Should we end Bicker?
Try to imagine the University without one of its most controversial and distinctive institutions — one that has endured for more than a century, even in the face of sharp criticism for its divisiveness and exclusivity.
Try to imagine the University without one of its most controversial and distinctive institutions — one that has endured for more than a century, even in the face of sharp criticism for its divisiveness and exclusivity.
Abiodun Azeez ’12 knew even before she arrived on campus last fall that she didn’t want to join an eating club. “I don’t think eating clubs are the place for me,” she said in an e-mail. “I guess part of it had to do with what I’d read about eating clubs — elitism, rich white kids —and I’m not elite, rich, or white.”
In the fall of her sophomore year, Sarah ’10 received an e-mail from her sorority inviting her to an unusual gathering. Instead of advertising an upcoming semiformal or tailgate, this e-mail announced one of the sorority’s annual Bicker workshops.
During his junior year, Ted Price ’10 had trouble finding time for regular meals at Ivy Club, where he was a member. He was a distance runner on the track team, and he found himself spending large sums of money on food, beyond his Ivy membership dues.
During her sophomore spring, Kaitlyn Hay ’10 wanted to join Charter Club, along with many of her friends. Despite the University’s financial aid programs, cost proved to be a barrier for her.