This weekend marked the kick-off of the Student Senate’s new school spirit effort, entitled Go Be Red. While there have been debates over details of the program such as funding and activities, all can agree that the core principle of the project is admirable and the organizers should be commended for their efforts.
For years, students, faculty, administrators, and other members of the campus community have taken it as a given that students hate, or at least dislike, RPI. Various reasons have been given for this, including the ratio, the workload, the lack of real activities, and the lack of athletic success to rally around, among others. Many have discussed the ways to invigorate the student body, but most discussions were purely hypothetical.
Go Be Red, however, encourages students to fill previously empty bleachers at games, which will provide a boost to RPI’s athletic teams. It is sponsoring events such as the Puckman Dip and Junkyard Wars that will bring students together for competitions. Lastly, it also encourages student creativity through events such as the Photo Hunt and Glam in Your Ginch.
This weekend, Go Be Red displayed its potential when the football team, other students, and even President Shirley Ann Jackson gathered after the homecoming game to set the record for the largest group dancing to the electric slide. The turn out ended up being a little over 350 students dancing and many others came to watch. Most of these participants were watching the Engineers destroy Utica College before dancing the electric slide, which increased RPI fans at the game.
President Jackson’s participation in Go Be Red has helped increase student interest. Many students showed up at the game just to watch her dance but ended up enjoying the football game as well. It is activities like this that will make Go Be Red a success.
While obviously not every student will participate in these activities, Go Be Red will undoubtedly make a small segment of the student population enjoy their college years a little more, and that is laudable. If even one student feels happier at RPI because of Go Be Red, then the entire project is a success.
