40s on 40
40s on 40 (officially known for a period as 40 Days) is an annual event for seniors that took place 40 days before graduation. The event began informally, was co-opted by the Columbia administration, and, although no longer officially supported or tolerated, continues as a protest tradition.
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Original event
Starting sometime in the early 2000s, seniors would traditionally gather on Low Steps to enjoy the spring weather and down 40s exactly 40 days before graduation. The event continued as an underground, organic event for several years in this tradition. However, in many cases, the large crowd of seniors drinking on the Steps would draw the attention of Public Safety, who would break up the event.
New, co-opted event
In 2007, CCSC surreptitiously attempted to get the administration to place extra trash bins on Low Steps since students typically left a mess after the event, usually leading to a scolding staff editorial from the Spectator. The administration responded to the request by co-opting the event, clearly pursuing the classic Microsoft strategy of "co-opt and destroy". Informal drinking on the steps was replaced with a per-student limit of four beers, a penned-off student enclosure, ID checks, and a ban on bringing in any sort of container or bag which - heaven forfend - a student might use to smuggle in alcohol. In their cattle-like enclosure, administrators tried to tempt students with offers of free T-shirts and stickers. Rumor had it that the administration even booked a clown for entertainment, and there'd be a coloring-in contest too![1]
In a sense it was generous of the university to start sponsoring a drinking party, but most would agree the event became a pale shadow of what it used to be. To sum up, as of 2007, 40 Days became a lame, tame, roped and fenced-off boozefest.
Slow death
In 2009, administrators decided that they could no longer support an event whose primary draw was the consumption of alcohol. Administrators did not comment on the fact that event hadn't been sponsored by them until 2007. Nor did they have anything to say about Lerner Pub or that fact that students more or less only go to Baker Field for football games because Athletics offers them free beer.[2] Anyway, the Class of 2010 eventually killed it off because most of the cost of the event went into constructing a fenced off zone for alcohol consumption.[3]
Demonstrating that they had successfully internalized the lessons of subalternism, students protesting the co-opted and eventually canceled event continued to hold the tradition informally, gathering on Low Steps and enduring harassment from Public Safety.
Lament for the previous incarnation of 40 Days
External links
References
- ↑ See generally, Sarcasm
- ↑ Continuity of '40s on 40' in Question, Spectator, February 25, 2009
- ↑ Traditional '40s on 40' cut due to expense, Columbia Spectator, 5 April 2010.
