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Wikipedia

Baylor University

Baylor University is a private Baptist Christian research university in Waco, Texas. Baylor was chartered in 1845 by the last Congress of the Republic of Texas. Baylor is the oldest continuously operating university in Texas and one of the first educational institutions west of the Mississippi River in the United States. Located on the banks of the Brazos River next to I-35, between the Dallas–Fort Worth Metroplex and Austin, the university's 1,000-acre (400-hectare) campus is the largest Baptist university in the world.[5]

Baylor University
MottoPro Ecclesia, Pro Texana (Latin)
Motto in English
"For Church, For Texas"
TypePrivate research university
EstablishedFebruary 1, 1845; 179 years ago (1845-02-01)
AccreditationSACS
Religious affiliation
Baptist General Convention of Texas
Academic affiliations
Endowment$1.97 billion (2023)[1]
PresidentLinda Livingstone
ProvostNancy Brickhouse
Academic staff
1,167 (Fall 2023)[2]
Students20,824 (Fall 2023)[2]
Undergraduates15,155 (Fall 2023)[2]
Postgraduates5,669 (Fall 2023)[2]
Location, ,
United States

31°32′53″N 97°06′58″W / 31.548°N 97.116°W / 31.548; -97.116
CampusMidsize city,[3] 1,000 acres (4.0 km2)
NewspaperThe Baylor Lariat
ColorsGreen and Gold
   [4]
NicknameBears
Sporting affiliations
NCAA Division I FBSBig 12
Mascot
Websitewww.baylor.edu

As of Fall 2023, Baylor had a total enrollment of 20,824 students (15,155 undergraduate and 5,669 graduate). It is classified among "R1: Doctoral Universities – Very High Research Activity".[6] The university grants undergraduate and graduate degrees, including doctoral and professional degrees. Baylor University's athletic teams, known as the Bears, participate in 19 intercollegiate sports. The university is a member of the Big 12 Conference in NCAA Division I.

History edit

 
This statue of Judge Baylor is at the front of Founder's Mall in the heart of campus.

In 1841, 35 delegates to the Union Baptist Association meeting voted to adopt the suggestion of the Rev. William Milton Tryon and R. E. B. Baylor to establish a Baptist university in Texas, then an independent republic. Baylor, a Texas district judge and onetime U.S. Congressman and soldier from Alabama, became the school's namesake. Some at first wished to name the new university "San Jacinto" to recognize the victory which enabled the Texans to become an independent nation, then before the final vote of the Congress, the petitioners requested the university be named in honor of Baylor.

 
Judge R. E. B. Baylor

In fall 1844, the Texas Baptist Education Society petitioned the Congress of the Republic of Texas to charter a Baptist university. Republic President Anson Jones signed the Act of Congress on February 1, 1845, officially establishing Baylor University. The founders built the original university campus in Independence, Texas. The Rev. James Huckins, the first Southern Baptist missionary to Texas, was Baylor's first full-time fundraiser. He is considered the third founding father of the university. Although these three men are credited as being the founders of the university, many others worked to see the first university established in Texas and thus they were awarded Baylor's Founders Medal.[7] The noted Texas revolutionary war leader and hero Sam Houston gave the first $5,000 donation to start the university. In 1854, Houston was also baptized by the Rev. Rufus Columbus Burleson, future Baylor president, in the Brazos River.[8]

During the 1846 school year Baylor leaders would begin including chapel as part of the Baylor educational experience. The tradition continues today and has been a part of the life of students for over 160 years. In 1849, R. E. B. Baylor and Abner S. Lipscomb of the Texas Supreme Court began teaching classes in the "science of law," making Baylor the first in Texas and the second university west of the Mississippi to teach law. During this time Stephen Decatur Rowe would earn the first degree awarded by Baylor. He would be followed by the first female graduate, Mary Kavanaugh Gentry, in 1855.

In 1851, Baylor's second president, Rufus Columbus Burleson, decided to separate the students by sex, making the Baylor Female College an independent and separate institution. Baylor University became an all-male institution. During this time, Baylor thrived as the only university west of the Mississippi offering instruction in law, mathematics, and medicine. At the time a Baylor education cost around $8–15 per term for tuition. And many of the early leaders of the Republic of Texas, such as Sam Houston, would later send their children to Baylor to be educated. Some of those early students were Temple Lea Houston, son of President Sam Houston, a famous western gun-fighter and attorney; and Lawrence Sullivan "Sul" Ross famous Confederate general and later President of Texas A&M University.

 
In 1892, Baylor University had two main buildings, Old Main and Burleson Hall

For the first half of the American Civil War, the Baylor president was George Washington Baines, maternal great-grandfather of the future U.S. President, Lyndon B. Johnson. He worked vigorously to sustain the university during the Civil War, when male students left their studies to enlist in the Confederate Army. Following the war, the city of Independence slowly declined, primarily caused by the rise of neighboring cities being serviced by the Santa Fe Railroad. Because Independence lacked a railroad line, university fathers began searching for a location to build a new campus.

Beginning in 1885, Baylor University moved to Waco, Texas, a growing town on the railroad line. It merged with a local college called Waco University. At the time, Burleson, Baylor's second president, was serving as the local college's president. That same year, the Baylor Female College also was moved to a new location, Belton, Texas. It later became known as the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor. A Baylor College Park still exists in Independence in memory of the college's history there. Around 1887, Baylor University began readmitting women and became coeducational again.

In the 1890s, William Cowper Brann published the highly successful Iconoclast newspaper in Waco. One of his targets was Baylor University. Brann revealed Baylor officials had been importing South American children recruited by missionaries and making house-servants out of them. Brann was shot in the back by Tom Davis, a Baylor supporter. Brann then wheeled, drew his pistol, and killed Davis. Brann was helped home by his friends, and died there of his wounds.

In 1900, three physicians founded the University of Dallas Medical Department in Dallas, although a university by that name did not exist. In 1903, Baylor University acquired the medical school, which became known as the Baylor College of Medicine, while remaining in Dallas. In 1943, Dallas civic leaders offered to build larger facilities for the university in a new medical center if the College of Medicine would surrender its denominational alliances with the Baptist state convention. The Baylor administration refused the offer and, with funding from the M. D. Anderson Foundation and others, moved the College of Medicine to Houston. In 1969, the Baylor College of Medicine became technically independent from Baylor University. The two institutions still maintain strong links and Baylor still elects around 25 percent of the medical school's regents. They also share academic links and combine in research efforts.

During World War II, Baylor was one of 131 colleges and universities nationally that took part in the V-12 Navy College Training Program which offered students a path to a Navy commission.[9]

The university first admitted black students in 1964.[10] The first black graduate was Robert Gilbert, of Waco.[11]

In 1991, Baylor began appointing the majority of its board, granting it partial independence from the Baptist General Convention of Texas.[12]

A ban on various forms of sexual conduct including "homosexual acts" was in place until 2015. The university has since modified its Code of Conduct.[13] As of 2021 the university prohibits LGBT student groups and is opposed to gay marriage.[14]

In 2021, Baylor released an independent historical report acknowledging past slave ownership and support for the Confederacy by R. E. B. Baylor and two founders. These facts were not previously acknowledged by the university.[15][16]

2010s sexual assault scandal edit

In 2015, the Baylor Board of Regents hired law firm Pepper Hamilton to perform an external review of Baylor's handling of sexual assaults.[17] The report, summarized by the board in a public "Findings of Facts" document, stated that Baylor failed to implement Title IX in a timely and effective manner, that Baylor administrators actively discouraged reporting of sexual assaults, and that the athletic department failed to address sexual assaults.[18][19] In response to the report, the Board of Regents fired Ken Starr as president of the university but retained him as Chancellor and as a law school professor;[20] he resigned as Chancellor shortly thereafter and resigned as law professor in August 2016.[21] The school also fired head football coach Art Briles.[22]

Title IX exemption edit

In a May 1, 2023, letter to the Department of Education Office for Civil Rights, Baylor University's President Linda Livingstone requested a formal exemption from provisions of federal Title IX law related to the discrimination and harassment of LGBTQ+ individuals, on the basis that Baylor requires "purity in singleness and fidelity in marriage between a man and a woman as the biblical norm" and must "regulate conduct that is inconsistent with the religious values and beliefs that are integral to its Christian faith and mission."[23] On July 25, 2023, the Office for Civil Rights responded acknowledging exemption to Title IX for a number of provisions related to the discrimination of LGBTQ+ individuals, including "rules of private organizations" and "sexual harassment."[24] The exemption request, notable for its specific claim of exemption to Title IX's sexual harassment provision specifically in response to three active investigations against Baylor by the Office for Civil Rights, including one investigation into "Baylor's alleged response to notice that students were subjected to harassment based on their sexual orientation and/or gender identity," led five U.S. representatives, including Representative Adam Schiff, to write and sign a letter to Miguel Cardona, the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Education, requesting "thorough, timely investigations into the pending sex-based harassment cases against Baylor University and further clarification on the implications of this particular exemption on students' rights to be protected from sex-based harassment."[25][26]

Academics edit

Rankings edit

 
Baylor Law School on the Brazos River

USNWR graduate school rankings[36]

Business 56
Education 147
Engineering 129
Law 50
Nursing: Doctorate 59

USNWR departmental rankings[36]

Biological Sciences 85
Chemistry 88
Clinical Psychology 101
Earth Sciences 99
English 116
Entrepreneurship 8
Health Care Management 17
Mathematics 117
Nursing–Midwifery 21
Physical Therapy 13
Physics 124
Psychology 98
Public Health 62
Social Work 59
Sociology 87
Speech–Language Pathology 55
Statistics 83

In the 2021 "Best Colleges" rankings by U.S. News & World Report, Baylor was ranked tied for 76th best "national university" in the U.S., tied at 31st for "Best Undergraduate Teaching", tied at 25th for "Most Innovative".[37]

Baylor University is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools.[38]

Graduate rankings edit

Several Baylor graduate programs, including its law school, Hankamer School of Business and programs in the sciences and education are nationally ranked.[39] According to the National Research Council (NRC), among those programs, Baylor's Graduate program in English was ranked first for Student Support and Outcomes by the National Research Council, and Baylor's Doctoral program in Sociology was ranked third nationally, based on criteria such as the percentage of students receiving full financial support, PhD completion percentage, median time to completion of degrees, and job placement rate.[40][41]

Institutional organization edit

 
Pat Neff Hall houses the office of the university's president and others

The university is divided into twelve degree-granting academic units. Three of the units are designated as colleges, while eight others are designated as schools and one is a seminary.[42] They are:

  • College of Arts & Sciences
  • Diana R. Garland School of Social Work
  • George W. Truett Theological Seminary
  • Graduate School
  • Hankamer School of Business
  • Honors College
  • Law School
  • Louise Herrington School of Nursing
  • Robbins College of Health and Human Sciences
  • School of Education
  • School of Engineering & Computer Science
  • School of Music

Student life edit

Student body composition as of May 2, 2022
Race and ethnicity[43] Total
White 61% 61
 
Hispanic 16% 16
 
Asian 8% 8
 
Other[a] 6% 6
 
Black 5% 5
 
Foreign national 4% 4
 
Economic diversity
Low-income[b] 16% 16
 
Affluent[c] 84% 84
 
 
The sign inscribed Baylor's Student Union Building (SUB)
 
Student choirs and orchestras performing the 1812 Overture on Fountain Mall for the 2009 President's Concert.

