By Allyssa Schoonover
Reporter
The green and gold swings are a part of Baylor tradition. They give students a place to relax and take in the beauty of campus, sit down with a significant other for a “DTR”, define the relationship talk or pose for senior pictures.
There are five green and gold swings around Baylor’s campus. Campus Living and Learning, along with some help from student government, will add eight new swings over the summer. With so many new swings more students will be able to use them.
Katy sophomore Ricky Cooper worked with Jeff Doyle, Dean for student learning and engagement on this project. Cooper wrote a bill for Student Senate that worked to get funding from student government for some of these swings.
He said he thinks the first swing was the one in Founders Mall. There is also one in front of Tidwell Bible Building, Waco Hall, the Bill Daniel Student Center and Burleson Quadrangle. The new swings will be in front of Dawson Residence Hall, in front of Alexander Residence Hall, in Minglewood Bowl, between University House and Rogers Engineering and Computer Science Building, in front of Marrs McLean Science Building, in front of Sid Richardson Building, in front of Rogers and in the grassy area between East Village and the Student Life Center.
“I see students on the swings all the time and I think it adds aesthetic beauty to campus,” Cooper said.
The swings hold a lot of memories for people. Relationships have been established on these swings and some couples have gotten engaged there. The memories are one reason Cooper is excited for this addition to campus.
“We look all the time for ways to improve campus for students, visitors and alumni,” Cooper said.
Cooper said he, Doyle and some other students took a tour of campus to pick out the locations for the new swings.
The Senate meeting Thursday, Dallas senior Connor Mighell said he could see how adding these swings could help in recruiting. A lot of people like using them for senior pictures as well.
The downside some senators expressed is that these swings are expensive. Each swing costs $1,165.
“The pros, it brings beauty to campus and it extends tradition but a con, there may be more DTRs on campus and the cost,” said San Antonio senior Stephen Bell.
A consensus among senators was that these new swings will make campus more beautiful.
“The swings are a time honored tradition,” Houston junior Will Jones said, who also worked on the bill.
“I’m really excited that Student Senate is behind it and I look forward to seeing the new swings when I come back in the fall,” Cooper said.
