sdfEvery spring at about this time, freshmen walk by Low Steps wondering why a bunch of seniors are sitting there with bottles in paper bags, or why Alma Mat

er smells like vomit. Last year, a few of the hipper low-level administrators joined the loiterers in their celebration of public drunkenness, dodging security officers’ halfhearted attempts to shoo them away. But like all organic traditions, this one too must die–seniors recieved an e-mail yesterday from their class presidents with the news that anyone caught cracking open a 40 on the steps in the weeks before and after the 40-days-to-graduation marker would face disciplinary hearings. To make up for the loss of that fuzzy senior moment, admin is throwing 2007 a massive party on the lawns this Thursday, complete with t-shirts, picnic food, and all the beer the revelers can stomach (“They’ll be getting at least 48 ounces,” CC ’07 president David Chait promised. “We should have had the event last week.”)

Here’s how it happened: about a week and a half ago, Dean Chris Colombo called a meeting with the senior class presidents to inform of the change, citing past incidents (word is that PrezBo got a friendly ass-slap last year from one 40-drinker). After conferring with their class councils, Chait, SEAS ’07 president Jarod Were, and BC ’07 president Puja Kapadia met again with Colombo, this time with a counterproposal: the event now happening on Thursday. According to Were and Chait, administrators were then very accomodating, ponying up the cash for a not inexpensive event on very short notice. No Baker Blast-style theatrics this time. They’re pitching it as a more inclusive event, a 2,000-person party rather than a low-key thing where a “select group of students” sits on the steps–but trading the thrill of rebellion for the bounty of Columbia catering?

A few hours of free beer later, Bwog has a feeling that seniors won’t mind a bit.

Update, 10:20 PM: The 40s “tradition” is about five years old. Yes, there will be kosher food and booze. And no, this is not an April Fools joke. Bwog doesn’t believe in April Fools.

– LBD