Popularity of float entries sinking in annual parade
By Matt James
Special to the Kansan
Organizations across campus say they are having increased difficulty finding the time and resources to build floats for the 1998 homecoming parade.
Fewer groups have entered floats during the last few years, and the trend will apparently continue this year when the annual parade takes place at 2:20 p.m. today. The parade will go from the Chi Omega fountain to the Kansas Union.
"Traditionally, greek organizations are over-programmed during the month of October," said Libby Sigg, president of the Panhellenic Association. "To build a float, an entire chapter has to be involved in the project and many find it difficult to commit the enormous amount of time that is necessary."
Of the 43 social fraternities and sororities and numerous student, campus and community organizations, which are all eligible to enter, only 12 applications for floats had been submitted as of Oct. 14, said Tracie Schuler, Student Union Activities graduate adviser. The deadline for applications was Oct. 13, but late entries can still be submitted at the SUA office.
Jim Dore, homecoming chairman for Delta Upsilon, said that his fraternity would be cosponsoring a float with Delta Gamma sorority this year but understood why many organizations did not.
"The hardest part is deciding on an idea for the float and getting it built in such a short time," Dore said. "Finding a trailer to build it on can be tough, not to mention the fact that a
GROUPS ENTERED IN PARADE
Kappa Kappa Gamma/ Phi Delta Theta
Campus Connections/ Association of Uni.
versity Residence Hall
Delta Gamma/ Delta Upsilon
RAGSVH
BACCHUS
Alpha Delta Pi/ Alpha Chi Omega/ Alpha Kappa Lambda
Pi Beta Phi/ Sigma Chi
Fiji/ Kappa Alpha Theta
Kappa Delta/ Kappa Sigma
University Theatre
Stephenson Scholarship Hall
Supporters watch the homecoming parade down Massachusetts Street in 1947. This year the parade will be held Oct. 23 at 2:20 p.m. on Jayhawk Boulevard. Photo courtesy of University Archives.
Siama Alpha Epsilon/ Delta Delta Delta
Student Union Activities
nice float can become expensive."
Floats must be entered in one of three categories: mobile with moving parts, mobile with non-moving parts and decorated cars or pickup trucks. Floats are judged by an anonymous panel selected by the Board of Class Officers.
Each float is judged on creativity, adherence to theme, technical complexity and display condition. A plaque is presented to the best float in each category. This year's theme is "Tangled Up in Crimson & Blue."
The parade, which will feature the KU marching band as well as local high school bands, is sponsored by SUA, the Board of Class Officers and the Student Alumni Association.
In past parades, sororities and fraternities have co-sponsored floats to ensure that they would have plenty of help in the building process.
Even with the decline in participation, greek organizations still dominate the parade. Of the 12 groups registered for the parade, eight are being co-sponsored by fraternities and sororities.
Not everyone attributes the lack of participation to time and resources. May Harrell, social chair for the International Student Association, said that there was a campus perception that the parade was a greek event.
"I wasn't even aware that other organizations could participate," she said.
The history of the parade has been filled with change and controversy and dates back before World War II, said John Mullens, assistant KU security director. The parade itself was replaced in the mid 70s by house displays when Greek organizations constructed homecoming decorations in their front yards. The lines of cars to see the displays created such a traffic jam that the parade seemed a better choice, he said.
6 Homecoming
The Hill
Friday, October 23, 1998