New Freshmen Will Face the Slime

by Jodi Cunningham, student newswriter

Baylor University's class of 2010 will be welcomed officially to campus during the annual Slime Night Uproar, an event centered around longtime Baylor traditions, on Friday, Sept. 1, at 7 p.m. in the Burleson Quadrangle. Freshman students will learn cheers, enjoy an open-air concert, meet the 2006 Baylor football team and receive their Baylor Line jerseys and traditional slime caps.

The Place 2BU, a programming collaborative that teams up with student groups to support and promote featured events on campus, sponsors Slime Night for incoming freshmen. The goal is to provide a greater sense of community among Baylor freshmen and enrich their overall Baylor experience.

This year, Slime Night will again be combined with Uproar, an annual pep rally held before the first football game of the season, and will be co-sponsored by the Baylor Chamber of Commerce and Baylor Athletics. Students will be introduced to the members of the football team and partake in a traditional pep rally for Sunday's game against TCU.

Slime Night will begin at 6:30 p.m. as members of the freshman class meet on Fifth Street and pick up their Baylor Line jerseys from members of the Chamber of Commerce. Beginning at 7 p.m., freshmen will be guided by Baylor's Golden Wave Marching Band and Spirit Squads as they march toward Burleson Quadrangle where they will be welcomed by various student organizations lined up along Fifth Street.

At the quadrangle, freshmen will receive their slime caps from Student Activities staff and have a chance to meet the football team. Dr. Dub Oliver, vice president for student life, will discuss the history of Slime Night with students and encourage them to become part of the Baylor spirit during their time at Baylor. Finally, students will enjoy the music of The Dutton Band, a band comprised of Baylor students, and will have the opportunity to mingle with student organization members.

"Slime Night will introduce our freshmen to Baylor traditions, educate them about our history and give them another opportunity to get to know each other," said Amy Reeves, assistant director of student activities for campus programming. She believes that the Slime Night experience is unique because it involves the Baylor custom of slime caps, which have been around since the 1930s.

At one time, these green and gold slime caps were worn so that upperclassmen could easily identify freshmen on campus. Although slime caps are not worn regularly around campus today, they are still a symbol of each freshman's journey to Baylor and will always be regarded a Baylor tradition.

For more information regarding Slime Night Uproar, please contact the Place 2BU office at (254) 710-4919.