An old tradition, UCLA’s homecoming celebration, will be restored to the Bruin community next week. Since 2004, homecoming has been relatively ignored. This year, however – due to a new Undergraduate Students Association Council’s (USAC) drive to reinstate homecoming – the student government managed to create a committee that would be in charge of the festivities.

Two reasons why homecoming died down are because fewer and fewer Bruins attended, and hence, many felt that the celebratory event was not worth the costs it required. Low attendance signals unproductive utilization of so much money. However, this year, the new USAC president, Emily Resnick, promised that she would make homecoming happen again. The homecoming committee has raised $23,700 to allocate for the festivities.

There are mixed reactions and emotions towards the reoccurrence and funding of homecoming. Many have expressed disappointment and frustration about the funding spent on just one event, believing that other priorities such as scholarships, student groups, etc. topple homecoming.

Bruin Bash is allocated about $90,000, which is much more than homecoming. But some argue that since Bruin Bash’s purpose is to energize and welcome new and returning Bruins who start the quarter in late September, then why spend more thousands of dollars on an event that occurs immediately a month after?

While some think the funds spent on homecoming are a waste of resources, many are also extremely excited to be able to express their pride and support for UCLA’s football team and UCLA in general.

Resnick explains that the source of funding for homecoming comes from the USAC surplus fund. This surplus fund is completely separate from the funds for the other hundreds of student groups and events. She affirms that homecoming unites Bruins by greatly escalating their school pride. It’s a chance to bring UCLA alumni back to campus and rejuvenate their desire to sponsor and network with the UCLA community. Networking is important to create more events later on.

UCLA continues Beat ’SC week, which is a week where Bruins will show off their UCLA pride each day of that week and earn loads of freebies. For example, on Wednesday, you can trade an old red shirt for a new beautiful blue UCLA T-shirt.

USC had in previous years painted the symbolic Bruin Bear the day before the game, so in attempt to avoid their prank, Bruins work hard to protect their symbol. Groups of Bruins also camp out in Bruin Plaza to protect the Bruin Bear before the big game against USC. UCLA hides its Bruin statue with a tremendous sign “THE BRUIN BEAR IS HIBERNATING. BEAT ’SC!”

At the end of the week, UCLA will hold a rally, parade and bonfire. But this week cannot measure to the grandeur that will be homecoming weekend.

This year, homecoming week, simultaneously occurring at the same time as Parent’s Weekend, will begin on Friday, Oct. 28. On Friday, there will be a carnival on the Intramural Field, and on Saturday UCLA will compete against California at the Rose Bowl, the homecoming game! Hopefully, the rebirth of homecoming will live up to its hype and cool down the controversy.

For more information, visit uclahomecoming2011.weebly.com.

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