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Baylor University is a
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Baptist
Christian Christians () are people who follow or adhere to Christianity, a monotheistic Abrahamic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus Christ. The words ''Christ'' and ''Christian'' derive from the Koine Greek title ''Christós'' (Χρι ...
research university in Waco, Texas. Baylor was chartered in 1845 by the last Congress of the
Republic of Texas The Republic of Texas ( es, República de Tejas) was a sovereign state in North America that existed from March 2, 1836, to February 19, 1846, that bordered Mexico, the Republic of the Rio Grande in 1840 (another breakaway republic from Mex ...
. 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 The Brazos River ( , ), called the ''Río de los Brazos de Dios'' (translated as "The River of the Arms of God") by early Spanish explorers, is the 11th-longest river in the United States at from its headwater source at the head of Blackwater Dr ...
next to
I-35 Interstate 35 (I-35) is a major Interstate Highway in the central United States. As with most primary Interstates that end in a five, it is a major cross-country, north–south route. It stretches from Laredo, Texas, near the Mexican border ...
, between the
Dallas–Fort Worth Metroplex The Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex, officially designated Dallas–Fort Worth–Arlington by the U.S. Office of Management and Budget, is a conurbated metropolitan statistical area in the U.S. state of Texas encompassing 11 counties and anchore ...
and
Austin Austin is the capital city of the U.S. state of Texas, as well as the seat and largest city of Travis County, with portions extending into Hays and Williamson counties. Incorporated on December 27, 1839, it is the 11th-most-populous city ...
, the university's campus is the largest Baptist university in the world. As of fall, 2021, Baylor had a total enrollment of 20,626 (undergraduate 15,191, graduate 5,435). It is
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among "R1: Doctoral Universities – Very High Research Activity". The university grants undergraduate and graduate degrees, including
doctoral A doctorate (from Latin ''docere'', "to teach"), doctor's degree (from Latin ''doctor'', "teacher"), or doctoral degree is an academic degree awarded by universities and some other educational institutions, derived from the ancient formalism ''li ...
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 the NCAA Division I.


History

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 A judge is a person who presides over court proceedings, either alone or as a part of a panel of judges. A judge hears all the witnesses and any other evidence presented by the barristers or solicitors of the case, assesses the credibility an ...
and onetime
U.S. Congressman The United States House of Representatives, often referred to as the House of Representatives, the U.S. House, or simply the House, is the lower chamber of the United States Congress, with the Senate being the upper chamber. Together they ...
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. In fall 1844, the Texas Baptist Education Society petitioned the Congress of the
Republic of Texas The Republic of Texas ( es, República de Tejas) was a sovereign state in North America that existed from March 2, 1836, to February 19, 1846, that bordered Mexico, the Republic of the Rio Grande in 1840 (another breakaway republic from Mex ...
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 Huckins James (April 8, 1807 — August 6, 1863) was an American ordained Baptist minister, the first Southern Baptist missionary of Texas, an educator, and a church organizer. Background James was an orphan who was born in Dorchester, New Hamp ...
, 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. The noted Texas revolutionary war leader and hero
Sam Houston Samuel Houston (, ; March 2, 1793 – July 26, 1863) was an American general and statesman who played an important role in the Texas Revolution. He served as the first and third president of the Republic of Texas and was one of the first two i ...
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. 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 Samuel Houston (, ; March 2, 1793 – July 26, 1863) was an American general and statesman who played an important role in the Texas Revolution. He served as the first and third president of the Republic of Texas and was one of the first two i ...
, a famous western gun-fighter and attorney; and Lawrence Sullivan "Sul" Ross famous Confederate general and later President of Texas A&M University. 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 The Confederate States Army, also called the Confederate Army or the Southern Army, was the military land force of the Confederate States of America (commonly referred to as the Confederacy) during the American Civil War (1861–1865), fighting ...
. 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 1900, three
physicians A physician (American English), medical practitioner (Commonwealth English), medical doctor, or simply doctor, is a health professional who practices medicine, which is concerned with promoting, maintaining or restoring health through th ...
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. The university first admitted black students in 1964. The first black graduate was Robert Gilbert, of Waco. A ban on various forms of sexual conduct including "homosexual acts" was in place until 2015, however, the university has since modified its Code of Conduct. As of 2021 the university prohibits LGBT student groups and is opposed to gay marriage. In 1991, Baylor began appointing the majority of its board, granting it partial independence from the
Baptist General Convention of Texas The Baptist General Convention of Texas (BGCT) is the oldest surviving Baptist convention in the state of Texas. It is affiliated with the Southern Baptist Convention and the Baptist World Alliance. In 2009, the BGCT began to also go by the name ...
. 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.


