Held in the Senate chambers, Homecoming Forums were lead by Director of Osprey Productions Rachel Bryant on Jan. 17 and 18. The forums covered important dates and information about upcoming events.

Homecoming Week is quickly approaching and will take place from Feb. 11 through Feb. 17. For groups who wish to participate in the homecoming competition, the applications are due by 3 p.m. on Friday, Jan. 26.

The homecoming competition will consist of numerous activities, with each activity offering participants a chance to win points. Participants work as a group of four or more. The group with the most points will be the winner and will receive a trophy. The point system is based primarily on participation and what place the group finishes in.

For the events Mr. and Mrs. UNF, Night of Fun, and Swoop the Loop, 100 points are given to groups with 50 percent participation, 50 points are given to groups with 25 percent participation, and 25 points are given to groups with 10 percent participation.

For the Banner Contest, Food Fort, and Bin Wars, first place winners receive 100 points, second place winners receive 45 points, and those in third place receive 20 points. The Food Fort, Mr. and Mrs. UNF, and Swoop the Loop will also offer the chance to win bonus points.

The Comedy Show is the first event of Homecoming Week, which does not tie into the competition. It will take place on Feb. 11 in the UNF Arena at 7 p.m. Students get in for free with a UNF student ID. Tickets for non-students cost $30. Additionally, the first 250 Alumni to purchase a ticket will get a discount.

The second event, the Lip Sync competition, will take place in the Lazzara Performance Hall on Feb. 12, and it also has no correlation with the homecoming competition. The doors will open at 6:30 p.m. and it will begin at 7 p.m. This event is a competition for dancers, who also lip sync as they perform. The groups will be given eight minutes to perform and will be judged on “time specifications, professionalism, originality, synchronization, creativity, appearance, costumes/props, continuity, lip-syncing, crowd response, and creative use of the theme.” Groups can choose their own theme.

On Feb. 13, the Food Fort competition, formerly known as the Can Castle, will take place. For this competition, groups acquire points through their creativity, school spirit, representation of the theme, and the use of food items, with each item being assigned a certain amount of points. Each team will be given a 10 ft. by 10 ft. square to build their fort out of canned food and other non-perishables like cereal, pasta, sauce, and peanut butter. According to Bryant, when the building is finished, the forts will be judged and the food will be taken to Lend-A-Wing.

On Feb. 14, the Mr. And Mrs. UNF competition will take place in the Robinson Theater at 5:30 p.m. Students will compete in three categories: “formal wear, Q&A, [and] talent and homecoming/UNF spirit.” The talent must be pre-approved and the three men and women with the most points will be announced at the theater. Then, Mr. and Mrs. UNF will be announced during the basketball game on Feb. 17.

Bryant then discussed the Banner Contest Judging, which will take place on Feb. 15. She said groups would be painting banners to hang outside the student union. The banners will have to be turned in to the Administration Office by Feb. 2, and they must display the groups’ name, as well as “Homecoming 2018.” Points will be given based on creativity and appearance.

On Friday, Feb. 16, UNF’s annual Night of Fun will begin at 6 p.m. and end at 10 p.m. in the Amphitheater. There will be carnival rides, free food and giveaways, music, and more. Teams involved in the homecoming competition will receive points just for showing up. During this time, Bin Wars will also take place. Recycling bins will be painted by the different groups and turned in two hours before Night of Fun begins so they can be used for the event. The groups can pick up their bins as of Jan. 30 from the Osprey Productions office.

The last day of Homecoming Week, Feb. 17, will consist of Swoop the Loop and the Homecoming Game. Like Night of Fun, groups can receive points just for showing up to Swoop the Loop. The event, a 5K run sponsored by the UNF Alumni Association begins at 8 a.m. in the Student Union Plaza. The Homecoming game against NJIT will begin at 7 p.m., and Mr. and Mrs. UNF will be announced during half time. UNF students get in for free by showing their UNF ID.

Bryant reminded those who attended the forum that backpacks would not be permitted at the Mr. and Mrs. UNF competition and the Lip Sync competition. She also stated that carrying or being under the influence of drugs or alcohol will lose points. The same rule goes for inappropriate behavior. This includes showing up late or not at all.

Bryant said if anyone has questions, the best way to get in contact with her is to call (904) 620-2460 or email her at opdir@unf.edu. She said the Osprey Productions office is typically open from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday through Friday.  

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