Fourteen of my friends and I recently began taking part in the most traditional Duke experience: camping in line for basketball games. Our tent was erected first and was quickly followed by 15 other tents full of loyal dedicated fans. It was not until Monday morning (Dec. 1) that we were informed of Duke Student Government's new line policy. The new policy was for students to line up for tent positions as soon as other students were allowed into the game. As soon as the game ended, the people in the first 15 tents stood in line, only to find that some less-dedicated fans who did not attend the game and who had not yet set up a tent had staked out a spot in line and had tried to claim the first tent position for themselves.

Fortunately, the students in line Monday night after the game worked out a solution that set the official tent order the way it should be. We are angered, however, at DSG for changing the tent policy that was working fine for at least 20 years.

The old policy stated that the first tent to be erected would be considered tent number one. When 10 tents were set up, DSG would officially recognize Krzyzewskiville and the most loyal fans would get into the game in the positions they deserve.

When asked for an explanation for the change in policy, DSG officials claimed that DSG did not want to spend the entire basketball season performing tent checks. The new policy rewards those who are quickest to line up on the spur of the moment, or those who decide not to support the team on a certain night.

On Monday night, the students who skipped the game had the chance to be first in line for the tents. People in the first 16 tents who attended the game ran the risk of being knocked out of line. These people are the ones who should be rewarded because they set up their tents earliest, slept in the cold rainy weather Sunday night, and attended Monday's game. The previous tent policy would reward the most loyal fans. DSG's new approach goes against the tradition of the Cameron Crazies and those who spend long, cold nights in tents in the hope of seeing their classmates play basketball. We need to revert to the old method of tenting priority and restore the Krzyzewskiville tradition.

Toby True

Engineering '01

Stephan Gaskins

Engineering '01

and 13 others