Presidents

During its more than 170 years of history, Baylor has had 15 presidents (recent interim presidents are noted): *1846–1851 – Henry Lee Graves *1851–1861 – Rufus Columbus Burleson *1861–1863 – George Washington Baines *1864–1885 – William Carey Crane *1885–1886 –
Reddin Andrews Reddin Andrews (January 28, 1848 – August 16, 1923) was the president of Baylor University from 1885 to 1886. Biography Reddin Andrews was born in La Grange, Texas, on January 18, 1848. He fought in the Confederacy as a scout and a courier ...
*1886–1897 – Rufus Columbus Burleson *1899–1902 –
Oscar Henry Cooper Oscar Henry Cooper (November 22, 1852 – August 22, 1932) was the President of Baylor University from 1899 to 1902, and of Simmons College, now known as Hardin-Simmons University from 1902 to 1909. Biography Oscar Henry Cooper, often referre ...
*1902–1931 – Samuel Palmer Brooks *1932–1947 – Pat Morris Neff *1948–1961 –
William R. White William White may refer to: Politics *William White (MP for Lymington) (died 1594), MP for Lymington (UK Parliament constituency), Lymington *William White (MP for Clitheroe) (1606–1661), MP for Clitheroe in 1660 *William White (Secretary of Sta ...
*1961–1981 –
Abner Vernon McCall Abner Vernon McCall (June 8, 1915 – June 11, 1995) was a justice of the Supreme Court of Texas in 1956, Dean of Baylor Law School from 1948 to 1959, and the tenth president of Baylor University from 1961 to 1981. Biography McCall was born ...
*1981–1995 – Herbert H. Reynolds *1995–2005 –
Robert B. Sloan Robert Bryan Sloan Jr. (born 1949) is an American academic and theologian. He has been the president of Houston Baptist University since 2006. Education and background Sloan was born in Coleman, Texas, and grew up in Abilene, Texas. He earned hi ...
Jr. *2005–2006 –
William D. Underwood William D. Underwood has been the eighteenth President of Mercer University since 2006. He was the interim President of Baylor University from 2005 to 2006. Biography Underwood graduated from Oklahoma Baptist University and received a J.D. from ...
, interim president *2006–2008 –
John M. Lilley John Mark Lilley (born March 24, 1939) served as the 14th president of the University of Nevada, Reno from 2001 to 2005 and 13th president of Baylor University from 2006 to 2008.
*2008–2010 –
David E. Garland David E. Garland (born September 24, 1947) served as the interim president of Baylor University in Waco, Texas. His term began in June 2016 amid the Baylor sexual assault scandal and resignation of former president Ken Starr. Garland's term concl ...
, interim president *2010–2016 –
Ken Starr Kenneth Winston Starr (July 21, 1946 – September 13, 2022) was an American lawyer and judge who authored the Starr Report, which led to the impeachment of Bill Clinton. He headed an investigation of members of the Clinton administration, kno ...
*2016–2017 –
David E. Garland David E. Garland (born September 24, 1947) served as the interim president of Baylor University in Waco, Texas. His term began in June 2016 amid the Baylor sexual assault scandal and resignation of former president Ken Starr. Garland's term concl ...
, interim president *June 1, 2017–present –
Linda Livingstone Linda Ann Parrack Livingstone is an American academic administrator who has served as president of Baylor University since June 1, 2017. Early life Linda Parrack was born to Doyle Parrack and his wife Charlotte. She grew up in Perkins, Oklahoma ...
(Note: While Rufus C. Burleson served as Baylor's president twice, he is counted only once in the presidential count. This makes Reddin Andrews the fifth president and Oscar Henry Cooper the sixth president. Additionally, interim presidents are not counted.)


Academics


Rankings

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". Baylor University is accredited by the
Southern Association of Colleges and Schools The Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS) is an educational accreditor recognized by the United States Department of Education and the Council for Higher Education Accreditation. This agency accredits over 13,000 public and priv ...
.


Graduate rankings

Several Baylor graduate programs, including its law school, Hankamer School of Business and programs in the sciences and education are nationally ranked. 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.


