Queen's Faculty of Engineering & Applied Science - Engineering Traditions

Engineering Traditions

Engineering students at Queen's are enrolled under the Faculty of Engineering & Applied Science. Engineering student spirit is very evident through strong traditions. One such tradition is the dyeing of themselves and their golden leather jackets (known as "Golden Party Armour" or GPA for short) purple with gentian violet ("purpling" is the verb used to describe this). The full-body purpling is mostly done only by second-year students who are involved in frosh week facilitation, called "FRECs", an acronym derived from "Frosh Regulation Enforcement Committee," although the original term remains only as a historical note. As a result of the ban on "purple people" in residences and cafeterias made in 1990 (due to the colour rubbing off), most first-year students don't purple during frosh week, as the majority live in residence. However, frosh are known to purple themselves during homecoming weekend on the Saturday morning preceding the football game. The purpling of jackets by frosh is considered a rite of passage, performed two nights before their final exam of the fall term, immediately after getting their jackets and kicking them home. The jackets are literally kicked back to their residences or homes, as frosh cannot touch the jackets with their hands until they have been brought home. This has stemmed the tradition of upper years playing pranks on frosh, (e.g. throwing the jackets on roofs, tying them to a pole, etc., and having the frosh find ways to get back their jackets without using hands). The right to wear the jacket is not permitted until the final fall term exam has been completed. In addition, badges and crests, in particular the "Pass Crest" that goes on the sleeve, may not be added to the jacket until the completion of First Year exams. After the completion of First Year, in April, students may also sew on various "bars" to their jackets. Bars are earned and ordered for a variety of events and feats. There are many bars for accomplishments, for participating in activities, such as Thundersledz (a winter frosh group event), for signifying the countries they have the most affinity with, signifying the discipline they are in, etc.

In the Fall of 1956, the class of Science '60 was forced to climb a goalpost stolen the previous year from the University of Toronto's Varsity Stadium. Over the years, this has evolved into the legendary Grease pole tradition, and led to some friendly rivalry with U of T. To this day, first-year students are led to "climb the greasepole", which is the same goalpost covered in 1-inch-thick (25 mm) industrial lanolin, surrounded by a waist-deep pit of water, commonly known as "the greasepit."

Another Queen's Engineering tradition is an event called "Sci Formal" (Science Formal) in which fourth-year students spend thousands of man hours constructing and transforming the interior of Grant and Kingston Halls into storybook scenery that rivals movie sets for a one-night black tie event. In past years, whole castles, churches, pyramids and a giant sphinx have been constructed inside Grant Hall.