One step forward, two steps back?

This weekend, there was a front page NYTimes article (at least on the web page) about Texas A&M University, my alma mater.

Many are unaware that I attended Texas A&M. I am considered a "2 percenter." Texas A&M University is steeped in tradition, a tradition that can consume a student. It is reported that only 2 percent of the student body does not support these traditions. As a dedicated nerd/geek/awkward college girl, I devoted myself to my studies. I was a two percenter and proud of it (got pretty good grades, too). However, a few of the traditions did catch my fancy:

1. silver taps: A moving memorial for members of the student body who die; the entire campus is darkened, people who attend the event stand in darkness and silence, the Ross Honor Guard marches to the statue in front of the Academic Building and play taps and then leave. There is no other sound. A tradition filled with honor worth keeping. The thought of it sends chills up and down my spine, still.
   
2. the bonfire: I didn't appreciate the loss of tree required to build the bonfire, but it appealed to the pyromaniac in me. Unfortunately, 12 student tragically died in 1999 while building the bonfire (this was no pile of logs, it was usually a structure at least two stories high). Bonfire has been suspended since then. If one clicks the link above, I was unaware of the numbers of injuries and deaths attributed to Bonfire before the catastrophic collapse.
   
3. yell leaders. Texas A&M have cheerleaders at the games, they have yell leaders. Each year five mean are elected to serve as yell leaders. They don't do cheers and gymnastic, instead they use a variety of hand signals to rev up the crowd (the "twelfth man") in a series of traditional yells. Yells like this: Farmers fight!, Farmers fight!, Fight! Fight!
   Farmers, farmers fight! Now, make all the fun you want to of Aggies, there is something moving about having 5 nice, clean cut men leading thousands of fans in such a simple cheer.
4. Reveille. It's hard to have the "fighting Aggie" as your mascot. Reveille is the stand in (although A&M is not the fighting collie). The first Reveille was a mixed-breed dog who was adopted by the Corp of Cadets after she was injured by them on a road trip. The 2nd Reveille, a German shepherd was donated after the student body was unable to raise enough money for an official mascot. The first purebred collie was Reveille III. The dog lives with and is cared for by a member of the Corp of Cadets. Each year, one sophomore is chosen to be responsible for her care and she goes with that person everywhere, including classes. She was in my calculus class when I was a freshman.

But back to the reason for this post. I am reading the NYTimes article. It is discussing how TAMU, founded as an all men's college in the 1800 and becoming co-ed in the 1960's is truly becoming co-ed in all aspects. The title of the article "Elite Women Prove that A&M No Longer Stands for All Male." Cool. The feminist in me appreciates that. The article discusses the ascent of women's sports in this traditionally male bound school. Cool. I'm with you there. They quote the athletic director Byrne said: “We’ve been trying to change the culture, as far as making sure every sport is important. Football is very important in Texas, but I’ve always had the philosophy that when you keep score, you might as well try to win.” Yeah. The academician in me doesn't like the emphasis on sports, but the realist in me realizes that this is a way that colleges can bring in big money. Sigh. Not as cool, but I understand.

These paragraphs end the article (and are the point of this long post):

Change, however, has been balanced against a preservation of Texas A&M’s traditions, which are built around its military provenance.

There are no female cheerleaders, only male yell leaders. When a female dance team was introduced in recent years at basketball games, some women in the stands covered their eyes with their programs, said King, the deputy athletic director.

“They thought it was indecent to have those young girls with their midriffs showing,” King said. Then she laughed. “The men watched.”

If I had been in the student body, I would not have been covering my eyes because I thought it was "indecent." It would be the shame that a school, bound in tradition that has meaning has sold out to the commercialization of women's bodies. Not cool. If you really want it to be equal, elect a woman to be a yell leader, but don't put a bunch of women in barely there uniforms to become yet another institution that cheapens what a woman is just to make money. Grrrrr. Steaming. (OK, and ignore the fact that I would not have even been at the game since I was a dedicated two percenter who relished the fact that Sterling C. Evans library was blissfully empty during the time of most sporting events. Did I mention my dedication to geekhood?). Perhaps my thought process is clouded by my overwhelming nerdiness. This didn't sit right with me.

Rethinking my annual donation to my alma mater.