Many changes have been made at Temple as of late. In 2013 alone, there have been renovations, steps forward in environmental sustainability and the opening of a new dorm and parking garages. One of the most talked about changes has been the administration’s decision to cancel Spring Fling.
The university claims that excessive drinking and the skipping of classes triggered Spring Fling’s cancellation. The rumor that the termination was also related to the death of West Chester student Ali Fausnaught last year was denied.
Among students, there have been many theories floating around about the true reason for Spring Fling’s shutdown. Most of them are not in support of Temple’s decision and are actually deliberate attacks on the administration’s handling of Fausnaught’s death.
If Temple wants to promote itself as a school that is cracking down on alcohol consumption, the fact that there are two bars on campus makes this idea seem more than a little ridiculous. If the university is trying to look good by showing that it’s determined to keep kids from getting drunk, why is alcohol so easily accessible?
With the many theories about the university’s motives behind the cancellation floating around, we may forget to ask ourselves one question: Does an event like Spring Fling really have a place at a university? Not really. Regardless of the true reason it was cancelled, breaking the tradition wasn’t a bad idea.
The reasons the university cited are good motives to end the event. There was excessive drinking going on during the festivities. Many people would openly walk around campus drunk, and very few authority figures would say a word against it. It doesn’t matter that Temple had no hand in the alcohol being distributed and consumed. The fact of the matter is that it’s unethical to continue hosting an event that leads to this kind of behavior.
It’s also widely known that students skip class and professors cancel classes just to attend the festival. This is also unacceptable. Giving students the best education possible can’t be achieved if they’re passing up a time meant for learning in favor of relaxing outside.
Saying that Temple’s motives are completely pure in this cancellation is far-fetched, but I don’t think the move was based on a devilish agenda. Regardless, Spring Fling had to go sometime. It didn’t create the kind of atmosphere that should exist at a university.
Sometimes things have to go, even if it’s many students’ favorite event of the year.
Hend Salah can be reached at hsalah@temple.edu.
Completely disagree. One day out of the entire semester for a little fun to unwind is a trifle, especially given that Temple gives us so few days off during the semester. Most professors are terrible at teaching anyway. This was the one event many people can agree that they looked forward to because it was actually fun. People pregame for football games, are they gonna cancel those too?? The purpose of this event was for commuters to have a chance to interact and now it’s been taken away. Hopefully they can replace it with something just as good.