More than 16,000 students study at Baylor University, representing all 50 states, the District of Columbia and approximately 89 foreign countries.[44][45] The university clubs and organizations provide each student with an opportunity to become engaged with an organization that shares his or her interests. Baylor University has a total undergraduate enrollment of 13,859, with a gender distribution of 42 percent male students and 58 percent female students. At Baylor, 36 percent of students live in college-owned, -operated, or -affiliated housing and 64 percent of students live off campus.

Clubs and organizations edit

Greek organizations edit

Approximately 14 percent of undergraduate men are members of fraternities, and 21 percent of undergraduate women are members of a sorority.[46] There are four councils at Baylor. Most of the university's fraternities began as local fraternities, before affiliating with their national organizations in the late 1970s.[47]

 
Phi Kappa Chi and Chi Omega performing at Baylor University's 2011 All-University Sing
Fraternities Nickname Status
Alpha Tau Omega ATO Active
Beta Theta Pi Beta Active
Delta Tau Delta Delt Active
Kappa Alpha Order KA Active
Kappa Sigma Ksig Active
Lambda Phi Epsilon Lambdas Active
Phi Gamma Delta Fiji Active
Phi Iota Alpha Phiota Active
Pi Kappa Phi Pi Kapp Active
Sigma Phi Epsilon SigEp Active
Sigma Chi Sigs Active[48]
Sigma Alpha Epsilon SAE Active
Tau Kappa Epsilon TKE Active
Beta Upsilon Chi BYX "Bucks" Active
Fraternities Nickname Status
Pi Kappa Alpha Pike Inactive
Sigma Nu Sig Nu Inactive
Lambda Chi Alpha Lambda Chi Inactive
Phi Delta Theta Phi Delt Inactive
Delta Upsilon Ducks Inactive
Sigma Tau Gamma Sig Tau Inactive
Sororities Nickname Local Founding Date Status
Alpha Delta Pi ADPi 1980 Active
Alpha Chi Omega AXO, Alpha Chi 1985 Active
Alpha Phi Aphi 2019 Active[49]
Chi Omega Chi-O 1977 Active
Delta Delta Delta Tri Delt 1977 Active
Kappa Alpha Theta Theta 1976 Active
Kappa Kappa Gamma Kappa 1977 Active
Pi Beta Phi Pi Phi 1977 Active
Zeta Tau Alpha Zeta 1977 Active
 
Delta Delta Delta and Kappa Alpha Order participate in Baylor University's 2018 Homecoming Parade.
Sororities Nickname Local Founding Date Status
Kappa Delta KD 1983 Inactive

Non-IFC fraternities, social clubs, and non-NPC sororities

Fraternities Sororities
Kappa Omega Tau Kappa Chi Alpha
Phi Kappa Chi Sigma Phi Lambda

NPHC Fraternities and Sororities

LGBT organizations edit

Historically, LGBT student organizations received no official recognition at Baylor University.[14] The subject of sexual orientation was "too complex" for student groups, according to the statement by a university official posted on a student group's blog.[50] In 2022, Baylor chartered an official LGBT organization[51] called "Prism", that follows the University's "Statement on Human Sexuality", which affirms "purity in singleness and fidelity in marriage between a man and a woman as the biblical norm" and prohibits advocacy groups from promoting "understandings of sexuality that are contrary to biblical teaching", including "homosexual behavior".[52]

Student activities edit

Every semester, students participate in various intramural sports. Students build teams within campus organizations, sororities/fraternities, residence halls, and personal friend groups. As of Fall 2022,[53] Baylor offers these intramural sports:

Fall semester Spring semester
Dodgeball 5-on-5 basketball
Indoor volleyball Table tennis
Ultimate Frisbee Singles tennis
Tennis mixed doubles Co-ed sand volleyball
Kickball Soccer
Canoe battle Spikeball
Flag football (7v7) Softball
Racquetball Track
Pickleball
Spikeball (co-ed)
 
The pool in the Student Life Center (SLC)

Golden Wave Band edit

The 2012 Homecoming halftime performance by the Baylor University Golden Wave Band

The Baylor University Golden Wave Band (BUGWB) is the halftime entertainment for Baylor football. The 340-member band attends every home football game and sometimes travels to away games.[54] The band's name dates back to 1928 when, while on tour in West Texas, observers noted that the band members' gold uniforms looked like a giant "golden wave" sweeping over the landscape.

 
Members of The NoZe Brotherhood in 2002

Noble NoZe Brotherhood edit

The Noble NoZe Brotherhood, an unofficial fraternal organization, was founded in 1924 to study the art of bridge construction in association with the BBA (Baylor Bridge Association). The brotherhood provides the university with unusual public pranks and satirical writings in its newspaper, The Rope. Members hide their identities to keep their actions anonymous.

Military programs edit

Baylor University has a strong history of military service dating back to before the Civil War and currently offers both Army and Air Force ROTC for students. Baylor graduates have served in every major military engagement in Texas history. Formal military instruction began on campus in 1888.

 
Baylor University's Air Force ROTC program celebrated 65 years in 2013.

Baylor has had several famous military graduates such as Andrew Jackson Lummus, Jr., who fought and died at the Battle of Iwo Jima during World War II and received the Medal of Honor for his service. John Riley Kane also received the Medal of Honor for his service after flying 43 combat missions for a total of 250 combat hours in Europe, Africa and the Middle East. Kane's daring operations caused German intelligence reports to dub him "Killer Kane."

In July 1948, the Air Force and Baylor University partnered in the creation of Air Force ROTC Detachment 810 - one of the first detachments ever created. In 2008, Detachment 810 was awarded the Air Force ROTC Right Of Line Award as the No. 1 large detachment in the nation. The unit was additionally awarded the High Flight Award, recognizing it as one of the top four detachments in America. It has been named best in the AFROTC Southwest Region for 1996, 2003 and 2008.

Baylor runs several postgraduate and professional health sciences programs in partnership with the Army Medical Department headquartered in San Antonio. Programs offered include the Doctor of Physical Therapy,[55] MHA, United States Army Graduate Program in Nursing Anesthesia (USAGPAN), and MHA/MBA (joint program).[56]

Research and endowment edit

 
Baylor Sciences Building

In 2005, the university was invited to join the Collider Detector at Fermilab (CDF) collaboration at the Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory in Batavia, Illinois.[57] The project is one of the world's largest experimental physics collaborations. The following year, the university was classified as "Research University" with "High Research Activity".[58] In 2021, the university was classified among "R1: Doctoral universities with very high research activity".[6]

 
The interior of the Baylor Sciences Building

In October 2009, a group of state, county and city governments and organizations and higher educational institutions in Central Texas announced the creation of the Central Texas Technology and Research Park, and the park's first project, the Baylor Research and Innovation Collaborative (BRIC) to be housed in the former General Tire facility on South Loop Drive in Waco. Funding for the effort came from the state of Texas and Baylor University. Clifton Robinson (a member of Baylor's Board of Regents) donated the facility to the university to support the research collaborative.[59][60]

 
Burleson Quadrangle

Several former and present members of faculty at Baylor are or were prominent proponents of intelligent design, most notably philosopher William Dembski, now at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, Christian philosopher Francis Beckwith and electrical engineer Robert J. Marks II.[61][62]

The university's endowment passed $1 billion in 2007 and reached $1,055,478,000 on December 31, 2007.[63] Even with the economic crisis of 2008, Baylor spokesperson Lori Fogleman reported that Baylor's endowment grew 5.1 percent in the fiscal year ending June 30, 2008; the National Association of College and University Business Officials estimated that during that same period, the median return for the top 25 percent of college endowments decreased by 2.2 percent. Fogleman cited the university's long-term investments and diversified holdings as the cause of the endowment's success. Despite a hired consulting firm's concerns that the troubled economy and disagreements within the Baylor community could hinder continued growth, the university's endowment exceeded $1.1 billion as of May 2013.[44]

On March 4, 2010, "An anonymous longtime Baylor donor ... set up an estate provision that will benefit the school to the tune of an estimated $200 million. The gift will bolster Baylor's research on the issues of aging in multiple disciplines at the school."[64] Citing the most recent data reported by the Chronicle of Higher Education, Baylor officials say the $200 million donation is the second-largest gift to a Texas college or university and ranks among the top 20 private gifts to higher education institutions in the country.[65]

Athletics edit

Men's sports Women's sports
Baseball Acrobatics & tumbling
Basketball Basketball
Cross country Cross country
Football Equestrian
Golf Golf
Tennis Soccer
Track and field Softball
Tennis
Track and field
Volleyball
† – Track and field includes both indoor and outdoor

Baylor student athletes participate in NCAA Division I as part of the Big 12 Conference. As of the 2021–22 school year, all teams are nicknamed "Bears". Women's teams had historically been known as "Lady Bears", but by the end of the 2010s almost all of these teams had dropped "Lady", with the last three holdouts of basketball, soccer, and volleyball following suit in fall 2021.[66][67] In the 2011–2012 season, Baylor broke the NCAA record for most combined wins in the four major collegiate sports: baseball, football, and men's and women's basketball.

