Maroon87
09-09-2009, 06:28 PM
Gov. Perry expects Bonfire to return to A&M
By JEANNIE KEVER
Copyright 2009 Houston Chronicle
Gov. Rick Perry has re-ignited the issue of Bonfire at Texas A&M University.
Perry, perhaps the state's highest-profile graduate of the flagship university in College Station, was quoted by a Texas Monthly writer as saying he expects Bonfire to be back as soon as 2010.
The campus hasn't hosted a Bonfire, a century-old ritual traditionally held before the football game against the University of Texas at Austin, since 1999, when a 60-foot tall stack of wood collapsed, killing 11 A&M students and one graduate. Another 27 people were injured.
A private student group has continued the tradition off-campus.
R. Bowen Loftin, interim president at A&M, issued a statement today suggesting Bonfire is unlikely to return.
"I think it would take an extraordinarily large amount of interest on the part of our students for us to consider building Bonfire on campus again," Loftin said in the statement. "I don't hear the students rising up and demanding it. To have (the Bonfire accident) happen to you one time is something that you can get past. If you did it again, and it happened again, you have no way to excuse yourself."
Student body president Kolin Loveless said returning Bonfire to the campus "would take a whole lot of effort."
Some students do want to see Bonfire come back, said Mark Womack, a junior from Deer Park. "There’s a lot of different opinions about it," he said. "It’s a very touchy issue."
But most students agree any decision should consider the feelings of the families of students killed or injured in the 1999 collapse, Womack said. And they don’t want it taken over by an engineering firm or other outside group, he said. "They want to ensure that students build it."
The off-campus bonfire is now much smaller than the pre-1999 versions, he noted.
Texas Monthly Senior Editor Pamela Coloff reported on a blog written by another editor at the magazine, Paul Burka, that Perry predicted the tradition will be back. "I will not be surprised if it happens by 2011, maybe even 2010," he said. "I think Bonfire will be back on campus. The kids will have the experience again."
Perry told Coloff he would leave the details of resuming Bonfire to the A&M system board of regents and campus administrators.
Perry’s spokeswoman, Allison Castle, pointed to a copy of a 2004 speech by the governor in response to questions about his position on the issue.
"I look forward to the day the bonfire tradition returns to this campus," Perry said at the dedication of a memorial to the victims. "When it burns again, it will be about much more than a football rivalry. It will be an expression of who we are and what we stand for."
System spokesman Rod Davis said no plans are under way to restart the tradition. "People talk about Bonfire, especially this time of year," he said. But there are currently no proposals dealing with the issue, he said.
Davis said that regents chairman Morris Foster did not want to comment on the issue.
"Ultimately, if Bonfire were to be restarted or never started ... the regents would make the final call on that," Davis said.
A&M agreed to a $2.1 million settlement last fall with the families of four students killed in the collapse and three students who were injured, ending litigation against the school and its leaders. But other parts of the case are still ongoing.
The Texas Supreme Court heard arguments Tuesday, with attorneys for Zachry Construction Corp. arguing that A&M should bear more of the blame. Zachry provided cranes and crane operators to help erect the logs for the Bonfire.
Once the court rules, the case will go back to court in Brazos County.
jeannie.kever@chron.com
By JEANNIE KEVER
Copyright 2009 Houston Chronicle
Gov. Rick Perry has re-ignited the issue of Bonfire at Texas A&M University.
Perry, perhaps the state's highest-profile graduate of the flagship university in College Station, was quoted by a Texas Monthly writer as saying he expects Bonfire to be back as soon as 2010.
The campus hasn't hosted a Bonfire, a century-old ritual traditionally held before the football game against the University of Texas at Austin, since 1999, when a 60-foot tall stack of wood collapsed, killing 11 A&M students and one graduate. Another 27 people were injured.
A private student group has continued the tradition off-campus.
R. Bowen Loftin, interim president at A&M, issued a statement today suggesting Bonfire is unlikely to return.
"I think it would take an extraordinarily large amount of interest on the part of our students for us to consider building Bonfire on campus again," Loftin said in the statement. "I don't hear the students rising up and demanding it. To have (the Bonfire accident) happen to you one time is something that you can get past. If you did it again, and it happened again, you have no way to excuse yourself."
Student body president Kolin Loveless said returning Bonfire to the campus "would take a whole lot of effort."
Some students do want to see Bonfire come back, said Mark Womack, a junior from Deer Park. "There’s a lot of different opinions about it," he said. "It’s a very touchy issue."
But most students agree any decision should consider the feelings of the families of students killed or injured in the 1999 collapse, Womack said. And they don’t want it taken over by an engineering firm or other outside group, he said. "They want to ensure that students build it."
The off-campus bonfire is now much smaller than the pre-1999 versions, he noted.
Texas Monthly Senior Editor Pamela Coloff reported on a blog written by another editor at the magazine, Paul Burka, that Perry predicted the tradition will be back. "I will not be surprised if it happens by 2011, maybe even 2010," he said. "I think Bonfire will be back on campus. The kids will have the experience again."
Perry told Coloff he would leave the details of resuming Bonfire to the A&M system board of regents and campus administrators.
Perry’s spokeswoman, Allison Castle, pointed to a copy of a 2004 speech by the governor in response to questions about his position on the issue.
"I look forward to the day the bonfire tradition returns to this campus," Perry said at the dedication of a memorial to the victims. "When it burns again, it will be about much more than a football rivalry. It will be an expression of who we are and what we stand for."
System spokesman Rod Davis said no plans are under way to restart the tradition. "People talk about Bonfire, especially this time of year," he said. But there are currently no proposals dealing with the issue, he said.
Davis said that regents chairman Morris Foster did not want to comment on the issue.
"Ultimately, if Bonfire were to be restarted or never started ... the regents would make the final call on that," Davis said.
A&M agreed to a $2.1 million settlement last fall with the families of four students killed in the collapse and three students who were injured, ending litigation against the school and its leaders. But other parts of the case are still ongoing.
The Texas Supreme Court heard arguments Tuesday, with attorneys for Zachry Construction Corp. arguing that A&M should bear more of the blame. Zachry provided cranes and crane operators to help erect the logs for the Bonfire.
Once the court rules, the case will go back to court in Brazos County.
jeannie.kever@chron.com