From 100th night to 100th day

Loyola’s Office of Co-Curricular Programs has shifted the traditional 100th Night celebration from a seniors-only nighttime party to an all-school daytime event.

The 100th Night celebration ordinarily takes place to commemorate the 100 days left until graduation for Loyola seniors. This year it will take place on Feb. 6, 92 days before graduation.

Heather Seaman, director of co-curricular programs, said that the change was decided last year for multiple reasons, including alcohol related behavior issues and damages to the facilities.

“For the three years that we did the 100th Night event, there were consistently issues relating to alcohol — significant issues,” Seaman said.

Seaman said there were consistent damages to the facility after the event took place. She said the problem peaked last year when a member of last year’s senior class stole the senior candle from the event.

According to Seaman, at that point, the Office of Co-Curricular Programs was planning on not hosting any type of 100th Night celebration this year.

However, she said, Courtney Williams, associate director of co-curricular programs, pushed to change the tradition rather than cancel it.

“It was actually Courtney who pushed back and said, you know what, we can’t not do anything,” Seaman said.

The new 100th Day celebration will include a grab and go breakfast in the One Loyola Room, a discounted lunch in the Orleans Room featuring some popular dishes, a maroon and gold cupcake decorating contest, and an afternoon celebration in the One Loyola Room with a photo opportunity and petit fours, according to Williams.

Many seniors, like English senior Michael Olausen, are unhappy with the changes and believe the school is breaking with its three-year tradition.

“Loyola is in the midst of rebranding itself and one of the focal points is creating traditions that the student body can rally behind.  I struggle to envision discounted ‘Catfish Friday’ lunches in the OR as an enduring Loyola tradition,” Olausen said.

Seaman said she has heard such comments but maintains that the Office of Co-Curricular Programming is responsible for creating traditions and can adjust them when needed.

“Our office really tries to focus on building student traditions, and so I was concerned when I saw some of the feedback that people thought we were trying to tear down traditions.  I thought, well, actually we’re the ones that plan them and create them,” Seaman said.

Seaman cited 100th Night, Maroon and Gold and class beads among the traditions the office has instituted.

Williams said he believes that the new celebration will be an opportunity for seniors to celebrate with their friends throughout the school.

“This year we are excited to host several events during the day so that everyone on campus can participate and celebrate with our seniors,” Williams said in an email.

Olausen said that some students believe that the change, if it stems from behavioral issues, is unfair to the senior class.

“It begs the question, why is our class being punished for last year’s graduating class’s mistake?” Olausen said.

Olausen is also concerned that the event was not well planned, seeing as it falls on the 92nd night before graduation.

Seaman said that the office knew last year that they would not host a cocktail event, but that the office has learned from the negative reactions to communicate this information earlier to avoid it appearing as if it were a last-minute decision.

“I would have been much less annoyed had they simply cancelled the event and been candid about the whole thing,” Olausen said.

Students seem to be finding other alternatives to 100th Night besides the 100th Day celebration.

A Facebook event called “1540 presents 92nd Night” hosted by a group claiming to be Loyola’s secret society 1540 has been scheduled for Friday, Feb. 6 at 9 p.m. after the 100th Day celebration.  The event was posted under the name of “Ignatius Loyola.”

Like the former 100th Night celebration, it requires cocktail attire and is for seniors only.  The Facebook event claims that there will be $500 of free beer at Bruno’s Tavern.

Though the event page ends with 1540’s signature slogan, “We are who you think we are.  We are who you think we are not,” it is uncertain whether 1540 is really hosting the event.

Seaman said that the funding that would ordinarily go to the 100th Night party will now go toward improving Maroon and Gold, a senior event which according to Seaman, has not had the same issues that 100th Night has had.