Disney characters will roam the campus this week in honor of this year’s homecoming theme–Minerland.

Students will be able to participate in Disney-themed events and activities during homecoming week from Sept. 29 to Oct. 5.

Sam Rodriguez, Student Engagement and Leadership coordinator, said Disney was chosen by students who voted at a Campus Activities Board meeting in early Spring.

A new tradition is being implemented in order to increase student participation, Rodriguez said. If students are not active in campus organizations they will still be able to dress up every day of the week.

Each day will have its own theme and students can dress as their favorite characters: Monday will feature “Toy Story,” Tuesday will be “Star Wars,” on Wednesday will be
“Pirates of the Caribbean,” and on Thursday students can wear a sports jersey and the usual Orange Friday remains.

Registered student organizations can compete in the RSOlympics, and can compete in events like Jeopardisney, the lip-sync competition, booty wars, the impressions competition, a Disney writing competition and a float-making party.

The Campus Activities Board holds its annual homecoming meeting, which takes place near the beginning of the spring semester; students are then able to suggest themes and a vote is taken on what the homecoming theme will be.

“I think it’s pretty creative, but it all depends on the person’s mentality–whether they think it’s too childish or if they think they are too cool for it,” said Louie Villicana, freshman English and American literature major. “I think it’s a start of something new and something different.”

Rodriguez said that many students were excited about this year’s theme, but acknowledged that there are some who were opposed to it.

“I’d say, let your inner child out of the corner for a week,” Rodriguez said. “The RSOlympics and homecoming are about having fun and showing off your school spirit.”

Luis Torres, sophomore music theater major, is excited about the theme and is considering participating in the events.

“This (theme) can kind of get everyone involved and can take them back to childhood memories,” Torres said. “In college, you kind of lose that, so I think it is a fun way to get a majority of the students involved in it.”

Students such as Humberto Hernandez, senior computer information systems major, think the theme is childish.

“This has nothing to do with school spirit and I think Disney should be for like a middle-school homecoming not for a university, it doesn’t make sense,” Hernandez said.

For more information about the homecoming festivities, visit sa.utep.edu/selc.

Amanda Guillen may be reached at [email protected].