William sez:
>For the 5th time in 5 years (or 6th in 6), Cornell has changed the ticket
>policy for students again.  Unlike previous years, where some form of a line
>and or sleep out was needed to get tickets, this year the policy will not
>involve an overnight in Lynah.  The new policy, which was announced in the
>bursar billing for the fall term (nice touch), requires that students return a
>form along with a prepaided $114/ticket (up to 2).  Then on a first return
>basis, the students will be assigned a sale number based on date of matricula-
>tion.  The sale will be 11 September, and students will get general admission
>tickets BY SECTION at that time.  I do not know how this will work out, but
>after the riot two years ago, and the general confussion last year, the
>athletic department seems to want to try a new idea.  While some people will
>find this new policy an improvement, the loss of the overnight among the
>"Lynah Faithful" is a tradition I will remember from my undergrad days which
>new students have lost.  But as I am soon to leave Ithaca, I can take my old
>memories and leave Lynah to the new students.
 
Having been on the ad-hoc and not terribly well-organized committee to
develop both this year's sale and last year's sale, I can honestly say that
the overwhelming response we got to last year's plan was, "Fine - we're
keeping the tradition alive by staying overnight in Lynah - but WHY?"
Students benefitted not at all by their overnight stay; it was a great
inconvenience to many academically and otherwise, and the last line check
was before the lights went out.  If Athletics had wanted to do so, they
could have finished the process that night.  But the feeling they'd gotten
from the students they surveyed about the previous year's sale (the
Schoellkopf Massacre of 1991) was that they felt an overnight stay was an
important part of the tradition.
 
The new sentiment is that the overnight stay is unnecessary and
inconvenient.  But I'm skeptical about this new plan, as well; it removes
the sense of cameraderie that the Faithful develop when they line up for
line numbers.  They'll still be lining up for tickets, but in order of the
return of their forms... so the most casual hockey fan could theoretically
have line number one, without displaying any of the usual die-hardness that
has been required in the past to obtain such a prestigious position.
 
We shall see.
 
Jeffrey Anbinder
The Sexiest Man in Ithaca Radio