Columbia finally elects to take weekend off

In light of the Tues., Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, Ivy League administrators faced the difficult task of finding a suitable time for a return to competition. While other football conferences refused to allow member institutions weekend play, Ivy League Executive Director Jeff Orleans left the decision to each individual school. By Thurs., Sept. 13, seven of the league's eight universities had cancelled their weekend sporting events.

Columbia, however, planned to continue practices and competition as long as classes were being held. "At Columbia University, the purpose of intercollegiate athletics is an educational one...To maintain this premise, it is important we continue on," Athletic Director John Reeves said in a statement posted on the university's website. As practices resumed Thursday, many teams were glad to be back, away from the eerily quiet campus.

Yet with each new cancellation announcement, Columbia felt increased pressure to reconsider its position. All 58 Division I-A games scheduled for the weekend of Sat., Sept. 15 were postponed.

In addition, Reeves began to hear of discomfort among student athletes. Late Thursday, Katie Beauregard, captain of the Columbia volleyball team, informed him that her team had agreed to sit out the weekend rather than put players under more duress. Reeves had said on Tuesday that players who were hesitant to play could sit out. After talking to Beauregard, he reconsidered his decision regarding the weekend's competitions.

Last Fri., Sept. 14, Reeves and Columbia President George Rupp agreed to call off the weekend's athletic contests. "We adjusted to the sentiment and the mood in the U.S.," Reeves said. "We decided competition and mourning were inconsistent."

—Daniel Kaminski

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