The university has won NCAA titles in 2004, 2005, 2012, 2019, and 2021. The men's tennis team defeated UCLA in the 2004 championship match to garner the Baylor's first title.[68] One year later, the Baylor Lady Bears basketball team beat Michigan State in the championship game and was subsequently named as the only women's team to be nominated for a 2005 "Best Team" ESPY.[69] In 2012, the Baylor Lady Bears basketball team beat the Notre Dame Fighting Irish in the NCAA National Championship; the first college basketball team to ever finish with a perfect 40–0 record. The Bears men's basketball team won the 2021 NCAA National Championship after beating the Gonzaga Bulldogs 86–70. It is the university's first men's national championship.

The Baylor men's basketball team advanced to the Elite Eight of the NCAA 'March Madness' Championship tournament in 2010, 2012, and 2021. Under the direction of head coach Scott Drew, Baylor achieved a record of 121–55 (.688) between the 2008–2012 seasons and reached post-season play in four of those years. Four former Baylor basketball players were drafted in the first or second round of the NBA draft in the 2011 and 2012 seasons:

Year of the Bear edit

The Year of the Bear is the name given to the 2011–2012 year in Baylor Athletics. During this year, the Baylor Bears football team defeated Big 12 rival Oklahoma (No. 5 AP) for the first time ever, as well as future bitter Big 12 rival TCU (No. 14 AP), ending the season at 10-3 ranked at No. 12 (No. 13 AP). Junior quarterback Robert Griffin III gained recognition throughout the year and was awarded both the 2011 Heisman Trophy and National Player of the Year honors.

Meanwhile, the men's basketball team started with 17 straight wins en route to a 30–8 season (the best in school history), a berth in the NCAA Elite Eight (its second in three seasons) and a No. 10 final ranking. The women's basketball team won the program's second national title, becoming the first basketball program – men's or women's – to finish 40–0. Center Brittney Griner was named the National Player of the Year, while Coach Kim Mulkey was awarded National Coach of the Year. The baseball team won 49 games (one shy of its all-time best), including a Big 12-record 18-game conference winning streak and school-record 24-game winning streak. Although ranked at No. 1 for two weeks (a program first), the baseball team finished in the NCAA Super Regionals and a No. 9 ranking.

Baylor's four major programs (football, men's and women's basketball, and baseball) finished with an NCAA record 129 wins during the year (and an overall record of 129–28 for a winning percentage of .822) and Baylor was the only school to have all four programs ranked at the end of their respective seasons. The football and (men's and women's) basketball programs also set NCAA records with a combined 80 wins between them, including a stretch from November 1, 2011, to January 16, 2012, when the three programs had 40 consecutive wins between them.[70]

Outside of the four major programs, Baylor was one of only two schools that had all 19 of its sponsored sports advance to the post season.[70]

McLane Stadium edit

 
Baylor University's McLane Stadium

Following the 'Year of the Bear,' it was announced in July 2012 that a new $260 million football stadium to be called "McLane Stadium" would be constructed on the university's campus. Opened in fall 2014, the stadium holds 45,000 spectators and is situated on 93 acres (38 hectares) of land adjacent to the Brazos River and Interstate 35. The stadium was planned by architecture firm Populous, known for its design of Yankee Stadium in New York and Houston's Minute Maid Park. A partnership between Austin Commercial-Flintco LLC oversaw the project as its contractor.[71]

From 1936 to 1949, the Baylor Bears home football games were played at Waco/Municipal Stadium. In 1950, the team moved to the newly constructed Floyd Casey Stadium (originally named Baylor Stadium), located four miles from campus with a seating capacity of up to 50,000 spectators.[72] The stadium has been renovated several times, most notably in 1998 and 2005.[73]

Mascots edit

Baylor's mascot is the American black bear. The university had two live bears on campus named Joy and Lady, each bearing the title of Judge in honor of the first live mascot. Joy died on July 18, 2022, and Lady became a graduate of the class of 2023, officially retiring to a brand new facility off campus. The university announced in May 2023 that it was welcoming two new bear cubs to campus, cousins named Indy and Belle. The name "Indy" comes from "Independence", the town of Baylor's founding, and "Belle" pulls from the Carillon bells on campus. Like the past living mascots, they will reside on campus.[74] The school's costumed mascots are Bruiser and Marigold.

Although Baylor began intercollegiate athletic competition in the 1890s, students did not elect the university's mascot until 1914.[75] The other two dozen nominees included the bald eagle and the bookworm.[76] Three years later, the 107th Engineers, a U.S. Army troop stationed in Waco, gave Baylor its first live bear. The 107th Engineers had found the bear while traveling by train to Waco. After the troop left, the Baylor University Chamber of Commerce began caring for the animal. The organization still cares for the university's live bears.

One of the most famous Baylor mascots was "Big Joe" or "College Joe" in the 1930s. The bear (originally named Buckshot) was the pet of local businessman Herbert E. Mayr and was known to perform circus tricks and drink from a bottle at Mayr's business.[77] The bear was housed at The Cotton Palace Zoo after it became too large to keep as a pet and destroyed the backseat of Mayr's car. Due to the expense of food, Mayr transferred responsibility for the bear to Waco attorney Woodie Zachery.[78] It was later adopted by W.W. Boyd and soon began its 11 years as Baylor's mascot "College Joe." Following its death, the bear was stuffed and given a special display at the university.[79]

The university's costumed mascot, Bruiser, was introduced at the beginning of the 1981–1982 basketball season.[80] The mascot appears at football and basketball events, along with university pep rallies and community events. Bruiser also travels with the basketball team to games for the Big 12 Basketball Tournament, NIT and NCAA Tournaments.[80]

Traditions edit

Baylor has many traditions that have developed since the university was founded. Some take the form of annual celebrations, while others are symbolized in memorials. The Baylor Chamber of Commerce is the oldest student organization on the campus that is responsible for most of the school's traditions.

 
The Baylor Line on the field of a home football game

Baylor Line edit

The Baylor Line is a tradition for new students that began in 1970. Freshmen embrace the spirit of Baylor by wearing special football jerseys and rushing the field before home football games. Each "Line Jersey" has a nickname chosen by the student and his or her intended year of graduation on the back. From its inception until 1994, only male students were allowed to run the Line. Before the football game on Saturday, October 28, 2017, alumnae who were not allowed to run in the Line were invited to join the Freshmen in the run.[81]

Mass Meeting edit

The Thursday night of Homecoming Week, new Baylor students (Freshmen and Transfers) attend a mass meeting in Waco Hall where they learn about the Immortal Ten, the ten student athletes who died in a bus-train accident in Round Rock, Texas, on January 22, 1927. After the Mass Meeting, the freshmen class build a bonfire on Fountain Mall which often includes burning vigils of the homecoming football opponent's mascot created by the various on campus houses.[82]

Homecoming edit

The nation's first homecoming celebrations originated at Baylor in November 1909. Not long after, the idea was adopted by the University of Illinois in 1910, the University of Missouri in 1911, and at universities throughout the U.S. in the years that followed.[83][84] The Baylor Homecoming event began as a way to reconnect alumni with current students but has now grown to include a football game, bonfire, concerts, speeches, receptions, class reunions, pep rallies, and the nation's oldest and longest collegiate parade.[85]

 
The Immortal Ten Memorial

Immortal Ten edit

On January 22, 1927, a bus carrying the Baylor basketball team collided with the Sunshine Special train in Round Rock, Texas. Ten members of the traveling party were killed and many others were injured in the accident. The story of the Immortal Ten is told each year at Freshman Mass Meeting, where the names of the ten are called out. In 1996, the senior class provided initial funding to create an Immortal Ten statue on campus. Fundraising and planning for the statue continued over the ensuing years. Finally, on June 22, 2007, the statue sculpted by Bruce R. Greene was unveiled. The Immortal Ten memorial was officially dedicated during Homecoming on November 2, 2007, in Traditions Square.[86][87][88][89][90]

Alma mater edit

Baylor's alma mater is "That Good Ol' Baylor Line." In 1906, a student penned humorous words to the tune of "In the Good Old Summer Time" and they became generally accepted among the student body as the school fight song. However, in 1931, Enid Eastland Markham, wife of music professor Robert Markham, felt the words were neither dignified enough nor representative of the total university, so she decided to write new lyrics, which were soon sanctioned as the official school song. The "Good Ol' Summer Time" tune was later arranged to fit Mrs. Markham's "Baylor Line" through the work of Jack Goode, Donald I. Moore and Charles F. Brown.

Notable alumni, faculty and staff edit

 
Willie Nelson attended Baylor

With more than 180,000 living alumni, Baylor is represented by notable individuals in an array of public and professional spheres.

Graduates acclaimed for their work in the arts include Pulitzer Prize-winning composer Steven Stucky, GMA Dove Award-winning composer Bruce Greer, Grammy Award-winning Christian recording artist Phil Driscoll, Christian recording artist David Crowder, Grammy-winning Gaither Vocal Band tenor David Phelps, screenwriter and director John Lee Hancock (with works including The Blind Side, nominated for the 2009 Academy Award for Best Picture), screenwriter Derek Haas (with works including 3:10 to Yuma and Wanted, both nominated for multiple Academy Awards), Emmy Award-nominated director Kevin Reynolds, Emmy-winning actress Angela Kinsey (the character of Angela Martin in NBC's The Office), Emmy-nominated actress Allison Tolman, Tony Award-nominated actress Elizabeth A. Davis, actress Carole Cook (a protégé of Lucille Ball), ventriloquist Jeff Dunham, and The Silence of the Lambs writer Thomas Harris.

