SFU’s ceremonies and events office is calling all “professional musicians and closet composers, experienced songwriters and those who always wanted to try,” to enter the Legacy Song Contest for a chance at making university history.

“Because we’re celebrating our 50 year anniversary, we thought it would be really fun to create [a school song] that could be a legacy for the next 50 years, and hopefully beyond,” said Sue Porter, associate director of SFU ceremonies and events.

All members of SFU’s faculty, staff, students, and alumni are invited to enter by uploading either a video or audio submission to the contest’s Strutta site by May 31.

The criteria on the website is deliberately vague. “We didn’t want to influence people in terms of the kind of song they would create. We really wanted to leave it open to every possibility,” said Porter.

However, she emphasized that “the song has to be original, less than two minutes in length, [and] we want it to represent SFU’s vision of engaging the world.”

Porter added that the song should be memorable and easy to sing. “We don’t want something so complicated that no one will remember how to sing it,” she said. “It [should be] appropriate for use at all kinds of SFU events, and [. . .] the lyrics [should] appeal to someone of any generation.”

Porter explained, “We don’t want something that’s too 2015, and that uses references and concepts that people wouldn’t know 20 years from now.”

After discussing the competition criteria, the organizers decided against limiting the contest to “fight songs” — chant-like songs for athletic events — or “alma mater songs” that are more formal, processional tunes for ceremonial events and convocations.

Instead, the contest parameters are broad, and organizers anticipate that entries may fall anywhere between a fight song and an alma mater song, or could even be more pop-inspired and catchy.

A panel of “celebrity” judges, including representatives from the administration, faculty, alumni, and student body, will decide upon five or six finalists entries. The judges have not yet been determined.

From June 15 to August 1, the entire community will have the opportunity to view and vote for their favourite finalists once a day online.

The winning song will be announced and played live at noon during the 50th Anniversary Celebration on September 9 at the Burnaby campus. Winners will receive a $2,500 prize, and two runner ups will be given $500 each.

Porter pointed out that the American songwriter and composer Cole Porter actually wrote his school song for Yale, which is still used to this day, “so maybe [we’ll] get to find the next Cole Porter.”

SFU President Andrew Petter commented that with the 50th anniversary, “We’re entering a new era of engagement with our students, alumni and supporters. I am delighted that a member of the SFU community will be instrumental in creating a new musical legacy for the university.”