Rammer Jammer, the Walk of Champions, tailgating on the Quad, the Million Dollar Band's performance of Yea Alabama, are all game day traditions. A live elephant may soon be added to the list of game day festivities, depending on what an SGA research group finds in the coming months.
During a joint session between the First Year Council and the SGA Senate, the two bodies passed a resolution that will research bringing a live elephant to campus during football games to add school spirit.
The resolution cited other SEC schools, such as Auburn, Tennessee and LSU that bring an animal to campus for home football games.
The decision was only to create a group to research the idea, but that stirred debate between First Year Council members and SGA senators. Arguments ranged from logistics to animal rights before the resolution was affirmed.
"You can't just throw an elephant in the middle of the Quad. It has to be thought through," said Christy Adamson, a freshman majoring in international business.
Another resolution was passed to try to bring Dining Dollars usage to UA athletic events. The SGA and the First Year Council encouraged Alabama Sports Marketing to give ARAMARK the contract for food services at athletic events, which is up for grabs at the end of the year and would potentially bring Dining Dollars to Bryant-Denny Stadium and Coleman Coliseum.
Gregory Poole, a sophomore majoring in engineering, said while he is in favor of the resolution, it isn't perfect.
"While I did support the resolution, I also support a free market system. Don't just give it away because it's ARAMARK and they have Dining Dollars," Poole said.
Others, like Joe Fine, a sophomore majoring in history, said he supported the idea.
"It would be very popular with the students," Fine said. "They already have Dining Dollars," Fine said.
Getting a good night of sleep was the topic of a third resolution. The SGA hopes to cut down on unwelcome wake up calls by asking the University to keep grounds crews away from residence halls before 8:30 a.m.
The First Year Council was invited to observe and participate in SGA Senate debate for the first time. There were participants on both sides of the aisle that came away feeling it was a good experience.
"It's a good idea because it brings all people to the table. That's something that our administration has worked very hard for," said Vice President for External Affairs Britney Mitchell, a senior majoring in public relations and political science.
Fine said he was in the First Year Council and said he thought it was a good learning experience.
"I think it's a good idea to give kids a chance to come up and see how the Senate works," Fine said.
Executive Vice President Madeline Barter said she thought it was an overall fruitful evening.
"It was really productive, there was a lot of debate and resolutions were authored from both sides," she said.