Institutional organization

The university is divided into twelve degree-granting academic units. Three of the units are designated as
colleges A college (Latin: ''collegium'') is an educational institution or a constituent part of one. A college may be a degree-awarding tertiary educational institution, a part of a collegiate or federal university, an institution offerin ...
, while eight others are designated as schools and one is a seminary. 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 A law school (also known as a law centre or college of law) is an institution specializing in legal education, usually involved as part of a process for becoming a lawyer within a given jurisdiction. Law degrees Argentina In Argentina, ...
*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

More than 16,000 students study at Baylor University, representing all 50 states, the District of Columbia and approximately 89 foreign countries. 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


Greek organizations

Approximately 14 percent of undergraduate men are members of fraternities, and 21 percent of undergraduate women are members of a sorority. 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. Non-IFC fraternities, social clubs, & non-NPC sororities NPHC Fraternities and Sororities


LGBT organizations

For many years, LGBT student organizations received no official recognition at Baylor University. The university had stated that the subject of sexual orientation was "too complex" for a student group to handle. However, in April of 2022, Baylor chartered an official LGBT organization called Prism that follows the University's "Statement on Human Sexuality."


Student activities

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, Baylor offers these intramural sports:


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. 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.


Noble NoZe Brotherhood

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

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 The Reserve Officers' Training Corps (ROTC ( or )) is a group of college- and university-based officer-training programs for training commissioned officers of the United States Armed Forces. Overview While ROTC graduate officers serve in all ...
for students. Baylor graduates have served in every major military engagement in Texas history. Formal military instruction began on campus in 1888. Baylor has had several famous military graduates such as
Andrew Jackson Lummus, Jr. Andrew Jackson Lummus Jr. (October 22, 1915 – March 8, 1945) was a two-sport athlete at Baylor University, a professional football player with the New York Giants, and an officer in the United States Marine Corps. He fought, and died, at the Ba ...
, who fought and died at the
Battle of Iwo Jima The Battle of Iwo Jima (19 February – 26 March 1945) was a major battle in which the United States Marine Corps (USMC) and United States Navy (USN) landed on and eventually captured the island of Iwo Jima from the Imperial Japanese Army (IJ ...
during World War II and received the Medal of Honor for his service.
John Riley Kane John Riley Kane (January 5, 1907 – May 29, 1996) was a colonel in the United States Army Air Forces and later the United States Air Force who received the U.S. military's highest decoration, the Medal of Honor, in World War II. A native of Texas ...
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 A Doctor of Physical Therapy or Doctor of Physiotherapy (DPT) degree is a qualifying degree in physical therapy. In the United States, it is considered a graduate-level first professional degree or doctorate degree for professional practice. In the ...
, MHA, United States Army Graduate Program in Nursing Anesthesia (USAGPAN), and MHA/ MBA (joint program).


Research and endowment

In 2005, the university was invited to join the Collider Detector at Fermilab (CDF) collaboration at the Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory in Batavia, Illinois. The project is one of the world's largest experimental physics collaborations. The following year, the university was
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as "Research University" with "High Research Activity". In 2021, the university was classified among "R1: Doctoral universities with very high research activity". In October 2009, a group of state, county and city governments and organizations and higher educational institutions in
Central Texas Central Texas is a region in the U.S. state of Texas surrounding Austin and roughly bordered by San Saba to Bryan and San Marcos to Hillsboro. Central Texas overlaps with and includes part of the Texas Hill Country and corresponds to a ph ...
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 Continental Tire the Americas, LLC, d.b.a. General Tire, is an American manufacturer of tires for motor vehicles. Founded in 1915 in Akron, Ohio by William Francis O'Neil, Winfred E. Fouse, Charles J. Jahant, Robert Iredell, & H.B. Pushee as ...
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. 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 Francis J. "Frank" Beckwith (born November 3, 1960) is an American philosopher, professor, scholar, speaker, writer, and lecturer. He is currently Professor of Philosophy & Church-State Studies, Affiliate Professor of Political Science and A ...
and electrical engineer
Robert J. Marks II Robert Jackson Marks II (born August 25, 1950) is an American electrical engineering, electrical engineer, computer scientist and Distinguished Professor at Baylor University. His contributions include the Zhao-Atlas-Marks (ZAM) time-frequency dis ...
. The university's
endowment Endowment most often refers to: *A term for human penis size It may also refer to: Finance *Financial endowment, pertaining to funds or property donated to institutions or individuals (e.g., college endowment) *Endowment mortgage, a mortgage to b ...
passed $1 billion in 2007 and reached $1,055,478,000 on December 31, 2007. 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 . 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." 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.


