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In an email sent to the Brown student body last Tuesday, President Ruth Simmons explained the historic and controversial decision, writing, "The month of February has a rich and colorful cultural legacy that begs - nay, requires - us to celebrate. There are so many days that go unrecognized: the 5th, the 6th, the 7th, and how could we forget the 8th?"
Debate on the topic began several weeks ago when the University's chapter of Students for a Democratic Society took up the cause. SDS president and self-acclaimed three-time NPR donor Carl Perkins '11 argued for the group's platform. "February is a month. If I'm not mistaken, it has weekends, a complete lunar cycle and at least 20 calendar days, sometimes more."
Perkins added, "Also, we had nothing on the docket until April, and if we don't use our budget for big signs and glitter, UCS will cut funding for next year."
Brown plans to host an array of February-related events throughout the month of March. The extensive schedule includes a symposium entitled "Hindsight, and Why You Should've Probably Made Spring Break Plans a Month Ago", a support group/pizza party for students with birthdays on the 29th and a highly-anticipated guest-lecture by Punxsutawney Phil, "The Science of Shadows: Why They're Scary as Fuck."
In addition, the University will be dedicating a whole week to "r" awareness, as well as adding a Valentine's Memorial Day so that single students can "celebrate the memory of feeling lousy."
This decision was not only controversial within the Brown community. News of the change has been making waves throughout the greater New England area, especially among Irish-American groups, who worry that the March celebration of February will overshadow St. Patrick's Day.
Robby O'Malley, head of the Rhode Island Irish Cultural Foundation, recently went on record against the University, saying, "It insults me and the proud Irish community that Brown is failing to recognize St. Paddy's Day as the time-honored, sacred, ethnic celebration that it is."
O'Malley went on to say, "It's not just one day of frivolous revelry. I mean, someone has to go out to buy all the green streamers. And have you ever tried to make papier mache shamrocks? That alone is at least three days of prep work."
For now the March February festivities are still scheduled. In the meantime, the University is currently tasked with scheduling a never-ending loop of Memorial Days.
