2008 Woodie Awards
Carnival reinstatment plans pursued
Adam Dede
Issue date: 11/8/07 Section: News
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Student Government Association (SGA) President Max Nardini '08 and Sophomore Senator Nicolas Sohl '10 are leading a Senate committee to reinstate the tradition of a Friday off from Winter Carnival weekend. Beginning in the 2008-09 school year, Winter Carnival will not include a day off from classes. Instead, the day off school will be moved to a Friday in the spring for a student research symposium.
The loss of the Carnival day off, centered around ski racing at the Middlebury College Snow Bowl, will most directly affect the ski team. Captain of the ski team Zeke Davisson '08 said that the loss of fans would be the biggest impact.
"Our fans are by far the best compared to any other school," Davisson said. "I think a lot of that is people coming up and cheering us on."
Davisson, despite saying that he could understand the College's reasons for moving the day off, is adamantly against the change.
"I don't think the answer is just to 'can' one of the most unique events at any New England school," Davisson said.
Dean of the College Tim Spears, who gave an interview on the subject, noted that the reason for the change is the slump in Carnival attendance over the last few years. He stated that the traditions of Winter Carnival have been lacking and that the weekend has degenerated from the celebration of winter and school community that it once was.
Nardini thinks the administration should address the drop in attendance more proactively.
"Eliminating the Friday off takes a defeatist position on Winter Carnival," Nardini said. "Without having adequately looked at how it could be bettered, it was simply given up on. I strongly disagree with that decision."
Nardini went on to state that the Carnival is an integral part of life at Middlebury. It is something that sets us apart, and it is our unique way of celebrating the season, according to Nardini.
"That recommendation [to move the day off to the spring] came out of the strategic planning process, and the thought was that by not having classes on that Friday of the student symposium the College would be able to build interest in the spring student symposium and student research," Spears said.
The loss of the Carnival day off, centered around ski racing at the Middlebury College Snow Bowl, will most directly affect the ski team. Captain of the ski team Zeke Davisson '08 said that the loss of fans would be the biggest impact.
"Our fans are by far the best compared to any other school," Davisson said. "I think a lot of that is people coming up and cheering us on."
Davisson, despite saying that he could understand the College's reasons for moving the day off, is adamantly against the change.
"I don't think the answer is just to 'can' one of the most unique events at any New England school," Davisson said.
Dean of the College Tim Spears, who gave an interview on the subject, noted that the reason for the change is the slump in Carnival attendance over the last few years. He stated that the traditions of Winter Carnival have been lacking and that the weekend has degenerated from the celebration of winter and school community that it once was.
Nardini thinks the administration should address the drop in attendance more proactively.
"Eliminating the Friday off takes a defeatist position on Winter Carnival," Nardini said. "Without having adequately looked at how it could be bettered, it was simply given up on. I strongly disagree with that decision."
Nardini went on to state that the Carnival is an integral part of life at Middlebury. It is something that sets us apart, and it is our unique way of celebrating the season, according to Nardini.
"That recommendation [to move the day off to the spring] came out of the strategic planning process, and the thought was that by not having classes on that Friday of the student symposium the College would be able to build interest in the spring student symposium and student research," Spears said.
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