Athletics

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. 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. 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. 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 Perry James Jones III (born September 24, 1991) is an American professional basketball player for the TaiwanBeer HeroBears of the T1 League. He played college basketball for Baylor. High school career He was the #7 player in the ESPNU 100, the ...
* Quincy Acy (second round) *
Quincy Miller Quincy Cortez Miller (born November 18, 1992) is an American professional basketball player for SeaHorses Mikawa of the Japanese B.League. He played for the Detroit Pistons, Sacramento Kings and Denver Nuggets of the National Basketball Associ ...
(second round)


Year of the Bear

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. 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.


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 of land adjacent to the Brazos River. 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. 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 Floyd Casey Stadium was a stadium in Waco, Texas. The stadium was used for 64 seasons before being replaced by McLane Stadium in 2014. It was primarily used for football, and was the home field of the Baylor Bears. The stadium, located about ...
(originally named Baylor Stadium), located four miles from campus with a seating capacity of up to 50,000 spectators. The stadium has been renovated several times, most notably in 1998 and 2005.


Mascots

Baylor's mascot is the
American black bear The American black bear (''Ursus americanus''), also called simply a black bear or sometimes a baribal, is a medium-sized bear endemic to North America. It is the continent's smallest and most widely distributed bear species. 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 passed away on July 18, 2022; the university has made plans to receive two rescue American black bear cubs in 2023 to continue Baylor’s tradition of having live bear mascots reside on campus. 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. The other two dozen nominees included the bald eagle and the bookworm. 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 The Baylor University Chamber of Commerce (usually called "Chamber of Commerce," "Baylor Chamber," or simply "Chamber") is the oldest student organization at Baylor University. It was founded in 1919. Purpose The organization's stated purpose ...
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. 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. 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. The university's costumed mascot, Bruiser, was introduced at the beginning of the 1981–1982 basketball season. 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.


Traditions

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.


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.


Mass Meeting

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.


Homecoming

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. 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.


Immortal Ten

On January 22, 1927, a bus carrying the Baylor basketball team collided with the
Sunshine Special The ''Sunshine Special'' was inaugurated by the St. Louis, Iron Mountain and Southern Railway, (later the Missouri Pacific Railroad), on December 5, 1915, to provide a premium level of passenger train service between St. Louis, Little Rock, an ...
train in
Round Rock Round Rock is a city in the U.S. state of Texas, in Williamson County, Texas, Williamson County (with a small part in Travis County, Texas, Travis County), which is a part of the Greater Austin metropolitan area. Its population is 119,468 as of ...
, 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.


Alma mater

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.


Controversies

In the 1890s,
William Cowper Brann William Cowper Brann (January 4, 1855 – April 1, 1898) was an American journalist known as Brann the Iconoclast and famous for the articulate savagery of his writing. Early life The son of Presbyterian minister Noble J. Brann, he was born in ...
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.


2010s 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. 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. In response to the report, the Board of Regents fired
Ken Starr Kenneth Winston Starr (July 21, 1946 – September 13, 2022) was an American lawyer and judge who authored the Starr Report, which led to the impeachment of Bill Clinton. He headed an investigation of members of the Clinton administration, kno ...
as president of the university but retained him as Chancellor and as a law school professor; he resigned as Chancellor shortly thereafter and resigned as law professor in August 2016. The school also fired head football coach Art Briles.


