best three months of my life, at least compared to being in quarantine with my family.During these three months, I returned home on a surprise occasion for Father’s Day and once more for a family trip. Now, each time I went home I was struck with a paralyzing fear as the airplane touched down in Columbus, Ohio. I didn’t want…
By Vivian Roach | Staff WriterThe Baylor COVID-19 dashboard was released Monday, reflecting pre-semester baseline data as students, faculty and staff returned to campus.From August 1 to 3 p.m. Monday, the dashboard recorded a 1% positivity rate in the health services testing, third-party testing kits sent to students, faculty and staff, and self-reported positive test results from faculty, staff, and on-campus contractors. The dashboard includes four graphs reflecting daily new cases and new case averages over seven days, daily positive rates and average positive rates over seven days. Also, total active cases and cumulative reported cases are recorded with a…
By Vivian Roach | Staff WriterBaylor’s plan was always to get back to campus after classes went online for the second half of the spring semester in March. As the phases of the COVID-19 pandemic evolved, so did the plan to return to campus.Jason Cook, Baylor’s vice president for marketing and communications and chief marketing officer, said the top priority for the school was ultimately to get everyone back safely.Cook said the question was “what can we do in terms of health and safety protocols and academically to get our students and our faculty back on campus this fall?”With the…
By Vivian Roach | Staff WriterAlong with the many changes to campus Baylor students will see this fall semester, dining services have been adjusted to meet health recommendations by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention as well as state and local health authorities.Baylor announced that all dining facilities, retail eateries, convenience stores and coffee shops would be open this fall semester. Changes to meal plans, technology, service style, employee safety measures and cleaning enhancements by Aramark are planned.Aramark Resident District Manager Sean McMahon said there will no longer be any self-serve bars around the dining halls to mitigate the…
By Vivian Roach | Staff WriterA Baylor student filed a class action lawsuit against the university claiming it failed to properly compensate students for changes made in response to the coronavirus pandemic.Allison King, a Baylor student from McAllen, filed a class action lawsuit against the school for breach of contract on the grounds that students did not agree to pay tuition for online classes at the beginning of the spring 2020 semester. King is also suing for unjust enrichment by Baylor for keeping student’s tuition payments.“Students choosing an on-campus learning environment pay for the opportunity to have in-person classes featuring…
Live twitter discussion will address free speech on media platforms during the COVID-19 pandemic.
By Vivian Roach | Staff Writer Baylor President Dr. Linda Livingstone announced that the university intends to resume in-person teaching, learning and residential life for the fall 2020 semester.However, it should not be expected that campus life will look the same until there is a vaccine for COVID-19. In an effort to lessen any threat of the virus to students, faculty and staff, Livingstone said that class instruction, residential life and on-campus activities will be adapted accordingly.“The President’s council —in close consultation with our COVID-19 Task Force, the deans and academic leadership, local government and public health officials — has…
By Vivian Roach | Staff WriterThe Waco ISD board of trustees awarded the Waco ISD Rise award for outstanding community partners Thursday night to McLennan Community College and Texas Hunger Initiative/Baylor Collaborative on Hunger and Poverty.The Baylor Collaborative on Hunger and Poverty was launched in fall of 2019, and it is an umbrella entity under the Texas Hunger Initiative that provides meals to families without food.Executive director of communications for Waco ISD, Joshua Wucher, said the theme for the school year was “rise,” meant to inspire Waco ISD families, employees and the community to rise over challenges together.“Waco ISD rises…
By Vivian Roach | Staff WriterTo my dismay, my long-lost twin sister never moved in across the street from me so we could be best friends. I’m sure I wasn’t the only kid, siblings or not, who fantasized this same story.Only a happy report from an only child here. I’m independent, mature, comfortable with solitude, able to entertain myself and confident. I’m both my parents’ favorite, and yours’ too.There is a stigma to only children that they are selfish. In hindsight, it would seem only children would be selfish because I never had to compete as a child. I never…
Dia Del Oso: Social distancing edition incorporates old and new events into the virtual celebration of Baylor’s own annual spring holiday on April 20.
The Steppin’ In Challenge offers a new take on the Steppin ‘Out tradition by providing at-home community service projects..
LinkedIn workshop offers students user-friendly tips on how to build their LinkedIn profile and advance their network.
By Vivian Roach | Staff Writer Baylor health services remain open and running throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. Currently, the health center, pharmacy and physical therapy center are open and offering in-person appointments for any unrelated upper respiratory health issues. They are open 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.Every patient will be screened for exposure, travel history and symptoms before in-person appointments. All staff are asked to wear gloves and staff and patients are asked to wear masks.Those who need to transfer prescriptions to a local pharmacy may do so by bringing their medicine to the intended pharmacy it…
By Vivian Roach | Staff WriterDue to shelter-in-place orders, at-home workouts are becoming the new normal. Living rooms, garages and bedrooms have been transformed into the gym for workouts. Bodyweight workouts, or ones with improvised fitness equipment from items found around the house are top of the queue. Fitness programs are offering free workouts through apps, Instagram stories, posts and Facebook pages.One app for workout and fitness guidance, Nike Training Club, is offering free premium memberships until further notice. “We’re evolving as the world evolves and we want to help you stay healthy and active with your fellow teammates,” the…
By Vivian Roach | Staff Writer The Nu Iota chapter of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority Inc. and the Department of Student Activities is offering a virtual StompFest experience this week through Instagram. Each day, the student productions committee updates their story with special looks into the production, step routines and step tutorials.Stompfest is an annual all-university step show. It gives organizations the opportunity to learn step, a traditional form of dance rooted in African-American culture. Members of Zeta Phi Beta recruit step coaches throughout the fall semester, who will prepare teams for the show in the spring. Each team choreographs…
By Vivian Roach | Staff WriterBaylor President Linda Livingstone hosted a Facebook live with the Baylor community to talk about the university’s coronavirus response Tuesday afternoon.Livingstone addressed questions about future plans for Baylor students and what implications COVID-19 could have on the university in the coming months.Many from the Baylor community participated in the video chat by submitting their questions and concerns in real time. Viewers also offered encouraging comments to President Livingstone and the Baylor faculty and staff.Livingstone said that throughout this whole process the leadership team, board of regents and herself keep with three priorities while decision-making. They…
By Vivian Roach | Staff WriterBaylor financial services announced students will be provided prorated credits for the time and money lost in on-campus resources.With students unable to utilize their on-campus housing, dining hall meals and parking passes, financial services said Monday night, “the university will provide prorated credits for housing, meal plans, and parking permits and will pay students receiving federal work-study. In certain circumstances, the credits provided may result in a reimbursement.”Students who were not able to remain in their residence halls will receive credit for the housing room rates for the dates March 16 through May 12.Meal plans…