Traditions of KU

The Jayhawk

Rock Chalk Chant

Overview of The University of Kansas

28,000 students enrolled
Division 1 school with a nationally ranked basketball team
13 professional schools, including the only school of pharmacy and medicine in the state of Kansas
345 degree programs, especially strong programs in City Management, Nursing, Social Welfare, Special Education, and Speech-Language Pathology
Students come from all 50 states and 105 countries

KU's world famous Rock Chalk Chant evolved from a cheer that a chemistry professor, E.H.S. Bailey, created for the KU Science Club in 18686. Bailey's version was "Rah, Rah, Jayhawk, KU" repeated three times. The rahs were later replaced by "Rock Chalk", a transposition of chalk rock, the name for the limestone outcropping found on Mount Oread, site of the Lawrence campus. The cheer quickly became known worldwide and even Teddy Roosevelt once pronounced it the greatest college chant he had ever heard.

KU is home to the Jayhawk, a mythical bird with a fascinating history. Its origin is rooted in the historic struggles of Kansas settlers. During the 1850's, the Kansas Territory was filled with Jayhawks, those who were committed to a Free State and not a state where slavery would be legal. By the end of the Civil War, Jayhawks were synonymous with free, impassioned people who made Kansas a Free State. In 1886, the bird appeared in a cheer - the famous Rock Chalk Chant and when KU Football took the field in 1890, it was only natural to call them Jayhawkers. Throughout the history of the Jayhawk, many versions of Jay have existed that grace Lawrence's campus. Today, the design of a smiling Jayhawk survives as a symbol to all loyal fans of our rich history.

Sports fans have been doing "the wave" at stadiums across the country for years, but KU has its own version. At crucial moments - for example, when the football team scores or a basketball opponent fouls out - Jayhawks in the stadium lift their arms over their heads and slowly wave them back and forth. From a distance, this looks like a field of Kansas wheat swaying in a prairie breeze.

Camping

for

Basketball Games

Waving the Wheat

Swimming in the Chi Omega Fountain

Walking down the Hill

Sledding down Mt. Oread

The

Steam Whistle

Each spring, thousands of students participate in KU's unique Commencement tradition, known as "walking down the Hill." The tradition of a Commencement procession started at KU in 1907, when faculty and graduates walked from Old Fraser Hall to then-new Robinson Gymnasium. Today, the procession begins on Memorial Drive. Graduates cross through the World War !! Memorial Campanile and march down the steep hill that leads to Memorial Stadium, where the ceremony takes place. (It is said that if you walk through Campanile before your graduation day, you will not graduate on time).

Imagine being awakened each morning by the squeal of a very loud whistle. KU students in the early 1900s were subjected to just such a thing. Originally, the steam whistle's intent was to get students up each morning at 7:45 (it also signaled when evening curfew began). But in 1912, that changed. Instead of serving as an alarm clock, it would now be used to signal the end of hourly classes. It has been that way ever since.

In 1955, the Chi Omega chapter at KU wanted to create a memorial for deceased members. After a design contest involving KU students, the fountain was built at an entryway to KU's campus. Chi Omega began using the fountain as part of their bid day ritual which involved members jumping into the fountain. Over the years, jumping into the Chi Omega fountain has become a tradition for all KU students. The fountain has been at the heart of campus for decades and will continue to be a part of the lives of many Jayhawk generations - from their first place until graduation day.

KU is the only school in which having tickets to the basketball games doesn't guarantee entry into Allen Fieldhouse. Basketball camping is the official method for deciding the order students enter the Fieldhouse on gamedays. Students form groups of 15-30 people. These groups will attend lottery, where each group draws a number, to determine their place in line on game days. Once that is determined, students in each group will take turns camping in Allen Fieldhouse before each game. One student from each camping group must be present at all times from 6am-10pm each day leading up to the game.

In the dead of winter, when snow piles high upon KU's campus and classes are cancelled, students make their way to the top of Mt. Oread. Using everything from laundry baskets, to trash bags, to cookie sheets, students have a blast sledding down the Hill towards Memorial Stadium.