The origins of “Policies for Dollars” (1930s – 2016*) can be traced back to the 1930s where upper classmen quizzed freshmen and transfer students in Brodbeck. Although not a lot of information can be found regarding the evolution of Policies for Dollars, the event is celebrated today during October of each year. Policies for Dollars is a competition between freshmen of each residence halls. The 1983 and 1984 Blue & Grey articles on the Policy for Dollar event indicate that the core of the event remained unchanged over the years: teach new students about the handbook. The event provides an opportunity for the freshmen to show their residence hall pride and compete on college trivia, policies skits, and participate in other activities. Preparation for the Policies for Dollars competition involve weeks of meetings, policies review, script writing and t-shirt design. Each dorm has a designated color: Coblentz Hall is yellow, Coblentz Memorial Hall is red, Meyran Hall is blue, Shriner Hall is teal, and Smith Hall is black. Back in the ’80s students wore costumes instead of “dorm colors”. Although the competition is between freshmen, sophomores and upper classmen join the freshmen in preparation. On the day of the event, the students pour out of their residence hall wearing their t-shirt designs, head to the pergola while chanting, then make their ways to the Hodson Auditorium (back in the ’80s, the event took place at Coblentz Dining Hall).
The winning residence hall receives a giant “pink spoon” as a trophy and funds for dormitory activities.
* Per Residence Life staff, as of the 2017-2018 school year, Policies for Dollars in its current form has been discontinued. This change has been driven by students and is partly in response to the impact of first-year-only residence halls. House Forum members plan to keep much of the old program’s components while shifting it to the spring and renaming it “Battle of the Buildings.”
