Budget cuts shared the stage with football chants when Vice Chancellor for Finance and Administrative Services Eric Monday and several other administrators sat down to talk with students on Monday at The 5.
The conversation, part of the Monday on Mondays series, began with a group of seniors who were upset that the “Oh-Wee-Oh” chant wasn’t played at Saturday’s football game.
Monday did not have an answer for students at the time, but he later told The Daily Reveille in an e-mail that the Athletic Department informed him they have asked Tiger Band to stop playing “Oh-Wee-Oh” for good. The song has garnered a bad reputation since the South Carolina game in 2007 when the student section added “You suck cock,” to the end of the chant. Since then, it has been played somewhat inconsistently.
Matt Wynne, plant and soil systems senior, said he doesn’t think it’s fair that songs like “Oh-Wee-Oh” and “Tiger Rag” are not played at football games just because certain students change the lyrics.
“There’s nothing inherently vulgar about these songs,” Wynne said.
From there, the conversation turned to budget cuts, and Monday tried to express to the students the University’s dire situation.
“It would be like going back to 1974. We’re talking about a time like we have not experienced,” Monday said.
David Jones, College of Humanities and Social Sciences Student Government senator, said he’s worried about the long-term value of his degree.
“I think they need to re-distribute the wealth to the schools that can stand the test of time,” Jones said.
Jones said he was trying to get his fellow students involved to make an impact on the State Legislature.
‘The voice that speaks loudest is going to win,” Jones said.
Alex Wright, construction management senior, said the University is too afraid to make tough decisions.
“If this University is going to survive, they need to stop being so nice,” Wright said.
Jason Tolliver, director of University Auxiliary Services, was at The 5 and answered questions about the Union. Though the Union is not scheduled to be completely open until Jan. 11, Tolliver said the Tiger Lair may open some of its eateries as equipment comes in, and the Magnolia Room is scheduled to open Oct. 11.
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Contact Frederick Holl at [email protected]