Also alumni of the university are Chip and Joanna Gaines, who graduated in 1998 and 2001 respectively. They are the stars of the former HGTV show, Fixer Upper and are frequently involved in the Baylor community. In 2020, they left HGTV after being offered an opportunity to develop and star in their own network – Magnolia Network – which began airing in 2021 as part of the Discovery Family of Networks.[91]

Alumni known for leadership in the private and public sectors include People Magazine co-founder Hal C. Wingo, The Weather Channel CFO Jerry Elliott, American Airlines CEO Thomas W. Horton, Western Refining CEO Paul Foster, Allbritton Communications Company (the parent company of Politico) founder Joe Allbritton, XTO Energy CEO Bob R. Simpson, chairman of the McLane Group and former owner of the Houston Astros Drayton McLane, Jr., Oracle Corporation CEO Mark Hurd, former chairman and CEO of Stanford Financial Group and convicted fraudster Allen Stanford, EXUSMED CEO and founder of Empowering Spirits Foundation A. Latham Staples, former mayor of San Antonio Phil Hardberger, former Governor of Texas Ann Richards, former Governor of Texas Mark Wells White Jr., former Federal Bureau of Investigation director William S. Sessions, and ninth president of Goucher College Judy Jolley Mohraz.

Professional athletes who graduated from the university include quarterback and 2011 Heisman Trophy-winner Robert Griffin III, Phoenix Mercury WNBA player Brittney Griner, four-time Olympic gold medalist Michael Johnson, and Baseball Hall of Fame inductee Ted Lyons.

Grammy–winning recording artist Willie Nelson, actor Austin Miller and Senator Rand Paul attended Baylor . Former United States Vice President John Nance Garner (Franklin D. Roosevelt President) received an honorary doctor of laws degree from Baylor in 1936.[92] Actor and comedian Bill Cosby received an honorary doctor of humane letters degree from the university in 2003,[93] which was rescinded in 2015.[94]

For information on notable faculty, staff and other alumni, please see the List of Baylor University people.

Campus edit

See also edit

Notes edit

  1. ^ Other consists of Multiracial Americans & those who prefer to not say.
  2. ^ The percentage of students who received an income-based federal Pell grant intended for low-income students.
  3. ^ The percentage of students who are a part of the American middle class at the bare minimum.