Notable alumni, faculty and staff

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 The Pulitzer Prize () is an award for achievements in newspaper, magazine, online journalism, literature, and musical composition within the United States. It was established in 1917 by provisions in the will of Joseph Pulitzer, who had made h ...
-winning composer
Steven Stucky Steven Edward Stucky (November 7, 1949 − February 14, 2016) was a Pulitzer Prize-winning American composer. Life and career Stucky was born in Hutchinson, Kansas. At age 9, he moved with his family to Abilene, Texas, where, as a teenager, he ...
, 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 The Gaither Vocal Band is an American southern gospel vocal group, named after its founder and leader Bill Gaither. On March 1, 2017, it was announced that the Gaither Vocal Band lineup consisted of Reggie Smith, Wes Hampton, Adam Crabb, Todd ...
tenor David Phelps, screenwriter and director John Lee Hancock (with works including '' The Blind Side'', nominated for the 2009
Academy Award for Best Picture The Academy Award for Best Picture is one of the Academy Awards presented annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) since the awards debuted in 1929. This award goes to the producers of the film and is the only category ...
), screenwriter Derek Haas (with works including '' 3:10 to Yuma'' and '' Wanted'', both nominated for multiple Academy Awards),
Emmy Award The Emmy Awards, or Emmys, are an extensive range of awards for artistic and technical merit for the American and international television industry. A number of annual Emmy Award ceremonies are held throughout the calendar year, each with the ...
-nominated director Kevin Reynolds, Emmy-winning actress
Angela Kinsey Angela Faye Kinsey (born June 25, 1971) is an American actress. She played Angela Martin in the sitcom '' The Office'' (2005–2013) and appeared in the sitcoms ''Your Family or Mine'' (2015) and '' Haters Back Off'' (2016–2017). Since ''The ...
(the character of
Angela Martin Angela Noelle Schrute (née Martin; formerly Lipton) is a fictional character in the U.S. version of the television sitcom ''The Office,'' portrayed by actress Angela Kinsey. The character is based on Sheila from the original version of ''The O ...
in NBC's ''The Office''), Emmy-nominated actress Allison Tolman, Tony Award-nominated actress
Elizabeth A. Davis Elizabeth Anne Davis known professionally as Elizabeth A. Davis, is an American actress and musician known for her work in the musical '' Once'', for which she was nominated for the Tony Award for Best Performance by a Featured Actress in a Musi ...
, 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. 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 Thomas W. Horton (born May 24, 1961) is a partner of Global Infrastructure Partners and is lead director at Walmart Inc. and General Electric Corp. He was chairman, president, and CEO of AMR Corporation until it merged with US Airways Group to fo ...
, 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 The Houston Astros are an American professional baseball team based in Houston, Texas. The Astros compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) West division, having moved to the division in 2013 after ...
Drayton McLane, Jr.,
Oracle Corporation Oracle Corporation is an American multinational computer technology corporation headquartered in Austin, Texas. In 2020, Oracle was the third-largest software company in the world by revenue and market capitalization. The company sells da ...
CEO Mark Hurd, former chairman and CEO of Stanford Financial Group Allen Stanford, EXUSMED CEO and founder of
Empowering Spirits Foundation The Empowering Spirits Foundation (ESF), Inc. is an American non-profit, non-partisan LGBT rights organization based in San Diego, California, United States.
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, seventh president of LeTourneau University
Steven D. Mason Stephen or Steven is a common English first name. It is particularly significant to Christians, as it belonged to Saint Stephen ( grc-gre, Στέφανος ), an early disciple and deacon who, according to the Book of Acts, was stoned to death; h ...
, and ninth president of Goucher College
Judy Jolley Mohraz Judy Jolley Mohraz (born 1943) is an American women's studies historian. She is a former president of Goucher College and the inaugural chief executive officer and president of the Virginia G. Piper Charitable Trust. Mohraz is the second woman ...
, WrayMax CEO
Joji Suzuki Joji (じょうじ, 丈二, or 譲二, 城二, 譲治 multiple variants) is a Japanese masculine given name. It is also the Japanese pronunciation of the Western name "George" (ジョージ). It commonly refers to: * Jōji, an era in Japanese histo ...
. Professional athletes who graduated from the university include quarterback and 2011
Heisman Trophy The Heisman Memorial Trophy (usually known colloquially as the Heisman Trophy or The Heisman) is awarded annually to the most outstanding player in college football. Winners epitomize great ability combined with diligence, perseverance, and hard ...
-winner Robert Griffin III,
Phoenix Mercury The Phoenix Mercury are an American professional basketball team based in Phoenix, Arizona, playing in the Western Conference (WNBA), Western Conference in the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA). The team was founded before the league ...
WNBA player Brittney Griner, four-time Olympic gold medalist Michael Johnson, and
Baseball Hall of Fame The National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum is a history museum and hall of fame in Cooperstown, New York, operated by private interests. It serves as the central point of the history of baseball in the United States and displays baseball-r ...
inductee Ted Lyons. Grammy–winning recording artist Willie Nelson, actor
Austin Miller Austin Miller is an American actor, singer and dancer frequently seen on screen and on stage. Biography Miller was raised in the small town of Alvin, Texas (population 21,000), to a conservative Catholic family.Rand Paul Randal Howard Paul (born January 7, 1963) is an American physician and politician serving as the junior U.S. senator from Kentucky since 2011. A member of the Republican Party, he is a son of former three-time presidential candidate and 12 ...
attended Baylor but did not receive degrees from the university. Former United States Vice President
John Nance Garner John Nance Garner III (November 22, 1868 – November 7, 1967), known among his contemporaries as "Cactus Jack", was an American History of the Democratic Party (United States), Democratic politician and lawyer from History of Texas, Texas who ...
(Franklin D. Roosevelt President) received an honorary doctor of laws degree from Baylor in 1936. Actor and comedian Bill Cosby received an honorary doctor of humane letters degree from the university in 2003, which was rescinded in 2015. For information on notable faculty, staff and other alumni, please see the
List of Baylor University people This is a list of notable people associated with Baylor University in Waco, Texas, United States. To be included in this list, a person must have their own, existing Wikipedia article. The list includes notable alumni, faculty, and former students. ...
. Mark Hurd.jpg, Mark Hurd
CEO of the
Oracle Corporation Oracle Corporation is an American multinational computer technology corporation headquartered in Austin, Texas. In 2020, Oracle was the third-largest software company in the world by revenue and market capitalization. The company sells da ...
and former CEO of
Hewlett-Packard The Hewlett-Packard Company, commonly shortened to Hewlett-Packard ( ) or HP, was an American multinational information technology company headquartered in Palo Alto, California. HP developed and provided a wide variety of hardware components ...
Crowder.jpg, David Crowder
GMA Dove Award-winning Christian recording artist Rg3 redskins.jpg, Robert Griffin III
Quarterback and winner of the 2011
Heisman Trophy The Heisman Memorial Trophy (usually known colloquially as the Heisman Trophy or The Heisman) is awarded annually to the most outstanding player in college football. Winners epitomize great ability combined with diligence, perseverance, and hard ...
Jeff Dunham and Achmed.JPG, Jeff Dunham
Ventriloquist Trey Wingo cropped NFL Live ESPNWeekend2010-026.jpg, Trey Wingo
Co-host of ESPN's ''
SportsCenter ''SportsCenter'' (SC) is a daily sports news television show, television program that serves as the flagship program and brand of United States, American cable television, cable and satellite television television network, network ESPN. The show ...
''
Brittney Griner accepting Wade Trophy 2.jpg, Brittney Griner
WNBA player for
Phoenix Mercury The Phoenix Mercury are an American professional basketball team based in Phoenix, Arizona, playing in the Western Conference (WNBA), Western Conference in the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA). The team was founded before the league ...
, three-time All-American, 2012 AP Player of the Year
Robert Fulghum.jpg, Robert Fulghum
Philosopher and ''New York Times'' Bestselling author GKeller.png, Gary W. Keller
Author and co-founder of
Keller Williams Realty Keller Williams Realty (commonly referred to as Keller Williams) is an American technology and international real estate franchise with headquarters in Austin, Texas. It claimed to be the largest real estate franchise in number of agents and sal ...
Michael Johnson Sydney2000.jpg, Michael Johnson
Sprinter, winner of four Olympic gold medals and eight World Championships gold medals Trey Gowdy official congressional photo (cropped).jpg, Trey Gowdy
Former US Congressman and television news personality Ann Richards.jpg, Ann Richards
Former Governor of Texas


