Kim Grano: Homecoming 2012 must impress to be cemented as tradition

After last year’s Homecoming festival was met with mixed reviews, this year’s event marks a turning point for the attempted resurrection of this tradition.

If organizers of the event can execute it properly, the 2012 Homecoming festival, slotted for early November, combined with Pauley Pavilion’s opening celebrations, could give the event the boost it needs to set a precedent for years to come.

Last year’s Homecoming festival drew wide criticism from students for the source of its funding, said Kaitlyn Williams, co-executive director of the Homecoming Committee and third-year political science student.

Controversy surrounded the Undergraduate Students Association Council’s use of $19,600 of surplus funds ““ taken from student fees ““ for the Homecoming festival last year.

Fortunately, the Homecoming Committee has since taken cues from its critics, disassociating the event entirely from USAC and cutting costs to an estimated $12,500.

This year, Homecoming will be funded largely by UCLA Recreation, said Kenn Heller, assistant dean of students and associate director of innovation initiatives at UCLA Recreation.

Because of the hype surrounding Pauley Pavilion’s reopening, this year’s Homecoming festival has the potential to provide the resounding success former USAC president Emily Resnick envisioned when she pushed to resurrect the event after a seven-year hiatus.

But while the celebration’s finances might have been reigned in appropriately, the Homecoming Committee should also note concerns regarding the event’s activities, which were limited last year to carnival-type games and performances by groups such as UCLA a cappella and student dance teams.

Although this year’s events will retain these features, the committee is throwing in a new element alongside the traditional focus on football, most notably the much-anticipated introduction of the 2012-2013 UCLA basketball team. By including both sports in the festivities and expanding the scope of this year’s event, UCLA’s Homecoming festival could potentially draw in a wider audience to capitalize on the much talked about changes in both programs.

With our grand basketball tradition, from coach John Wooden to Shabazz Muhammad, UCLA has a chance to spotlight those areas that set it apart instead of simply attempting to recreate the homecoming traditions of other schools.

In less than two weeks’ time, we’ll see if new carnival games and the lure of the Pauley Pavilion’s opening is enough to satisfy the student body and bring back those students disappointed by last year’s event.

As with most school traditions, students will make memories not because of fair games, but because of a strong sense of pride and community generated by campuswide events. The odds are stacked in favor of this year’s Homecoming, which occurs during Parents’ Weekend, as curious and interested parents will likely be willing to attend to see the revamped and expanded Pauley Pavilion.

We should keep in mind, however, that next year there will be no grand opening to draw in large crowds. The committee should therefore consider having other large-scale events ““ perhaps bringing in a notable performer ““ to anchor the Homecoming festival.

Of course, we can’t expect the Homecoming Committee to map out future Homecoming events before November’s festivities. Yet as it seeks to cement Homecoming as a UCLA tradition, all students, not just basketball or football fans, need to be sold on the idea.

If it fails to make an impression with this second try ““ which will likely be more scrutinized following last year’s lukewarm reception ““ students may decide homecoming festivities are something they could do without.

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