References edit

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External links edit

  • Official website  
  • Baylor Athletics website

baylor, university, baylor, college, redirects, here, other, uses, baylor, college, disambiguation, this, article, needs, additional, citations, verification, please, help, improve, this, article, adding, citations, reliable, sources, unsourced, material, chal. Baylor College redirects here For other uses see Baylor College disambiguation This article needs additional citations for verification Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources Unsourced material may be challenged and removed Find sources Baylor University news newspapers books scholar JSTOR July 2023 Learn how and when to remove this message Baylor University is a private Baptist Christian research university in Waco Texas Baylor was chartered in 1845 by the last Congress of the Republic of Texas Baylor is the oldest continuously operating university in Texas and one of the first educational institutions west of the Mississippi River in the United States Located on the banks of the Brazos River next to I 35 between the Dallas Fort Worth Metroplex and Austin the university s 1 000 acre 400 hectare campus is the largest Baptist university in the world 5 Baylor UniversityMottoPro Ecclesia Pro Texana Latin Motto in English For Church For Texas TypePrivate research universityEstablishedFebruary 1 1845 179 years ago 1845 02 01 AccreditationSACSReligious affiliationBaptist General Convention of TexasAcademic affiliationsCRLNAICUASAIHLEndowment 1 97 billion 2023 1 PresidentLinda LivingstoneProvostNancy BrickhouseAcademic staff1 167 Fall 2023 2 Students20 824 Fall 2023 2 Undergraduates15 155 Fall 2023 2 Postgraduates5 669 Fall 2023 2 LocationWaco Texas United States31 32 53 N 97 06 58 W 31 548 N 97 116 W 31 548 97 116CampusMidsize city 3 1 000 acres 4 0 km2 NewspaperThe Baylor LariatColorsGreen and Gold 4 NicknameBearsSporting affiliationsNCAA Division I FBS Big 12MascotJudge Lady Judge Indy Judge Belle live bears Bruiser and Marigold costumed Websitewww wbr baylor wbr edu As of Fall 2023 update Baylor had a total enrollment of 20 824 students 15 155 undergraduate and 5 669 graduate It is classified among R1 Doctoral Universities Very High Research Activity 6 The university grants undergraduate and graduate degrees including doctoral and professional degrees Baylor University s athletic teams known as the Bears participate in 19 intercollegiate sports The university is a member of the Big 12 Conference in NCAA Division I Contents 1 History 1 1 2010s sexual assault scandal 1 2 Title IX exemption 2 Academics 2 1 Rankings 2 2 Graduate rankings 2 3 Institutional organization 3 Student life 3 1 Clubs and organizations 3 1 1 Greek organizations 3 1 2 LGBT organizations 3 2 Student activities 3 3 Golden Wave Band 3 4 Noble NoZe Brotherhood 3 5 Military programs 4 Research and endowment 5 Athletics 5 1 Year of the Bear 5 2 McLane Stadium 5 3 Mascots 6 Traditions 6 1 Baylor Line 6 2 Mass Meeting 6 3 Homecoming 6 4 Immortal Ten 6 5 Alma mater 7 Notable alumni faculty and staff 8 Campus 9 See also 10 Notes 11 References 12 External linksHistory edit nbsp This statue of Judge Baylor is at the front of Founder s Mall in the heart of campus In 1841 35 delegates to the Union Baptist Association meeting voted to adopt the suggestion of the Rev William Milton Tryon and R E B Baylor to establish a Baptist university in Texas then an independent republic Baylor a Texas district judge and onetime U S Congressman and soldier from Alabama became the school s namesake Some at first wished to name the new university San Jacinto to recognize the victory which enabled the Texans to become an independent nation then before the final vote of the Congress the petitioners requested the university be named in honor of Baylor nbsp Judge R E B Baylor In fall 1844 the Texas Baptist Education Society petitioned the Congress of the Republic of Texas to charter a Baptist university Republic President Anson Jones signed the Act of Congress on February 1 1845 officially establishing Baylor University The founders built the original university campus in Independence Texas The Rev James Huckins the first Southern Baptist missionary to Texas was Baylor s first full time fundraiser He is considered the third founding father of the university Although these three men are credited as being the founders of the university many others worked to see the first university established in Texas and thus they were awarded Baylor s Founders Medal 7 The noted Texas revolutionary war leader and hero Sam Houston gave the first 5 000 donation to start the university In 1854 Houston was also baptized by the Rev Rufus Columbus Burleson future Baylor president in the Brazos River 8 During the 1846 school year Baylor leaders would begin including chapel as part of the Baylor educational experience The tradition continues today and has been a part of the life of students for over 160 years In 1849 R E B Baylor and Abner S Lipscomb of the Texas Supreme Court began teaching classes in the science of law making Baylor the first in Texas and the second university west of the Mississippi to teach law During this time Stephen Decatur Rowe would earn the first degree awarded by Baylor He would be followed by the first female graduate Mary Kavanaugh Gentry in 1855 In 1851 Baylor s second president Rufus Columbus Burleson decided to separate the students by sex making the Baylor Female College an independent and separate institution Baylor University became an all male institution During this time Baylor thrived as the only university west of the Mississippi offering instruction in law mathematics and medicine At the time a Baylor education cost around 8 15 per term for tuition And many of the early leaders of the Republic of Texas such as Sam Houston would later send their children to Baylor to be educated Some of those early students were Temple Lea Houston son of President Sam Houston a famous western gun fighter and attorney and Lawrence Sullivan Sul Ross famous Confederate general and later President of Texas A amp M University nbsp In 1892 Baylor University had two main buildings Old Main and Burleson Hall For the first half of the American Civil War the Baylor president was George Washington Baines maternal great grandfather of the future U S President Lyndon B Johnson He worked vigorously to sustain the university during the Civil War when male students left their studies to enlist in the Confederate Army Following the war the city of Independence slowly declined primarily caused by the rise of neighboring cities being serviced by the Santa Fe Railroad Because Independence lacked a railroad line university fathers began searching for a location to build a new campus Beginning in 1885 Baylor University moved to Waco Texas a growing town on the railroad line It merged with a local college called Waco University At the time Burleson Baylor s second president was serving as the local college s president That same year the Baylor Female College also was moved to a new location Belton Texas It later became known as the University of Mary Hardin Baylor A Baylor College Park still exists in Independence in memory of the college s history there Around 1887 Baylor University began readmitting women and became coeducational again In the 1890s William Cowper Brann published the highly successful Iconoclast newspaper in Waco One of his targets was Baylor University Brann revealed Baylor officials had been importing South American children recruited by missionaries and making house servants out of them Brann was shot in the back by Tom Davis a Baylor supporter Brann then wheeled drew his pistol and killed Davis Brann was helped home by his friends and died there of his wounds In 1900 three physicians founded the University of Dallas Medical Department in Dallas although a university by that name did not exist In 1903 Baylor University acquired the medical school which became known as the Baylor College of Medicine while remaining in Dallas In 1943 Dallas civic leaders offered to build larger facilities for the university in a new medical center if the College of Medicine would surrender its denominational alliances with the Baptist state convention The Baylor administration refused the offer and with funding from the M D Anderson Foundation and others moved the College of Medicine to Houston In 1969 the Baylor College of Medicine became technically independent from Baylor University The two institutions still maintain strong links and Baylor still elects around 25 percent of the medical school s regents They also share academic links and combine in research efforts During World War II Baylor was one of 131 colleges and universities nationally that took part in the V 12 Navy College Training Program which offered students a path to a Navy commission 9 The university first admitted black students in 1964 10 The first black graduate was Robert Gilbert of Waco 11 In 1991 Baylor began appointing the majority of its board granting it partial independence from the Baptist General Convention of Texas 12 A ban on various forms of sexual conduct including homosexual acts was in place until 2015 The university has since modified its Code of Conduct 13 As of 2021 the university prohibits LGBT student groups and is opposed to gay marriage 14 In 2021 Baylor released an independent historical report acknowledging past slave ownership and support for the Confederacy by R E B Baylor and two founders These facts were not previously acknowledged by the university 15 16 2010s sexual assault scandal edit Main article Baylor University sexual assault scandal In 2015 the Baylor Board of Regents hired law firm Pepper Hamilton to perform an external review of Baylor s handling of sexual assaults 17 The report summarized by the board in a public Findings of Facts document stated that Baylor failed to implement Title IX in a timely and effective manner that Baylor administrators actively discouraged reporting of sexual assaults and that the athletic department failed to address sexual assaults 18 19 In response to the report the Board of Regents fired Ken Starr as president of the university but retained him as Chancellor and as a law school professor 20 he resigned as Chancellor shortly thereafter and resigned as law professor in August 2016 21 The school also fired head football coach Art Briles 22 Title IX exemption edit In a May 1 2023 letter to the Department of Education Office for Civil Rights Baylor University s President Linda Livingstone requested a formal exemption from provisions of federal Title IX law related to the discrimination and harassment of LGBTQ individuals on the basis that Baylor requires purity in singleness and fidelity in marriage between a man and a woman as the biblical norm and must regulate conduct that is inconsistent with the religious values and beliefs that are integral to its Christian faith and mission 23 On July 25 2023 the Office for Civil Rights responded acknowledging exemption to Title IX for a number of provisions related to the discrimination of LGBTQ individuals including rules of private organizations and sexual harassment 24 The exemption request notable for its specific claim of exemption to Title IX s sexual harassment provision specifically in response to three active investigations against Baylor by the Office for Civil Rights including one investigation into Baylor s alleged response to notice that students were subjected to harassment based on their sexual orientation and or gender identity led five U S representatives including Representative Adam Schiff to write and sign a letter to Miguel Cardona the Secretary of the U S Department of Education requesting thorough timely investigations into the pending sex based harassment cases against Baylor University and further clarification on the implications of this particular exemption on students rights to be protected from sex based harassment 25 26 Academics editRankings edit nbsp Baylor Law School on the Brazos River Academic rankingsNationalARWU 27 145 157Forbes 28 257U S News amp World Report 29 93 tie Washington Monthly 30 357WSJ College Pulse 31 331GlobalARWU 32 601 700QS 33 1001 1200THE 34 601 800U S News amp World Report 35 372 tie USNWR graduate school rankings 36 Business 56 Education 147 Engineering 129 Law 50 Nursing Doctorate 59 USNWR departmental rankings 36 Biological Sciences 85 Chemistry 88 Clinical Psychology 101 Earth Sciences 99 English 116 Entrepreneurship 8 Health Care Management 17 Mathematics 117 Nursing Midwifery 21 Physical Therapy 13 Physics 124 Psychology 98 Public Health 62 Social Work 59 Sociology 87 Speech Language Pathology 55 Statistics 83 In the 2021 Best Colleges rankings by U S News amp World Report Baylor was ranked tied for 76th best national university in the U S tied at 31st for Best Undergraduate Teaching tied at 25th for Most Innovative 37 Baylor University is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools 38 Graduate rankings edit Several Baylor graduate programs including its law school Hankamer School of Business and programs in the sciences and education are nationally ranked 39 According to the National Research Council NRC among those programs Baylor s Graduate program in English was ranked first for Student Support and Outcomes by the National Research Council and Baylor s Doctoral program in Sociology was ranked third nationally based on criteria such