By Dani Bigham | Reporter
If you’re a part of the 45% of students in the College of Arts and Sciences, you’re all too familiar with credits for CAEs — Creative Arts Experiences. They’re intended to help students become engaged in art, music, theater, film and literature on campus. For some reason, All-University Sing and Pigskin Revue don’t fall under this category, even though there are hundreds of participants every year — from Sing chairs and stagehands to sororities and fraternities.
It’s not like these are new events either. They’ve been a part of Baylor’s history for over 60 years. Sing was started in 1953, and Pigskin followed shortly after in 1958.
So much time, effort and love are poured into each seven-minute miniature musical. The acts combine choreography, costuming, props, lighting, set design and music. The categories in which the acts are judged further prove that they fall within the CAE realm, as judging is split into theater, dance, music and campus life.
I understand that Sing or Pigskin performances shouldn’t be able to count for multiple CAEs at once, but they should be able to fill the theater requirements or the additional two CAEs that can fall under any category.
I work as a stagehand at Waco Hall, so I see everything firsthand. The work doesn’t just begin with the performance. There is planning that starts literally months in advance, dozens of rehearsals and far too many meetings. It isn’t just those competing who put in long hours; it’s people behind the scenes as well. Prep for Pigskin starts over a month in advance within Waco Hall, and Sing chairs have already begun working on next year’s acts.
Sing and Pigskin are popular events, with tickets selling out very quickly despite being rather expensive and existing for multiple performances. A large majority of CAE events are at no cost to students, so why is one of the biggest paid events of the year simply glossed over?
And it’s not just Sing and Pigskin that lose out on CAE credits. It’s the overwhelming majority of events hosted at Waco Hall that get passed up.
For example, other events that don’t qualify for CAE credits are The Nutcracker, which features music by the Waco Symphony Orchestra and dancers from Ballet Frontier; After Dark, which is a massive talent show; and Orchestral Magic, which is also presented by the Waco Symphony Orchestra. I’ve worked these events, and they feel as enriching as attending a Baylor concert or watching a film. Since these events are performed in Waco Hall and since they are accessible to students, they should count for CAE credits.
I just want everyone to get credit where credit is due and to be able to benefit from Baylor’s beloved traditions.
