Texas A&M President Mark Welsh announced in June that the annual Bonfire tradition would not return to campus. But can off campus version of Bonfire, which takes place on Old Hearne Road in Bryan, will continue. And Senior Redpot Mason Taylor expects a large turnout this year. “After they announced the t.u. game would not include a burn on campus, we figured that was our green light being told we are the official Bonfire, whether or not that was what they meant to say, that is what we took it as,” says Taylor. Taylor says they were approved to hold Cut Class, a Bonfire orientation, on campus for the first time in 25 years. “We will introduce them to things they need to know for Bonfire. How to cut down a tree, and how to move a tree, which we call swamping,” says Taylor. Students will also be taught safety tips and introduced to leadership during the orientation class at Rudder Auditorium. All participants must attend a Cut Class, even if they have participated in Bonfire before. “I think we are looking at huge growth this year. For a long time we’ve been the weird offshoot of Student Bonfire off campus that not a lot of people know about. But now that we have permission to be on campus for Cut Class, we are advertising all over campus,” says Taylor. Cut Classes will be held on August 27th and 28th at 6:30 p.m. at Rudder Auditorium. Click HERE for more information. Listen to “Bonfire’s Cut Class to be held on campus for the first time in 25 years” on Spreaker.