As was publicized nationally by Rolling Stone, an alleged rape had occurred within the walls of a University of Virginia fraternity house, Phi Psi. Though the story proved false, it stirred up much controversy surrounding the traditions of the University, and so it led to a push for the reformation of school traditions. One such tradition is Boys’ Bid Night. Traditionally, Boys’ Bid Night occurs the night of the day first year boys, as well as some second years, accept invitations to join fraternities. As a way of celebrating these new young Greeks, first year sorority girls are often taken by an older girl in their sororities to fraternity parties on Boys’ Bid Night. A somewhat political system, sorority pledge classes will typically go to the fraternities that they usually mix with. This is done in order to begin to form a relationship between the two pledge classes. The first year boys wear white t-shirts so that the girls who have come to celebrate can write on their shirts, oftentimes leaving their names and phone numbers.
A wild night for sure, and trips to the hospital as the result of excessive alcohol consumption are not uncommon. Due to the fact that a large majority of these students are underage, the blatant ease with which these students drink excessively opens a door for all sorts of liability issues. Despite the risks, students have been coming back decade after decade to experience the excitement that is Boys’ Bid Day. Charlottesville police maintain an observant eye over the festivities that occur on this night every year. In order to maintain public safety, police mostly watch out for overly inebriated students in order to mitigate potential injuries or deaths. Because the police are not out to arrest people on Boys’ Bid Night, an interesting dynamic that exists between the Charlottesville police and the UVA student body is revealed. There seems to be an unspoken understanding that the longstanding traditions of the University will live on regardless of the laws surrounding the drinking age.
Though the University community has largely not withheld students from carrying on the beloved traditions of UVA, outside pressures have imposed themselves in a strong way in the past couple years. Following the release of the sensational Rolling Stone article, an uproar against the supposedly perverse UVA social customs broke out across the nation. In an effort to force change at UVA, sorority nationals refrained their Virginia chapters from participating in fraternity recruitment or in Boys’ Bid Night. In an effort to ensure the safety of their sisters, some nationals officers have gone so far to say that the first year sorority pledge class members must have a lock-in at their sorority houses, respectively. Due to the protective nature of this policy, many have criticized it as being sexist towards the young women the policy impacts. By keeping women away from the parties, the policy implicitly reveals that national officers do not believe these women are able to make the decisions necessary to maintain relative safety on Boys’ Bid Night.
Teresa Sullivan has not banned any students from participating in said events, revealing her unwillingness to interfere with this staple tradition at Virginia. Though nationals has maintained this policy at Virginia, fraternities have simply moved their Boy’s Bid Night parties to the following weekend. In doing so, sorority girls are allowed to attend the festivities. It doesn’t seem like people outside the UVA community can stop Virginia’s defined student life. With support from administration and local authorities, it doesn’t seem as if people within Virginia’s community plan to stop it either.
