The University of Dallas has challenged us to be adults: will we be given the chance?
The recently surfacing discussion of tailgating is one that ought to be engaged in by all members of our community. As student body president, I feel a duty to give my thoughts on this matter to the students and administrators, whose input will ultimately guide President Sanford’s decision.
Many universities today foster stronger cohesion around their athletic prog rams than in the education their students receive. Think about Alabama football or Duke basketball. In a real sense, these teams are synonymous with the institutions themselves and can overshadow the intellectual work that is being done.
Luckily, UD doesn’t have this same problem. Because of the radical coherence of the UD Core curriculum, we find our shared identity in more permanent things: our Catholic identity and the Western intellectual tradition.
Yet, our shared intellectual and religious convictions should not in any way preclude us from finding community in non-academic events. It’s no secret that UD students love to rally together each year to raise money for Charity Week, celebrate Groundhog day and on Thursdays for the excitement that is called “TGIT.”
This is all to say that supporting our student athletes, who are members of our University community, ought to be standard for all UD students. We are one school, one community. Things that bring us together are not, and ought not be, limited to academic and spiritual matters.
The athletic programs at the University of Dallas need and deserve our support. A method that has been proposed for effectively endorsing and rallying behind our sports teams is through the practice of tailgating.
As outlined on the university website, tailgating is a social gathering in connection with an official university athletic event. It involves burgers, tents, lawn chairs and adult beverages for those who are of age.
I endorse the tailgating policy delineated on the University of Dallas website, a directive drafted by the former General Counsel and enacted by former Interim President John Plotts in 2018.
At more than any other undergraduate institution in America today, students at UD are endowed not only with intellectual acumen but also with moral virtues. Our distinctive educational approach endeavors to mold the complete human person.
While many “universities” foster extended adolescence, UD challenges its students to engage in high-level discussions about the most fundamental questions of our existence. We have accepted that challenge by coming to the university, and our journey to develop the virtues takes place both inside and outside of the classroom.
Some may say that UD students aren’t capable of tailgating with alcohol in a responsible manner. I strongly take issue with this point of view.
I know my classmates—we are all travelers on this journey together—and I believe that we have been well-formed as a result of our parents’ efforts, the instruction we receive in the classroom and the personal growth that comes from being surrounded by people who genuinely seek the good.
Tailgating stands as the perfect activity to support our student athletes and further strengthen our community. These gatherings, regardless of their frequency, promise enjoyment for all students, alumni, parents and community members. If UD students, given the quality of our education and the character of our community, cannot engage in tailgating responsibly, I question if anyone can.
The University of Dallas possesses a distinctive opportunity to demonstrate that tailgating can be executed virtuously. Since its inception in 2018, there have been no reported violations of this tailgating policy. It has, in fact, been scarcely utilized. Thus, revoking this policy would not merely be a response to irresponsible behavior; it would be the erasure of a privilege without evidence.
At the beginning of each year, we are challenged to be adults, to rise to the occasion in the way we conduct ourselves both on and off campus, in and out of the classroom. I am confident that UD students can enjoy games, delicious food, good company and moderate drink in support of our athletic teams; I hope we get the chance to prove it this year.