Once the high-cost event took off, seven student performances commenced, broken up by giveaways and raffles in between. The second half of the show was a premiere screening of “The Celebration of Everlasting Color,” a student-produced feature film written by 2025 Baylor graduate Aaron Rivera.

A Night Under the Stars, which takes place on the evening of November 7 at Fountain Mall, will feature eight performances with live voting from the audience, an array of food trucks, and a premiere of “A Celebration of Everlasting Color,” an hour-long feature film created entirely by Baylor students. But before the event became a reality, it dealt with questioning when seeking approval and funding. And for good reason.

The student regent attends all meetings of the Board of Regents and advocates for the best interests of the student body. The student must also demonstrate a high level of knowledge about relevant issues and Baylor’s desire to fulfill the obligation.

One of the projects we’re especially excited about this semester is the redevelopment of the airport shuttle service between campus and the Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport.

The Pflugerville senior made many promises in his junior year campaign, including an airport shuttle, energetic football games and increased campus involvement.

Alongside continuing to supply students with fresh food and basic products, The Store will add to its selection of special diet foods, implement an online shopping system and begin a marketing campaign to encourage students to donate to The Store through donated money, food items or meal swipes.

By connecting with the students and their families, Self said their feedback will help how they approach the upcoming school year — by focusing on students’ needs and concerns.

“I know this may not seem like something that’s making an impact, but I’m sure it will make an impact in the future and make a difference to the students on campus,” Merced said.

The ACCESS at Baylor Act, which will take effect at the start of the fall 2025 semester if approved, seeks to provide the university community with the Waco Transit System, and therefore have direct routes leading to off-campus academic buildings and other important locations throughout the city.

The bill, which is the largest that student government has passed this academic year, aims to set into motion a renovation that provides students with updated study spaces featuring new furniture, redone carpet and repainted walls, which will be completed over the summer ahead of the Fall 2025 semester.

Campaign season for Baylor’s next student body president kicked off Wednesday, with three experienced juniors vying for the title. These three candidates have each had extensive experience in different areas of student government, making for a close presidential race.

“We’re protecting one another, and we’re standing with individuals who are survivors as well and not shying away from the topic at all, but also giving sanctity to the month that is hosted to promote the awareness of it, which is also preventative,” Willis said.

RISE, which stands for Reflecting Cultural Diversity, Inspiring Leadership Growth, Strengthening Community Relations and Ensuring Lasting Impact, passed on March 6 in the student senate, with 32 of 35 senators voting in favor. It ensures 2.5% of the roughly $500,000 Student Government Allocation Fund — about $12,000 — is dedicated to helping sponsor cultural organizations.

SGAF funding can be used for all types of campus groups, ranging from Greek organizations to cultural clubs and anything in between. The SGAF has provided funding for events like Pi Beta Phi’s “Howdy,” fraternity car washes, and even a luau. El Paso senior and Student Senate Finance Chair Aron Basurto said that Student Government prides itself on the diversity of the events it has funded.

In the second episode of Baylor’s Bearly Presidential Podcast, Aurora, Colo., senior, Student Body President and newly minted podcast host Lily Davis sat down with the redshirt junior and Mississippi State transfer. The conversation began with a discussion of a historic 37-34 win against TCU, moved into life as a student and as a Christian and finally found its way to an array of bizarre personal stories.

Aurora, Colo., senior and Student Body President Lily Davis said that one thing she hopes to implement is a game day participation incentive modeled after one created by the University of Cincinnati which could see students winning prizes for attending games.

The Student Body Constitution states that fall elections must occur prior to the sixth Friday of the semester, which would be Oct. 4. However, a delay arose due to a previously unfilled vacancy in the electoral commissioner position, Hewitt sophomore and senate public relations chair Naomi Burgess said.

Given the upcoming general election in the United States, Self said now is the time that students can learn about the importance of voting on a smaller scale at school, so that their voice can be heard both on campus as well as at the local, state and federal levels.

For Davis, it wasn’t just the on-field performances that made football games so grim last season. A lot of students find it hard to embrace the game day atmosphere whether the Bears win or lose, Davis said. For unaffiliated students, the experience can be lacking.

Student government, despite its name, is not best defined as a governing body. According to primary staff advisor Tanner Vickers, it’s really an “advocacy group that acts on behalf of the undergraduate student body.”

As a distinguished institution of higher education, it is imperative that we uphold the recognition and preservation of the rights of our students. However, I recently learned that the due process rights of our student organizations have been overlooked for an extended period.

Results for the 2024-2025 Baylor student government elections are in after polls closed Wednesday night. Aurora, Colo., junior Lily Davis…

Baylor student government is aiming to support college students and campus organizations who exhibit leadership skills with its new leadership development grants. The application is open to students and organizations who are under 25 years old and wish to further pursue their ambitions with additional funding. The deadline to apply is May 31.

While serving in the role of student body president over the past year, The Woodlands senior Nick Madincea has brought the distinct perspective of a nontraditional student and an entrepreneur to Baylor student government.

Following the 1954 Supreme Court case Brown v. the Board of Education — which began a decadeslong process of the racial integration of public schools — Baylor voluntarily adopted racial integration in 1963. While the university has made strides to embrace diversity and inclusion on campus since then, members of the Baylor community say there is always work to be done.

Inspired by the governing bodies of Baylor and other R1 institutions, The Woodlands senior and Student Body President Nick Madincea said student government aims to be the first in the Big 12 to roll out a five-year strategic plan. He said the strategic plan will help the organization unveil new projects while carrying on old ones.

“One of the aspects that I think I’m personally most excited for is a trophy. So the winner of the game will be getting a trophy. And this is to be a traveling trophy that goes back and forth between the two institutions, whoever wins that year,” Davis said.

“I believe in being an energetic executive. And I think that one of the biggest misconceptions I see in student government is people think that there’s a lot of time. We really don’t have much time at all, you know, we have essentially nine months in my position to get stuff done,” Madincea said. “So what I’m really hoping is that people kind of see my cabinet being energetic and proactive and getting out there and getting a lot done. And that that motivates them to act and to act quickly and energetically in service to our student body.”

Student government is preparing for the new school year with a number of goals, including solidifying the airport shuttle service, improving safety and cultivating stronger relationships on campus.

Now that the sun has set on the 2022-2023 academic year, The Baylor Lariat has compiled all the most important Baylor-focused news since August. In chronological order, here they are.