How about a \"new\" tradition?

[Bergermeister]

Maybe we need to start recruiting students with something more to offer the school. Looks like we got a lot of "takers" but not as many "givers" as we could use in the area of rah-rah. If I was a gung-ho high school junior/senior looking to take my enthusiasm to the "next level", I'd have to pass on SMU. We have a tremendous number of talented students who contribute much to the school, but when it comes to school spirit, I think we've got a bunch of duds. I do want to commend the few, the proud who do whole-heartedly show their support at football games... the ones on the front row in the student "section". We've got more "cheerleaders" and "dancers" than student fans. We need to park some of their considerably overweight butts in the stands. New rule: when you outgrow the uniform, you gotta go sit in the bleachers.

[Bergermeister]

Maybe we need to start recruiting students with something more to offer the school. Looks like we got a lot of "takers" but not as many "givers" as we could use in the area of rah-rah. If I was a gung-ho high school junior/senior looking to take my enthusiasm to the "next level", I'd have to pass on SMU. We have a tremendous number of talented students who contribute much to the school, but when it comes to school spirit, I think we've got a bunch of duds. I do want to commend the few, the proud who do whole-heartedly show their support at football games... the ones on the front row in the student "section". We've got more "cheerleaders" and "dancers" than student fans. We need to park some of their considerably overweight butts in the stands. New rule: when you outgrow the uniform, you gotta go sit in the bleachers.

[couch 'em]

Perhaps you could endow a scholarship for students who show spirit. Most highly spirited people these days come from (lower) middle class backgrounds. Most people who can afford SMU without a significant scholarship will only be spirited when it earns them a spotlight. (see: cheerleaders. how many of them would come to games if they were cheerleaders? A couple.)

[Diamond Girl]

It's pretty sad if we have to think of setting up scholarships to recruit spirited students to attend this university. I don't want to play the blame game, but students model what the professors and administration do. I agree that profs won't ever show school spirit; it's too far beneath them. But administration members, especially those who attended SMU as undergraduates in the pre-apathy years, have no excuse. Pres. Turner shows up on the blvd. and I would think to the games as well, but does Caswell (VP of Student Affairs; SMU alumnus; who's been working at SMU since '67)?

[Diamond Girl]

It's pretty sad if we have to think of setting up scholarships to recruit spirited students to attend this university. I don't want to play the blame game, but students model what the professors and administration do. I agree that profs won't ever show school spirit; it's too far beneath them. But administration members, especially those who attended SMU as undergraduates in the pre-apathy years, have no excuse. Pres. Turner shows up on the blvd. and I would think to the games as well, but does Caswell (VP of Student Affairs; SMU alumnus; who's been working at SMU since '67)?