I go to a fascist, discriminatory institution that promotes intellectual backwardness:
(from http://www.wikipedia.org)
-----------------------------------
Conservatives have criticised Baylor as a BINO (Baptist In Name Only) university. Tom DeLay, who had been expelled from Baylor for drinking, was reported as responding to a parent:
‘Don’t send your kids to Baylor. And don’t send your kids to [Texas] A&M,’ DeLay answered, to vigorous applause. ‘There are still some Christian schools out there—good, solid schools. Now, they may be little, they may not be as prestigious as Stanford, but your kids will get a good, solid, godly education.’[7]
Baylor also came under fire from both sides of the evolution debate for the hiring of intelligent design advocate William Dembski and the subsequent decision not to renew his contract.[8]
Conservatives are also concerned at the number of graduates who espouse liberal views, such as Ann Richards. Conversely, moderate to liberal Baylor students and alumni have objected to the lack of courtesy that certain students have afforded to Ann Richards when she has spoken on campus, as well as to the idea that Baylor should seek to attract only students of a particular political affiliation.
Baylor has also been criticized for its policy regarding homosexual students; the student handbook explicitly prohibits homosexuality, and same-sex partner benefits are not offered to employees.
In the second half of 2003, Matthew Bass, a seminary student, announced to his friends he was gay. Word of this revelation soon reached the dean of the seminary, and on December 17, Bass received a letter with news that his scholarship had been revoked. Dean Paul Powell cited three major reasons for his scholarship termination. The primary reason was based on the text of the Bible, specifically 1 Corinthians. Secondly, Powell says his duty is to train students for ministry in Baptist churches, and being a homosexual directly contradicts the Baptist lifestyle. Lastly, Baylor scholarship money is often donated from conservative organizations, which Baylor must meet certain standards for where to spend that money. As a result, Bass stated he was not able to attend Baylor University because of lack of money for tuition. Shortly after leaving Baylor, Bass sent numerous pornographic emails to Baylor staff members which had been edited to portray them in sexual acts. After tracing the emails and bringing a lawsuit, Baylor forced Bass to pay $77,000. link
On September 12, 2005, Baylor graduate Tim Smith was removed from the Hankamer School of Business advisory board on similar grounds. link
------------------
[Now get this, this is their "BAYLOR 2012" program. It scares me. It really does.]
In 2000, the university sought to expand its vision of a scholarly institution with a strong sense of Christianity. Baylor, under then President Robert Sloan Jr., created a written statement to detail the exact goals of this vision. This statement was appropriately titled, Baylor 2012, the year by which the school hopes to achieve its aims. The university intends to "enter the top tier of American universities while reaffirming and deepening its distinctive Christian mission." [2] It was presented in September 2001, and approved by the Board of Regents shortly afterwards. The Vision is based upon twelve key imperatives designed to create a more fulfilling educational experience in a unique Christian environment. The twelve imperatives are:
The Baylor Sciences Building, completed in the fall of 2004, is a product of Baylor 2012.Establish an environment where learning can flourish
Create a truly residential campus
Develop a world-class faculty
Attract and support a top-tier student body
Initiate outstanding new academic programs in selected areas
Guide all Baylor students, through academic and student life programming, to understand life as a stewardship and work as a vocation
Provide outstanding academic facilities
Construct useful and aesthetically pleasing physical spaces
Enhance involvement of the entire Baylor family
Build with integrity a winning athletic tradition in all sports
Emphasize global education
Achieve a two-billion dollar endowment
Baylor 2012 has encountered opposition since its inception. The Vision led to a polarization of faculty opinion that culminated in the resignation of President Robert Sloan Jr. in June 2005. Opponents argue that the Vision will limit academic freedom and hinder intellectual growth due to an excessive focus on Christian interpretation. Others predict that rising tuition costs needed to implement the Vision will reduce enrollment and render many middle class families unable to afford a Baylor education.
However, Baylor's administration has countered that increased tuition costs are comparable to those of other private universities and that preserving and strengthening Christian values at the university is of paramount importance. As of February 2006, the university has received a record number of applications from both freshmen and transfer students. [3]
-------------------------------
I hope that after I graduate I become an international symbol of athiest liberalism and intellectual hedonism, being forever a shame to the university that educated me. I really would have liked to go to a different university with different values, but I sort of had no choice unless I wanted to move really far away, which I couldn't afford to do at the time.
ridiculous