IF YOU ask five students why they decided to attend the University of Virginia, odds are that at least three of them will use the word "tradition" in their answer. Tradition is cited as an indelible part of University life, often singled out as the one factor that makes the University so distinct among the nation's leading schools. But despite the insistence on the Dean of Students' Web site that, "The University of Virginia is a special place, with a language and many long-standing traditions that are unique to Mr. Jefferson's University," the truth is that "tradition" can sometimes be a dirty word.
The "Students and Traditions" page of the Dean of Students' site describes the numerous customs that make the University so special: the honor system, secret societies, the Jefferson Literary and Debating Society, the "Good Ol' Song" -- the list continues. All of these facets of University life are invoked as symbols not only of the University's past, but also as symbols of the institution's prestige and integrity.
What is lost in this celebration of institutional heritage is the admission that not all of these traditions are inherently good. Moreover, the downsides of many of these traditions -- racial exclusivity, gender discrimination, plain old white-collar snobbery -- are ignored. If tradition were fully alive at the University, and if tradition truly defined the University's existence, then students would still be all white, women would not be allowed to attend the school, the Lawn pavilions would not be home to University administrators -- i.e., fundraisers -- and the Athletics Department would not be a multi-million dollar institution.
This is not to say that all tradition is wrong or bad. Certainly Jefferson's commitment to academic achievement is a tradition worth upholding, as is the belief that learning continues long beyond graduation. Yet upholding tradition for tradition's sake and glossing over the messy details represents a failure to own up to a blemished past and prevents the realization of a more promising future.
Those who believe tradition must be kept alive insist that words and phrases like "first-year" and "Grounds" should always be used in place of "freshman" and "campus," respectively. It is as if some hidden magic rests in these words that will forever guarantee the University its rightful place as the carrier of Thomas Jefferson's vision of education and democracy.
Issues like slavery, sexism and elitism are left unaddressed by those who believe that singing the "Good Ol' Song" keeps the University's prestige intact. More importantly, the vestiges of discrimination and prejudice inherent in some of these so-called traditions still exist today. The "not gay" chant can be heard throughout Scott Stadium during every home football game. Much of Grounds was built by enslaved individuals, and slavery is not an issue that administrators often address. The Purple Shadows still retains its reputation as a racist secret society, making its presence known on Jefferson's birthday. In short, this institutional attachment to tradition has caused the tragedies of the University's historic past to remain a part of its present.
The legacy of the University should not be in its maintenance of vocabulary like "first-year" and "Grounds." It should not be embodied solely by "Mr. Jefferson," a man whose social views were often far from enlightened, especially in today's context. The University has come a long way since its days of being an exclusive institution. It is time to recognize that growth. It is time to let go of the belief that tradition is what makes the University so special.
Those who attend the University must still grapple with serious issues: issues of tolerance and respect, of acceptance and understanding. Looking to the past is not the way to solve those problems. If we, as students, truly desire a more perfect institution, we must embrace the fact that the University is no longer what it once was. Instead of clinging to tradition, it is time to learn from it, and it is time to move on.
Amelia Meyer is a Cavalier Daily Opinion columnist. She can be reached at ameyer@cavalierdaily.com.
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