as the percentage of students receiving full financial support PhD completion percentage median time to completion of degrees and job placement rate 40 41 Institutional organization edit nbsp Pat Neff Hall houses the office of the university s president and others The university is divided into twelve degree granting academic units Three of the units are designated as colleges while eight others are designated as schools and one is a seminary 42 They are College of Arts amp Sciences Diana R Garland School of Social Work George W Truett Theological Seminary Graduate School Hankamer School of Business Honors College Law School Louise Herrington School of Nursing Robbins College of Health and Human Sciences School of Education School of Engineering amp Computer Science School of MusicStudent life editStudent body composition as of May 2 2022 Race and ethnicity 43 Total White 61 61 Hispanic 16 16 Asian 8 8 Other a 6 6 Black 5 5 Foreign national 4 4 Economic diversity Low income b 16 16 Affluent c 84 84 nbsp The sign inscribed Baylor s Student Union Building SUB nbsp Student choirs and orchestras performing the 1812 Overture on Fountain Mall for the 2009 President s Concert More than 16 000 students study at Baylor University representing all 50 states the District of Columbia and approximately 89 foreign countries 44 45 The university clubs and organizations provide each student with an opportunity to become engaged with an organization that shares his or her interests Baylor University has a total undergraduate enrollment of 13 859 with a gender distribution of 42 percent male students and 58 percent female students At Baylor 36 percent of students live in college owned operated or affiliated housing and 64 percent of students live off campus Clubs and organizations edit Greek organizations edit Approximately 14 percent of undergraduate men are members of fraternities and 21 percent of undergraduate women are members of a sorority 46 There are four councils at Baylor Most of the university s fraternities began as local fraternities before affiliating with their national organizations in the late 1970s 47 nbsp Phi Kappa Chi and Chi Omega performing at Baylor University s 2011 All University Sing Fraternities Nickname Status Alpha Tau Omega ATO Active Beta Theta Pi Beta Active Delta Tau Delta Delt Active Kappa Alpha Order KA Active Kappa Sigma Ksig Active Lambda Phi Epsilon Lambdas Active Phi Gamma Delta Fiji Active Phi Iota Alpha Phiota Active Pi Kappa Phi Pi Kapp Active Sigma Phi Epsilon SigEp Active Sigma Chi Sigs Active 48 Sigma Alpha Epsilon SAE Active Tau Kappa Epsilon TKE Active Beta Upsilon Chi BYX Bucks Active Fraternities Nickname Status Pi Kappa Alpha Pike Inactive Sigma Nu Sig Nu Inactive Lambda Chi Alpha Lambda Chi Inactive Phi Delta Theta Phi Delt Inactive Delta Upsilon Ducks Inactive Sigma Tau Gamma Sig Tau Inactive Sororities Nickname Local Founding Date Status Alpha Delta Pi ADPi 1980 Active Alpha Chi Omega AXO Alpha Chi 1985 Active Alpha Phi Aphi 2019 Active 49 Chi Omega Chi O 1977 Active Delta Delta Delta Tri Delt 1977 Active Kappa Alpha Theta Theta 1976 Active Kappa Kappa Gamma Kappa 1977 Active Pi Beta Phi Pi Phi 1977 Active Zeta Tau Alpha Zeta 1977 Active nbsp Delta Delta Delta and Kappa Alpha Order participate in Baylor University s 2018 Homecoming Parade Sororities Nickname Local Founding Date Status Kappa Delta KD 1983 Inactive Non IFC fraternities social clubs and non NPC sororities Fraternities Sororities Kappa Omega Tau Kappa Chi Alpha Phi Kappa Chi Sigma Phi Lambda NPHC Fraternities and Sororities Fraternities Sororities Alpha Phi Alpha Alpha Kappa Alpha Kappa Alpha Psi Delta Sigma Theta Omega Psi Phi Zeta Phi Beta Phi Beta Sigma LGBT organizations edit Historically LGBT student organizations received no official recognition at Baylor University 14 The subject of sexual orientation was too complex for student groups according to the statement by a university official posted on a student group s blog 50 In 2022 Baylor chartered an official LGBT organization 51 called Prism that follows the University s Statement on Human Sexuality which affirms purity in singleness and fidelity in marriage between a man and a woman as the biblical norm and prohibits advocacy groups from promoting understandings of sexuality that are contrary to biblical teaching including homosexual behavior 52 Student activities edit Every semester students participate in various intramural sports Students build teams within campus organizations sororities fraternities residence halls and personal friend groups As of Fall 2022 53 Baylor offers these intramural sports Fall semester Spring semester Dodgeball 5 on 5 basketball Indoor volleyball Table tennis Ultimate Frisbee Singles tennis Tennis mixed doubles Co ed sand volleyball Kickball Soccer Canoe battle Spikeball Flag football 7v7 Softball Racquetball Track Pickleball Spikeball co ed nbsp The pool in the Student Life Center SLC Golden Wave Band edit Main article Baylor University Golden Wave Band source source source source source source source The 2012 Homecoming halftime performance by the Baylor University Golden Wave Band The Baylor University Golden Wave Band BUGWB is the halftime entertainment for Baylor football The 340 member band attends every home football game and sometimes travels to away games 54 The band s name dates back to 1928 when while on tour in West Texas observers noted that the band members gold uniforms looked like a giant golden wave sweeping over the landscape nbsp Members of The NoZe Brotherhood in 2002 Noble NoZe Brotherhood edit The Noble NoZe Brotherhood an unofficial fraternal organization was founded in 1924 to study the art of bridge construction in association with the BBA Baylor Bridge Association The brotherhood provides the university with unusual public pranks and satirical writings in its newspaper The Rope Members hide their identities to keep their actions anonymous Military programs editBaylor University has a strong history of military service dating back to before the Civil War and currently offers both Army and Air Force ROTC for students Baylor graduates have served in every major military engagement in Texas history Formal military instruction began on campus in 1888 nbsp Baylor University s Air Force ROTC program celebrated 65 years in 2013 Baylor has had several famous military graduates such as Andrew Jackson Lummus Jr who fought and died at the Battle of Iwo Jima during World War II and received the Medal of Honor for his service John Riley Kane also received the Medal of Honor for his service after flying 43 combat missions for a total of 250 combat hours in Europe Africa and the Middle East Kane s daring operations caused German intelligence reports to dub him Killer Kane In July 1948 the Air Force and Baylor University partnered in the creation of Air Force ROTC Detachment 810 one of the first detachments ever created In 2008 Detachment 810 was awarded the Air Force ROTC Right Of Line Award as the No 1 large detachment in the nation The unit was additionally awarded the High Flight Award recognizing it as one of the top four detachments in America It has been named best in the AFROTC Southwest Region for 1996 2003 and 2008 Baylor runs several postgraduate and professional health sciences programs in partnership with the Army Medical Department headquartered in San Antonio Programs offered include the Doctor of Physical Therapy 55 MHA United States Army Graduate Program in Nursing Anesthesia USAGPAN and MHA MBA joint program 56 Research and endowment edit nbsp Baylor Sciences Building In 2005 the university was invited to join the Collider Detector at Fermilab CDF collaboration at the Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory in Batavia Illinois 57 The project is one of the world s largest experimental physics collaborations The following year the university was classified as Research University with High Research Activity 58 In 2021 the university was classified among R1 Doctoral universities with very high research activity 6 nbsp The interior of the Baylor Sciences Building In October 2009 a group of state county and city governments and organizations and higher educational institutions in Central Texas announced the creation of the Central Texas Technology and Research Park and the park s first project the Baylor Research and Innovation Collaborative BRIC to be housed in the former General Tire facility on South Loop Drive in Waco Funding for the effort came from the state of Texas and Baylor University Clifton Robinson a member of Baylor s Board of Regents donated the facility to the university to support the research collaborative 59 60 nbsp Burleson Quadrangle Several former and present members of faculty at Baylor are or were prominent proponents of intelligent design most notably philosopher William Dembski now at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary Christian philosopher Francis Beckwith and electrical engineer Robert J Marks II 61 62 The university s endowment passed 1 billion in 2007 and reached 1 055 478 000 on December 31 2007 63 Even with the economic crisis of 2008 Baylor spokesperson Lori Fogleman reported that Baylor s endowment grew 5 1 percent in the fiscal year ending June 30 2008 the National Association of College and University Business Officials estimated that during that same period the median return for the top 25 percent of college endowments decreased by 2 2 percent Fogleman cited the university s long term investments and diversified holdings as the cause of the endowment s success Despite a hired consulting firm s concerns that the troubled economy and disagreements within the Baylor community could hinder continued growth the university s endowment exceeded 1 1 billion as of May 2013 update 44 On March 4 2010 An anonymous longtime Baylor donor set up an estate provision that will benefit the school to the tune of an estimated 200 million The gift will bolster Baylor s research on the issues of aging in multiple disciplines at the school 64 Citing the most recent data reported by the Chronicle of Higher Education Baylor officials say the 200 million donation is the second largest gift to a Texas college or university and ranks among the top 20 private gifts to higher education institutions in the country 65 Athletics editMain article Baylor Bears Men s sports Women s sports Baseball Acrobatics amp tumbling Basketball Basketball Cross country Cross country Football Equestrian Golf Golf Tennis Soccer Track and field Softball Tennis Track and field Volleyball Track and field includes both indoor and outdoor Baylor student athletes participate in NCAA Division I as part of the Big 12 Conference As of the 2021 22 school year all teams are nicknamed Bears Women s teams had historically been known as Lady Bears but by the end of the 2010s almost all of these teams had dropped Lady with the last three holdouts of basketball soccer and volleyball following suit in fall 2021 66 67 In the 2011 2012 season Baylor broke the NCAA record for most combined wins in the four major collegiate sports baseball football and men s and women s basketball The university has won NCAA titles in 2004 2005 2012 2019 and 2021 The men s tennis team defeated UCLA in the 2004 championship match to garner the Baylor s first title 68 One year later the Baylor Lady Bears basketball team beat Michigan State in the championship game and was subsequently named as the only women s team to be nominated for a 2005 Best Team ESPY 69 In 2012 the Baylor Lady Bears basketball team beat the Notre Dame Fighting Irish in the NCAA National Championship the first college basketball team to ever finish with a perfect 40 0 record The Bears men s basketball team won the 2021 NCAA National Championship after beating the Gonzaga Bulldogs 86 70 It is the university s first men s national championship The Baylor men s basketball team advanced to the Elite Eight of the NCAA March Madness Championship tournament in 2010 2012 and 2021 Under the direction of head coach Scott Drew Baylor achieved a record of 121 55 688 between the 2008 2012 seasons and reached post season play in four of those years Four former Baylor basketball players were drafted in the first or second round of the NBA draft in the 2011 and 2012 seasons Ekpe Udoh first round Perry Jones III Quincy Acy second round Quincy Miller second round Year of the Bear edit The Year of the Bear is the name given to the 2011 2012 year in Baylor Athletics During this year the Baylor Bears football team defeated Big 12 rival Oklahoma No 5 AP for the first time ever as well as future bitter Big 12 rival TCU No 14 AP ending the season at 10 3 ranked at No 12 No 13 AP Junior quarterback Robert Griffin III gained recognition throughout the year and was awarded both the 2011 Heisman Trophy and National Player of the Year honors Meanwhile the men s basketball team started with 17 straight wins en route to a 30 8 season the best in school history a berth in the NCAA Elite Eight its second in three seasons and a No 10 final ranking The women s basketball team won the program s second national title becoming the first basketball program men s or women s to finish 40 0 Center Brittney Griner was named the National Player of the Year while Coach Kim Mulkey was awarded National Coach of the Year The baseball team won 49 games one shy of its all time best including a Big 12 record 18 game conference winning streak and school record 24 game winning streak Although ranked at No 