For years, bonfires have commemorated Duke's basketball successes. But the tradition will be a bit rarer this year-administrators and Duke Student Government have reduced the number of bonfire permits from six to four.
Of the two eliminated permits, one allowed for a bonfire after the Atlantic Coast Conference championship game, which takes place during spring break when few students remain on campus. The other, now-canceled permit was used after the regional final. Although bonfires are one of the most beloved practices during basketball season, administrators anticipate students will actually welcome the reduction.
"Students did suggest we did not need so many bonfires," said Sue Wasiolek, assistant vice president for student affairs. "They don't want one after the regional game because it dilutes the importance of the others. The attitude is that we are only halfway there, why celebrate?"
The remaining four bonfire permits will be used after the two men's basketball games against the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill and each of the men's and women's final games. DSG also sent a recommendation to Executive Vice President Tallman Trask asking for the ability to acquire another permit if a special occasion arises, like the retiring of senior Shane Battier's jersey. "We want to maintain the right to have another bonfire if something extraordinary erupts and students gather outside for a bonfire," said DSG President Jordan Bazinsky, a senior.
The problem with simply maintaining the two unused permits lies in the mandatory costs of staffing scheduled bonfires. Whether bonfires occur or not, the permits require the attendance of members of the Emergency Medical Service, the Durham Fire Department, the Duke University Police Department and Duke administration.
"It is ridiculous to bring out dozens of people for no reason," Wasiolek said. "It's a waste of time and money." According to Wasiolek, students on the A-team-a group of administrators and student monitors put together especially for bonfires-voiced concerns to administrators last semester that the plethora of bonfires lessened the tradition's significance. About two weeks ago, e-mail conversations between Bazinsky and Wasiolek about the bonfire situation led Trask to ask the safety office for four, rather than six, permits. The number was approved, but can be revisited during the year if need be, according to Trask. Because the idea originated with students, administrators and DSG members expect a positive reaction from the student body. "I don't think there will be a backlash," Bazinsky said. "Last year, administrators bought more permits than they needed, and this year they are bringing it back to where it should be."
Many students' opinions confirmed this expectation. "I think the reduction makes sense," sophomore Obi Amachi said. "The only times worth burning benches are after the UNC games and the final games. When you keep burning benches after every other game, you have to keep rebuilding them, which wastes house funds."
Others said they will miss the basketball tradition after the regional game. "I don't think we had too many bonfires last year," self-described Cameron Crazy and sophomore Ryan Cheney said. "After a big win, one of the best things you can do is go out and celebrate with everybody."
According to those who helped coordinate the reduction, the plan's beauty lies in its responsiveness to student need. "Four is where we will likely start because that was the feedback we were getting," Wasiolek said. "But we can move either way based on what the students want."
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