In Defense of Orgo Night #10
On
Thursday, December 15, 2016, at midnight, the Columbia University Marching Band
(“the cleverest Band in the world™”) performed a show of music and satirical
comedy in sub-freezing temperatures on the steps outside Butler Library on the
Columbia campus. Vice-Provost and
recently hired Head Librarian Ann D. Thornton, with the support of President
Lee Bollinger and Columbia College Dean James Valentini, had banned the Band
from performing the show in its traditional location inside the library. Ms. Thornton stated that the reason for the
sudden change in tradition was a desire to maintain quiet study space in the
college reading room inside the library, and President Bollinger publicly
maintained that it was based on “complaints” from students about the Orgo Night
show. University officials claimed that
the ban was not related to the content of the shows and that they were not
trying to censor the Band’s speech. This
series of essays, drafted by concerned alumni, addresses the university’s
claimed reasoning for its decision, the process by which it was implemented, and
the reasons why the decision should be reconsidered.
Links to earlier essays are found in the margin on the right.
H
There is a Solution to this Problem
In earlier essays, we have shown
that Orgo Night is, and should remain, a cherished and unique tradition at Columbia. Such a tradition should not be altered
without sound and compelling reasons. We
have also shown that the reasons articulated by the Columbia administration for
banning the Marching Band from Butler library fail to withstand scrutiny.
There were no complaints from students who would prefer to use Butler
209 for quiet studying on the night of the Orgo Night show. Even if there were such Quiet Study
Requestors, the interests of the students who welcome the Band’s performances far outweighs the interests of the
objectors,
especially since alternate quiet study space is so readily available at minimal
cost. There is no rational basis for the
university to suppress the Orgo Night show.
At least not one that has been articulated.
It does not take Sherlock Holmes to
deduce that, since the proffered reasons are mere pretexts and obviously false,
there must be a different motive at work – one that President Bollinger cannot
admit. This is, of course, the desire to censor the Band and muzzle its satirical commentary
on the university along with other content that some might find to be
inappropriate or even offensive. This
content-based censorship of student speech is contrary to every public
statement by the university, its charter and statement of ideals, and President
Bollinger’s own public statements. And
yet, that is obviously what is going on, and everyone watching the events can
clearly see it.
But, at this point, President
Bollinger, Dean Valentini, and the rest of the university administration have
painted themselves into a corner by making their clandestine decisions without any public discussion or
process. Certainly, they do not want to admit that
their motive was censorship of the Band, but how at this point can they reverse
field on the subject without embarrassment?
We can think of two courses of
action that will reach the appropriate conclusion. First, the administrators can plausibly claim
that the impetus for the decision was the new Head Librarian, Ann
Thornton. Ms. Thornton has said that she
feels that the Orgo Night show is inappropriate for the library. She says that she convinced the Deans to
support her decision. At this point,
what if Ms. Thornton changed her mind? What
if, after reviewing the long and proud tradition of Orgo Night, of which she
was not fully aware before – being new to Columbia – she comes to the
realization that Orgo Night really does have value after all? What if Ms. Thornton comes to better
understand the benefits of having a comic relief from the grind of finals
studying, and that other universities have established their own traditions for
stress-reduction activities so that the Orgo Night tradition is not so far
outside the bounds of what is “accepted” practice for a university library? Considering the current atmosphere of tension
on campus, perhaps allowing the Orgo Night show would be a welcome
pressure-relief valve for students. If,
after study and thought, Ms. Thornton decides to change her mind about Orgo
Night, then she could go back to the Deans and solicit their support for
reversing the decision. They supported
her before, and there is no reason why they shouldn’t support her decision to
change her mind.
Nobody has to admit what the true
reasons were for banning the Band from the library, and nobody has to go back
and discuss the alleged complaints or the other reasons that were offered. The change of course can simply be based on
Ms. Thornton’s epiphany about the value of Orgo Night – to the students, to the
alumni, and to the campus community -- and the relative ease of providing
alternative study space, if needed, on that one night each semester. Nobody needs to be embarrassed, and the Band
can play its normal Orgo Night show in May of 2017 in Butler 209.
A second option, albeit more
cumbersome, would be for the administration to admit only one error – failing
to follow a properly public process in the discussion about Orgo Night. Dean Valentini and President Bollinger could
initiate a process now to openly explore whether there really is a shortage of
quiet study locations in campus libraries on Orgo Night. This process would also investigate whether
there really are a large number of students whose would prefer to use Butler
209 for quiet study and who would be significantly inconvenienced by using
another location on this one night per semester. They can also seek input from interested
alumni who view Orgo Night as an essential connection they share with current
and future students. And the process
would determine how many students would prefer to continue Orgo Night in the
library. The process could also fully
explore the history and value of Orgo Night to the university. The final conclusion that would be reached
after a true evaluation and discussion of the issues is likely that Orgo Night
should be restored to Butler 209, and any need for additional quiet study space
should be addressed by keeping another available library open a few extra
hours.
Here again, there would be no
embarrassment to university officials, who would be admitting only that the
original decision was made hastily and without sufficient study and data. This is not an admission of a nefarious
motive nor an admission of any wrongdoing, but merely an acknowledgement that
additional study is needed. All parties
would be satisfied, and Orgo Night can be returned to its historical norm. Alumni who have resigned in protest from
volunteer positions could return to the service of their alma mater. Alumni who have pledged to withhold donations
would be able to write checks in good conscience again. Order would be restored, without any
long-term damage to Columbia or to the involved administrators.
A solution, then, is not only
possible, but readily available. All
that need happen is for President Bollinger, Dean Valentini, and Ms. Thornton
to realize that their original action was a mistake, and that it’s time to fix
it while they still can.
-
Hamiltonius
- H