1 for two weeks a program first the baseball team finished in the NCAA Super Regionals and a No 9 ranking Baylor s four major programs football men s and women s basketball and baseball finished with an NCAA record 129 wins during the year and an overall record of 129 28 for a winning percentage of 822 and Baylor was the only school to have all four programs ranked at the end of their respective seasons The football and men s and women s basketball programs also set NCAA records with a combined 80 wins between them including a stretch from November 1 2011 to January 16 2012 when the three programs had 40 consecutive wins between them 70 Outside of the four major programs Baylor was one of only two schools that had all 19 of its sponsored sports advance to the post season 70 McLane Stadium edit nbsp Baylor University s McLane Stadium Following the Year of the Bear it was announced in July 2012 that a new 260 million football stadium to be called McLane Stadium would be constructed on the university s campus Opened in fall 2014 the stadium holds 45 000 spectators and is situated on 93 acres 38 hectares of land adjacent to the Brazos River and Interstate 35 The stadium was planned by architecture firm Populous known for its design of Yankee Stadium in New York and Houston s Minute Maid Park A partnership between Austin Commercial Flintco LLC oversaw the project as its contractor 71 From 1936 to 1949 the Baylor Bears home football games were played at Waco Municipal Stadium In 1950 the team moved to the newly constructed Floyd Casey Stadium originally named Baylor Stadium located four miles from campus with a seating capacity of up to 50 000 spectators 72 The stadium has been renovated several times most notably in 1998 and 2005 73 Mascots edit Baylor s mascot is the American black bear The university had two live bears on campus named Joy and Lady each bearing the title of Judge in honor of the first live mascot Joy died on July 18 2022 and Lady became a graduate of the class of 2023 officially retiring to a brand new facility off campus The university announced in May 2023 that it was welcoming two new bear cubs to campus cousins named Indy and Belle The name Indy comes from Independence the town of Baylor s founding and Belle pulls from the Carillon bells on campus Like the past living mascots they will reside on campus 74 The school s costumed mascots are Bruiser and Marigold Although Baylor began intercollegiate athletic competition in the 1890s students did not elect the university s mascot until 1914 75 The other two dozen nominees included the bald eagle and the bookworm 76 Three years later the 107th Engineers a U S Army troop stationed in Waco gave Baylor its first live bear The 107th Engineers had found the bear while traveling by train to Waco After the troop left the Baylor University Chamber of Commerce began caring for the animal The organization still cares for the university s live bears One of the most famous Baylor mascots was Big Joe or College Joe in the 1930s The bear originally named Buckshot was the pet of local businessman Herbert E Mayr and was known to perform circus tricks and drink from a bottle at Mayr s business 77 The bear was housed at The Cotton Palace Zoo after it became too large to keep as a pet and destroyed the backseat of Mayr s car Due to the expense of food Mayr transferred responsibility for the bear to Waco attorney Woodie Zachery 78 It was later adopted by W W Boyd and soon began its 11 years as Baylor s mascot College Joe Following its death the bear was stuffed and given a special display at the university 79 The university s costumed mascot Bruiser was introduced at the beginning of the 1981 1982 basketball season 80 The mascot appears at football and basketball events along with university pep rallies and community events Bruiser also travels with the basketball team to games for the Big 12 Basketball Tournament NIT and NCAA Tournaments 80 Traditions editBaylor has many traditions that have developed since the university was founded Some take the form of annual celebrations while others are symbolized in memorials The Baylor Chamber of Commerce is the oldest student organization on the campus that is responsible for most of the school s traditions nbsp The Baylor Line on the field of a home football game Baylor Line edit Main article Baylor Line The Baylor Line is a tradition for new students that began in 1970 Freshmen embrace the spirit of Baylor by wearing special football jerseys and rushing the field before home football games Each Line Jersey has a nickname chosen by the student and his or her intended year of graduation on the back From its inception until 1994 only male students were allowed to run the Line Before the football game on Saturday October 28 2017 alumnae who were not allowed to run in the Line were invited to join the Freshmen in the run 81 Mass Meeting edit The Thursday night of Homecoming Week new Baylor students Freshmen and Transfers attend a mass meeting in Waco Hall where they learn about the Immortal Ten the ten student athletes who died in a bus train accident in Round Rock Texas on January 22 1927 After the Mass Meeting the freshmen class build a bonfire on Fountain Mall which often includes burning vigils of the homecoming football opponent s mascot created by the various on campus houses 82 Homecoming edit The nation s first homecoming celebrations originated at Baylor in November 1909 Not long after the idea was adopted by the University of Illinois in 1910 the University of Missouri in 1911 and at universities throughout the U S in the years that followed 83 84 The Baylor Homecoming event began as a way to reconnect alumni with current students but has now grown to include a football game bonfire concerts speeches receptions class reunions pep rallies and the nation s oldest and longest collegiate parade 85 nbsp The Immortal Ten Memorial Immortal Ten edit On January 22 1927 a bus carrying the Baylor basketball team collided with the Sunshine Special train in Round Rock Texas Ten members of the traveling party were killed and many others were injured in the accident The story of the Immortal Ten is told each year at Freshman Mass Meeting where the names of the ten are called out In 1996 the senior class provided initial funding to create an Immortal Ten statue on campus Fundraising and planning for the statue continued over the ensuing years Finally on June 22 2007 the statue sculpted by Bruce R Greene was unveiled The Immortal Ten memorial was officially dedicated during Homecoming on November 2 2007 in Traditions Square 86 87 88 89 90 Alma mater edit nbsp That Good Ol Baylor Line source source The Baylor University Men s Choir performing the university s alma mater That Good Ol Baylor Line Problems playing this file See media help Baylor s alma mater is That Good Ol Baylor Line In 1906 a student penned humorous words to the tune of In the Good Old Summer Time and they became generally accepted among the student body as the school fight song However in 1931 Enid Eastland Markham wife of music professor Robert Markham felt the words were neither dignified enough nor representative of the total university so she decided to write new lyrics which were soon sanctioned as the official school song The Good Ol Summer Time tune was later arranged to fit Mrs Markham s Baylor Line through the work of Jack Goode Donald I Moore and Charles F Brown Notable alumni faculty and staff editMain article List of Baylor University people nbsp Willie Nelson attended Baylor With more than 180 000 living alumni Baylor is represented by notable individuals in an array of public and professional spheres Graduates acclaimed for their work in the arts include Pulitzer Prize winning composer Steven Stucky GMA Dove Award winning composer Bruce Greer Grammy Award winning Christian recording artist Phil Driscoll Christian recording artist David Crowder Grammy winning Gaither Vocal Band tenor David Phelps screenwriter and director John Lee Hancock with works including The Blind Side nominated for the 2009 Academy Award for Best Picture screenwriter Derek Haas with works including 3 10 to Yuma and Wanted both nominated for multiple Academy Awards Emmy Award nominated director Kevin Reynolds Emmy winning actress Angela Kinsey the character of Angela Martin in NBC s The Office Emmy nominated actress Allison Tolman Tony Award nominated actress Elizabeth A Davis actress Carole Cook a protege of Lucille Ball ventriloquist Jeff Dunham and The Silence of the Lambs writer Thomas Harris Also alumni of the university are Chip and Joanna Gaines who graduated in 1998 and 2001 respectively They are the stars of the former HGTV show Fixer Upper and are frequently involved in the Baylor community In 2020 they left HGTV after being offered an opportunity to develop and star in their own network Magnolia Network which began airing in 2021 as part of the Discovery Family of Networks 91 Alumni known for leadership in the private and public sectors include People Magazine co founder Hal C Wingo The Weather Channel CFO Jerry Elliott American Airlines CEO Thomas W Horton Western Refining CEO Paul Foster Allbritton Communications Company the parent company of Politico founder Joe Allbritton XTO Energy CEO Bob R Simpson chairman of the McLane Group and former owner of the Houston Astros Drayton McLane Jr Oracle Corporation CEO Mark Hurd former chairman and CEO of Stanford Financial Group and convicted fraudster Allen Stanford EXUSMED CEO and founder of Empowering Spirits Foundation A Latham Staples former mayor of San Antonio Phil Hardberger former Governor of Texas Ann Richards former Governor of Texas Mark Wells White Jr former Federal Bureau of Investigation director William S Sessions and ninth president of Goucher College Judy Jolley Mohraz Professional athletes who graduated from the university include quarterback and 2011 Heisman Trophy winner Robert Griffin III Phoenix Mercury WNBA player Brittney Griner four time Olympic gold medalist Michael Johnson and Baseball Hall of Fame inductee Ted Lyons Grammy winning recording artist Willie Nelson actor Austin Miller and Senator Rand Paul attended Baylor Former United States Vice President John Nance Garner Franklin D Roosevelt President received an honorary doctor of laws degree from Baylor in 1936 92 Actor and comedian Bill Cosby received an honorary doctor of humane letters degree from the university in 2003 93 which was rescinded in 2015 94 For information on notable faculty staff and other alumni please see the List of Baylor University people Notable people nbsp Mark HurdCEO of the Oracle Corporation and former CEO of Hewlett Packard nbsp David CrowderGMA Dove Award winning Christian recording artist nbsp Robert Griffin IIIQuarterback and winner of the 2011 Heisman Trophy nbsp Jeff DunhamVentriloquist nbsp Trey WingoCo host of ESPN s SportsCenter nbsp Brittney GrinerWNBA player for Phoenix Mercury three time All American 2012 AP Player of the Year nbsp Robert FulghumMinister and New York Times Bestselling author nbsp Gary W KellerAuthor and co founder of Keller Williams Realty nbsp Michael JohnsonSprinter winner of four Olympic gold medals and eight World Championships gold medals nbsp Trey GowdyFormer US Congressman and television news personality nbsp Ann RichardsFormer Governor of TexasCampus editCampus nbsp Pat Neff Hall named for the former governor of Texas Texas Railroad Commission member and president of Baylor nbsp Bill Daniel Student Center from the side nbsp Bill Daniel Student Center during Christmas nbsp Tidwell Bible Building nbsp Tidwell Bible Building nbsp Truett Seminary nbsp Mayborn Museum nbsp Burleson Quadrangle nbsp Old Main and Pat Neff Hall nbsp Pat Neff Hall looking west nbsp Statue of Judge Baylor nbsp Another view of Burleson Quadrangle nbsp Baylor Science Building nbsp McLane Stadium nbsp McLane Stadium interior facing southSee also editSS Baylor Victory ship namesakeNotes edit Other consists of Multiracial Americans amp those who prefer to not say The percentage of students who received an income based federal Pell grant intended for low income students The percentage of students who are a part of the American middle class at the bare minimum References edit As of June 30 2023 U S and Canadian 2023 NCSE Participating Institutions Listed by Fiscal Year 2023 Endowment Market Value Change in Market Value from FY22 to FY23 and FY23 Endowment Market Values Per Full time Equivalent Student XLS National Association of College and University Business Officers NACUBO February 15 2024 Retrieved February 15 2024 a b c d Fall Facts 2023 PDF Institutional Research Baylor University November 27 2023 Retrieved February 28 2024 IPEDS Baylor University Archived from the original on November 5 2021 Retrieved November 5 2021 Official Brand Colors Brand Guidelines Baylor University April 15 2019 Archived from the original on June 7 2019 Retrieved May 8 2019 Baylor University About Baylor Mission baylor edu Archived from the original on February 26 2017 Retrieved March 30 2017 a b Carnegie Classifications Institution Lookup carnegieclassifications iu edu Center for Postsecondary Education Archived from the original on October 9 2021 Retrieved December 16 2021 Founders Day Baylor University November 3 2011 Archived from the original on November 27 2011 Retrieved April 10 2012 Burleson Rufus Columbus The Handbook of Texas Online Texas State Historical Association TSHA Tshaonline org August 20 1964 Archived from the original on May 