Tradition under attack

A pparently, April just isn't a good month for Penn traditions. Two weeks ago, student leaders were fretting over the future of Spring Fling, the revered weekend-long festival. But this week, Hey Day has become the target.

The tradition, which will take place tomorrow, celebrates the rise of the incoming senior class. However, since the close of the Palladium in 2003, outgoing seniors have added their own touch to the day: dousing the juniors with anything from flour to soy sauce outside the former restaurant on the corner of 36th and Walnut streets.

And because their ammunition has slowly changed over the last few years from harmless water to urine, University officials have warned students that the tradition may soon find itself in jeopardy. President Amy Gutmann urged students to get the so-called hazing "under control."

Sure, urine and heavy objects are excessive; juniors celebrating their rise should not be forced to fear for their safety or health. But at the same time, administrators shouldn't overreact.

Throwing ketchup and flour isn't "hazing" -- if done properly, it's all in good fun. Instead, administrators shouldn't resort to scare tactics to try to get students to abandon their soy sauce bottles.

So many traditions at Penn have already fallen by the wayside, and putting an end to Hey Day would take away one of the strongest and best traditions students have left at this university. Hey Day is one of the most memorable days of an undergraduate's time at Penn, and even if a few students go overboard, that shouldn't cause the University to bring it to an end.

Seniors should control themselves, but Hey Day shouldn't be ended because of a few bottles of ketchup or some bags of flour. Just like Fling, while this tradition is not without its problems, the administration shouldn't threaten the entire student body just because of a few bad apples.

Please note All comments are eligible for publication in The Daily Pennsylvanian.