Some students are not fans of adhering to traditions just for the sake of it. In fact, the editor of this paper took time to write about it in a “Your World Today” column last year. But homecoming can act as a weather vane for how interested students are in campus events, and currently, the excitement is missing. Why is that?

One potential reason: This year, as a result of ongoing budget struggles, the budget for Homecoming events dropped 30% from $20,000 to $14,000 -- despite those in charge of Homecoming only submitting request for an $11,000 budget. 

In previous years, homecoming fell immediately after fall break and lasted from Wednesday to Sunday. This year, Wednesday events were no more.

Additionally, this was the first year without a unique theme for Homecoming like 2022’s “Viva Las Ship” or 2023’s “Ship Through the Decades.” According to SU Director of Communications Megan Silverstrim, the university  has been “considering moving to a Ship theme for several years.” 

Some students think that cutting back on a theme is a result of budget constraints since decorations in the Ceddia Union Building can be reused yearly, but Silverstrim said budgets were not a “driving force behind the decision” to implement a Ship theme.

One glaring sign that many students do not care about homecoming is that there was a lack of applicants for homecoming royalty, a tradition open to all juniors and seniors at SU.

This year, only 10 people applied, which sparked changes to the royalty campaigning and selection process. At this rate, it is questionable if homecoming royalty will even exist in a few years. God save the autumnal representative, we suppose.

But maybe that is the point. The royalty aspect may very well be seen as an anachronism; the week’s schedule could just as easily be filled by spirit week in place of homecoming, without the uncontested electoral process. It’s not as though there is a dance, such as those in high school, that honor our elected monarchy.

There will still be the issue of student buy-in, but there is no reason most of the scheduled events cannot be slotted into a different concept. This may help, as the only way homecoming has a connection to you is if you or your family are Ship alumni. The effort put into the student-facing aspect of the ceremony has steadily decreased along with students’ involvement.

It is not that students are completely disinterested. APB’s Casino Night and Campus Life’s homecoming Bingo were packed – another reminder that students will show up, but only if they care.

The same can be said for student organizations. Only 45 clubs registered to take place in the Homecoming Parade, which is fewer than half of those on campus.

None of this is to be too hard on leadership. Universities across the board are struggling with getting students to buy in and feel a more complex sense of connection to their institution, and Ship is no exception. 

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