NEITHER snow nor sleet nor dark of night keeps this University from its appointed rounds. Certain inaugurations, it seems, are another matter. Last week, for three hours at least, the usually unstoppable force of the University took an uncharacteristic break, canceling classes to allow students, faculty, and some staff to watch the historic inauguration of Barack Obama. This stoppage, although somewhat controversial, was the right course of action and a rare case of the University administration realizing that we all are members of a community that extends far beyond these Grounds.
Canceling class from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on the Tuesday of the inauguration came as a shock to most. The decision was announced via e-mail a week in advance by University Provost Arthur Garson who cited the desire to “allow our students, as well as other members of our community, to participate in this exercise in democracy.” In addition to the cancellation of class, the University made further accommodations by opening John Paul Jones Arena for all who cared to watch the event on the Jumbotron. The cost of this was over $3,000, according to the University’s Chief Operating Officer, Leonard Sandridge.
The reaction from those students who attended the gathering in the arena was wildly positive. First-year Callie Broaddus labeled the atmosphere as “powerfully electric.” Second-year Deloreon Burton called it a moment of “high cultural and historical importance” and said the University “made the right decision.” Fourth-year Susan Fisher welcomed the opportunity, saying such a powerful memory “shouldn’t have to be made within the confines of a lecture hall.” Those who attended were a mixed group of students, faculty, staff, and others not directly affiliated with the University. In total, according to the Charlottesville Daily Progress, the crowd numbered approximately 1,000. The general feeling was one of a celebration with loud cheering, sustained applause, and even dancing as the event was shown on the Jumbotron overhead.
While some students welcomed the opportunity to gather together and mark the historic occasion, others saw it as overt partisan favoritism. Savanna Rutherford, chairman of the University College Republicans, said her opinion on the matter was “complicated.” While she recognized that “every inauguration is a historical event,” she explained, “My problem with it is, classes were not canceled in 2001 or 2005 when President Bush was sworn in.” After talking with University President John Casteen, she was told that “the decision was made not based on partisan beliefs, but rather was made because the technology had not been available in 2001 or 2005.” Still, she does not believe that classes would have been cancelled if the occasion had instead been Republican candidate John McCain’s inauguration. The next time a Republican is inaugurated, Rutherford said, she hopes the University will remember to show equal consideration.
Garson addressed this concern in a quote to The Cavalier Daily on January 21, tacitly endorsing the idea of a permanent University special schedule to accommodate the inauguration. “The idea of spending 3 hours every four years as community,” said Garson, “listening and speaking and reacting together to the next president of the United States is something that I believe should occur at U.Va.” This is a laudable position and should be made permanent policy of the University. Like it or not, students at the University have more important affiliations than that with their school, and the duty to their country is surely one of them. Still, Garson’s words ring somewhat hollow given the unwillingness of the University to cancel classes on Election Day this past year, despite student appeals to civic duty.
Even among those students who approved of the University’s decision to cancel classes and open up John Paul Jones Arena, there was still some resentment that similar courtesy had not been extended on Election Day. Meredyth Gilmore, a third-year Obama supporter, said, “I was very impressed that U.Va. recognized the importance of the [inauguration]; I only wish they had showed the election similar treatment.” Broaddus agreed, saying she found it “interesting that they cancelled classes on Inauguration Day and not on Election Day.” An Election Day class cancellation may even have been less controversial, as the administration would have been extending equal consideration to supporters of all candidates, instead of just the supporters of the candidate who won. If, as Garson suggests, the University cares about the civic responsibilities of its members, the break in classes on Inauguration Day should be matched by a similar break on Election Day.
Instead of viewing Obama’s inauguration as a once-in-a-lifetime event, it should be seen as a reminder of the privileges and responsibilities of living in a democracy. Last Tuesday should be treated as a nascent tradition, inaugurated alongside our 44th president.
Isaac Wood’s column appears Mondays in The Cavalier Daily. He can be reached at i.wood@cavalierdaily.com.
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