Friday, October 14, 2022
Cowboy Approach OSU strategic plan details A new plan is here. In a landmark announcement, OSU President Kayse Shrum, reaffirmed her and her staff’s commitment to land grant university preeminence through a multipoint strategic plan that has been formulating over the past year through a series of interviews and sounding board sessions.
The answers that they received through these sessions from close to 3,500 individuals created a matrix through which the plan was established. “Research, teaching and service belong to the land-grants, and we are Oklahoma’s flagship land-grant institution,” Shrum said. “With a presence in all 77 counties, we are called to serve the state and world, and we are well equipped to do that.
Courtesy of OSU Communicaitons
Micah McKamie Staff Reporter
See Strategic Plan on 4A
Orange fountain dyeing to kick off Cowboy Homecoming
Cheesiest show on earth
Kennedy Thomason who provided insight into the process of Staff Reporter
dyeing Edmon Low’s fountain orange. “The Homecoming Steering Committee meets on Sunday of Homecoming week to dye the fountain,” Sweeden said. “We have a Facilities Management staff member, Wade Blackburn, there to meet the Committee and ensure the dyeing goes smoothly. Wade prepares smaller cups of dye for each committee member to pour into the fountain. The dyeing of the fountain is a symbolic showing that Homecoming week has begun.” The logistics of the process use specific materials, Sweeden said. “For safety, we use an orange foodgrade dye for the fountain,” Sweeden added.
America’s Greatest Homecoming will begin this Sunday at 6 p.m. with the historic fountain dyeing, sign competition, and royalty coronation. Every year, the OSU community gathers to watch the water in the fountain in front of Edmon Low turn orange. This tradition marks the beginning of Homecoming week and the start of the new reign of homecoming king and queen. Alumni travel from all over to watch the event and students gather to witness the beginning of the weeklong celebration. The O’Colly spoke with Jeff Sweeden, the director for operations and maintenance for OSU Facilities Management, See Kick off on 3A
Abby Cage Members of the Greek life community have been participating in shows such as Follies for more five decades.
Follies benefits Stillwater Performing Arts Every year, Follies picks a charity to support that all proceeds from the show go to. Sarah Sanders serves as the head of the philanthropy commitMallory Pool tee for Follies Steering News Editor this year. Steering is the body that oversees the Follies isn’t just a production, execution and competition. success of Follies and This year marks helps put the entire show the 51st year anniversary week on. of a singing and dancing “Without a cause, competition between the Follies is just a bunch of Greek chapters on camcollege students singing, pus. Follies had its show dancing and flailing their week Tuesday through arms around,” Sanders Saturday with the awards said. “Philanthropy is the ceremony taking place glue that binds Follies tomorrow night. and is the one cause every The show is more cast can work together than just an excuse for towards. This is importhe Greek houses to prove tant, because it allows which is the best—it’s cast members, direcabout helping others tors, parents, attendees when they may not be and the Oklahoma State able to help themselves. University community to
feel confident that their participation in making the show happen is for a good reason. “It is really fulfilling to see that final fundraising amount, both for me and for everyone involved with raising money, because it is representative of a broader idea of working together towards a common goal. I believe the philanthropic goal drives Follies forward and ensures that the show means more than what is shown on the surface level.” Last year, the show wrote a record-breaking $57,000 check and the executive team hopes to donate even more this year. Reid Rector, shows and programming graduate assistant, hopes that this year’s charity, Stillwater Public Schools
Performing Arts Program, will benefit greatly from the money raised. “This year, for the first year ever, the beneficiary for Follies is the Stillwater Public Schools Performing Arts Department,” Rector told The O’Colly. “Growing up heavily involved in Performing Arts, I’m incredibly excited for the opportunity to help our community enrich the lives of so many students. Through Follies, every program in the SPS Performing Arts Department will see benefits. Money raised will help provide the students with new instruments, uniforms and equipment, bring in visiting artists and conductors and provide scholarships to allow every student the See Follies on 6A
File photo President Kayse Shrum crowns last year’s Homecoming queen, which also takes place at the dyeing.