Campus

Image:PatNeffflowers.JPG, Pat Neff in the Spring, named for the former
governor of Texas The governor of Texas heads the state government of Texas. The governor is the leader of the executive and legislative branch of the state government and is the commander in chief of the Texas Military. The current governor is Greg Abbott, who ...
, Texas Railroad Commission member, and president of Baylor File:Bill Daniels Student Center, Baylor University (2006).jpg, Bill Daniel Student Center from the side File:Bill daniel student center.jpg, Bill Daniel Student Center during Christmas File:Tidwell Bible Building - Baylor University.JPG, Tidwell Bible Building at Baylor University in Waco, Texas Image:Tidwell Bible Building.jpg, Tidwell Bible Building File:Truett Seminary at Baylor University (2006).jpg, Truett Seminary Image:Mayborn Museum.jpg, Mayborn Museum File:Old Main, Baylor University.jpg, Burleson Quadrangle File:Old Main and Pat Neff Hall, Baylor University (2004).jpg, Old Main and Pat Neff Hall Image:Bu_patneff.jpg, Pat Neff Hall looking west Image:Judgebaylorfixed.jpg, Statue of Judge Baylor Image:burleson.jpg, Another view of Burleson Quadrangle Image:Baylor Science Building (panoramic picture) - Baylor University, Waco, Texas.jpg, Baylor Science Building File:Baylor University's McLane Stadium.JPG, McLane Stadium File:McLane Stadium facingsouth7.16.14.jpg, McLane Stadium interior facing south


See also

* SS ''Baylor Victory''—ship namesake


Notes


References


External links

*
Baylor Athletics website
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