16 2012 Retrieved April 10 2012 U S Naval Administration in World War II HyperWar Foundation 2011 Archived from the original on January 12 2012 Retrieved September 29 2011 Merchant Megan February 2005 Profs recall racial integration at BU Baylor University Archived from the original on June 25 2016 Retrieved May 27 2016 Gomez Lindsey February 11 2004 First black graduate recalls past at BU Baylor University Archived from the original on June 29 2016 Retrieved May 27 2016 Star Telegram Jim Jones Fort Worth November 23 1991 Many Baptist universities cutting ties with Denomination OrlandoSentinel com Archived from the original on August 15 2020 Retrieved April 5 2019 a href Template Cite web html title Template Cite web cite web a CS1 maint multiple names authors list link Dennis Regina Baylor drops reference to homosexual acts in sexual conduct policy WacoTrib com Archived from the original on September 24 2017 Retrieved March 30 2017 a b McGee Kate July 9 2021 Baylor University stirs anger and confusion as it opens the door for first LGBTQ student group The Texas Tribune Archived from the original on August 2 2021 Retrieved August 23 2021 Fogleman Lori March 23 2021 Baylor University Releases Independent Report of Commission on Historic Campus Representations Media and Public Relations Baylor University Press release Archived from the original on April 20 2021 Retrieved April 18 2021 Anderson Greta March 25 2021 Baylor Acknowledges Racist History of Namesake Inside Higher Ed Archived from the original on April 18 2021 Retrieved April 18 2021 Roach David February 10 2016 Baylor s sexual assault response draws protest Baptist Press Archived from the original on May 17 2016 Retrieved June 10 2016 Baylor University Board of Regents 2016 Baylor University Board of Regents Findings of Fact PDF Archived PDF from the original on June 14 2016 Retrieved June 17 2016 Baylor University Board of Regents Announces Leadership Changes and Extensive Corrective Actions Following Findings of External Investigation Baylor University May 26 2016 Archived from the original on June 13 2016 Retrieved June 10 2016 Belkin Douglas Futterman Matthew May 26 2016 Baylor Plans to Fire Art Briles Demotes Ken Starr Over Scandal The Wall Street Journal Archived from the original on June 9 2016 Retrieved June 10 2016 Greenhouse Linda September 1 2016 Reversal of Fortune for Bill Clinton and Kenneth Starr The New York Times Archived from the original on November 15 2016 Retrieved March 1 2017 Caplan Jeff Johanningmeier Tom Baylor fires football coach Art Briles Star Telegram Archived from the original on May 29 2016 Retrieved June 10 2016 Livingstone Linda A Ph D 2023 May 1 Baylor University Religious Exemption Request United States Department of Education Office for Civil Rights https www2 ed gov about offices list ocr docs t9 rel exempt baylor university request 05012023 pdf Lhamon Catherine E 2023 July 25 Baylor University Religious Exemption Response United States Department of Education Office for Civil Rights https www2 ed gov about offices list ocr docs t9 rel exempt baylor university response 07252023 pdf Schiff Adam et al 2023 September 5 Letter to Department of Education Regarding Title IX Exemption for Baylor University Media Schiff house gov https schiff house gov imo media doc letter to department of education regarding title ix exemption for baylor university pdf Knott Katherine Education Dept Affirms Exemption for Baylor From Protecting Gay Students From Harassment Inside Higher Ed Retrieved October 30 2023 ShanghaiRanking s 2023 Academic Ranking of World Universities Shanghai Ranking Consultancy Retrieved February 10 2024 Forbes America s Top Colleges List 2023 Forbes Retrieved September 22 2023 2023 2024 Best National Universities U S News amp World Report Retrieved September 22 2023 2023 National University Rankings Washington Monthly Retrieved February 10 2024 2024 Best Colleges in the U S The Wall Street Journal College Pulse Retrieved January 27 2024 ShanghaiRanking s 2023 Academic Ranking of World Universities Shanghai Ranking Consultancy Retrieved February 10 2024 QS World University Rankings 2024 Top global universities Quacquarelli Symonds Retrieved June 27 2023 World University Rankings 2024 Times Higher Education Retrieved September 27 2023 2022 23 Best Global Universities Rankings U S News amp World Report Retrieved February 25 2023 a b Baylor University Graduate School Rankings U S News amp World Report Archived from the original on September 22 2019 Retrieved October 23 2020 U S News Best Colleges Rankings Baylor University U S News amp World Report Archived from the original on September 22 2019 Retrieved October 23 2020 Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges Institution Details Commission on Colleges Archived from the original on December 22 2017 Retrieved December 19 2017 Baylor Programs Ranked in U S News Grad School Survey April 26 2010 Archived from the original on January 19 2011 Retrieved June 15 2011 Doctoral Programs by the Numbers The Chronicle of Higher Education September 29 2010 Archived from the original on December 21 2016 Retrieved December 7 2016 Baylor Programs Ranked in U S News Grad School Survey and National Research Council Archived from the original on November 16 2013 Retrieved November 18 2013 Baylor University Colleges amp Schools Baylor University Academics Baylor University Archived from the original on June 3 2016 Retrieved February 19 2016 College Scorecard Baylor University United States Department of Education Archived from the original on May 25 2022 Retrieved May 24 2022 a b Office of Institutional Research and Testing Quick Facts Baylor University Archived from the original on December 31 2013 Retrieved January 22 2014 Baylor University Division of Student Life Baylor edu October 10 2013 Archived from the original on November 1 2013 Retrieved December 8 2013 Baylor University Greek Life Baylor edu October 24 2013 Archived from the original on December 7 2013 Retrieved December 8 2013 Baylor University Greek Life Meet the Greeks Baylor edu May 15 2012 Archived from the original on December 8 2013 Retrieved December 8 2013 Sigma Chi back after 5 year disciplinary leave Baylorlariat com March 3 2015 Archived from the original on April 22 2016 Retrieved May 26 2016 Asinof Sarah January 14 2019 Alpha Phi participates in first formal recruitment at Baylor The Baylor Lariat Archived from the original on February 12 2019 Retrieved February 11 2019 Washeck Angela January 21 2013 Princeton Review Labels Three Texas Universities as LGBT Unfriendly Texas Monthly Archived from the original on August 23 2021 Retrieved August 23 2021 McNeel 10 Bekah April 27 2022 Baylor Grants First Charter to LGBTQ Student Group Texas Monthly Archived from the original on July 7 2022 Retrieved July 7 2022 a href Template Cite web html title Template Cite web cite web a CS1 maint numeric names authors list link Baylor University Statement on Human Sexuality PDF Archived PDF from the original on April 1 2022 Retrieved July 7 2022 Schedule Campus Recreation Baylor University Archived from the original on July 7 2022 Retrieved July 7 2022 Baylor University The Golden Wave Band General Information Baylor edu June 28 2010 Archived from the original on December 14 2013 Retrieved December 8 2013 Baylor University Army Baylor DPT Archived from the original on July 29 2015 Retrieved August 10 2015 Baylor University Army Baylor MHA MBA Archived from the original on August 4 2015 Retrieved August 10 2015 Baylor Invited To Join Experimental Physics Lab Baylor University May 9 2005 Archived from the original on September 1 2006 Retrieved April 10 2012 Baylor Reclassified by Carnegie Foundation as Research University May 30 2006 Archived from the original on December 25 2008 Retrieved June 22 2008 Unique Partnership Creates Region s First Research Park Baylor University October 23 2009 Archived from the original on August 29 2010 Retrieved November 2 2010 Q amp A with Dr Truell Hyde on the formation of the Baylor Research and Innovation Collaborative October 25 2009 Archived from the original on August 21 2017 Retrieved June 3 2018 Baylor avoids repeating an anti ID purge from years before by Mark Bergin World Magazine Archived September 13 2007 at the Wayback Machine Baylor U Removes a Web Page Associated With Intelligent Design From Its Site by Elizabeth F Farrell Chronicle of Higher Education September 4 2007 Lilley 2012 endowment goal may be too small Archived from the original on October 8 2012 Retrieved June 22 2008 Baylor Receives Largest Gift in School s History KWBU 103 NPR March 4 2010 Archived from the original on September 24 2010 Retrieved September 6 2010 Baylor Receives Anonymous 200 Million Donation KWTX 10 News March 4 2010 Archived from the original on March 8 2010 Retrieved September 6 2010 Quillen Kurtis September 3 2021 Baylor University to drop Lady Bears nickname from women s teams Temple TX KCEN TV Archived from the original on September 4 2021 Retrieved September 4 2021 Voepel Mechelle September 4 2021 Baylor women s hoops drops Lady from team name to be known as Bears ESPN com Archived from the original on September 4 2021 Retrieved September 4 2021 Baylor Men s Tennis Crowned National Champions Baylor University Media Communications News Baylor edu May 25 2004 Archived from the original on December 9 2013 Retrieved December 8 2013 Baylor Women s Basketball Jeremy Wariner Nominated for ESPY Awards Baylor University Media Communications News Baylor edu June 24 2005 Archived from the original on December 8 2013 Retrieved December 8 2013 a b Baylor Bears Official Athletic Site BaylorBears com Year of the Bear BaylorBears com Archived from the original on December 8 2013 Retrieved December 8 2013 Baylor University Celebrates Football Stadium Fundraising and Construction Milestones Baylor University Media Communications Baylor Stadium Baylor edu May 7 2013 Archived from the original on December 8 2013 Retrieved December 8 2013 McLane Family Makes Leadership Gift for New Baylor Football Stadium Baylor University Media Communications News Baylor edu March 13 2012 Archived from the original on December 7 2013 Retrieved December 8 2013 The Grant Teaff Athletic Complex Baylor University Media Communications News Baylor edu February 27 1998 Archived from the original on December 9 2013 Retrieved December 8 2013 Fogleman Lori July 18 2022 Baylor University Mourns Passing of Baylor Bear Mascot Judge Joy Reynolds Baylor University Baylor University Retrieved July 24 2022 Baylor Bears Official Athletic Site BaylorBears com Traditions BaylorBears com Archived from the original on December 7 2013 Retrieved December 8 2013 Baylor University Bear Program Mascot History Baylor edu December 14 1914 Archived from the original on March 10 2009 Retrieved December 8 2013 Herbert E Mayr with Buckshot the bear Waco News Tribune October 21 1928 Archived from the original on January 28 2016 Retrieved May 22 2015 23 Mar 1943 Page 1 at Newspapers com Newspapers com Archived from the original on April 2 2015 Retrieved August 10 2015 23 Mar 1943 Page 8 at Newspapers com Newspapers com Archived from the original on April 2 2015 Retrieved August 10 2015 a b Baylor Bears Official Athletic Site BaylorBears com Athletics BaylorBears com Archived from the original on December 7 2013 Retrieved December 8 2013 Ericksen Phillip October 24 2017 Waco Tribune Herald Archived from the original on February 20 2018 Retrieved February 15 2018 Baylor University Homecoming Extravaganza Bonfire Homecoming Baylor University Archived from the original on May 4 2016 Retrieved June 17 2016 The History of Homecoming Active May 19 2012 Archived from the original on January 9 2014 Retrieved December 8 2013 Baylor University Homecoming History Baylor edu January 21 2011 Archived from the original on December 8 2013 Retrieved December 8 2013 Baylor University Media Communications News Baylor edu October 8 2013 Archived from the original on December 8 2013 Retrieved December 8 2013 Baylor s Immortal Ten finally get their statuary due October 22 2007 Archived from the original on October 22 2007 1 dead link 2 Archived February 5 2007 at the Wayback Machine Baylor Flashback Jan 22 1927 The Immortal Ten Exactly 80 years ago Baylor tragically lost 10 athletes Baylorbears cstv com Archived from the original on October 22 2007 Retrieved April 10 2012 Immortal Ten Memorial Installed on Campus Baylor University June 22 2007 Archived from the original on May 5 2010 Retrieved April 10 2012 Baylor University Baylor Magazine Fall 2015 Alumni of the Year Chip and Joanna Gaines Baylor Magazine Fall 2015 Baylor University Archived from the original on May 21 2016 Retrieved June 17 2016 A Guide to the John Nance Garner Papers 1874 1968 Lib utexas edu Archived from the original on April 11 2015 Retrieved August 10 2015 Baylor University Media Communications News Baylor edu September 5 2003 Archived from the original on December 9 2013 Retrieved December 8 2013 Stottlemyre Matthew October 9 2015 Baylor rescinds honorary doctorate given to Bill Cosby in 2003 WacoTrib com Archived from the original on October 11 2017 Retrieved December 30 2015 External links edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Baylor University Official website nbsp Baylor Athletics website Portals nbsp Architecture nbsp Christianity nbsp Schools nbsp Texas Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Baylor University amp 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