Seven years after then-A&M University President Ray Bowen made the heartbreaking decision to indefinitely suspend Aggie Bonfire, the issue appears to be back on the table.

Current A&M President Elsa Murano announced last month that she intended to spend the next few months initiating a dialogue about the possibility of returning the beloved tradition to campus.

The news came the same day Texas A&M settled lawsuits stemming from the deadly 1999 bonfire collapse, which killed 12 and injured 27 when the 2 million-pound stack of logs toppled shortly before it was set to burn. In a statement about the $2.1 million settlement with families of those who were injured or killed in the collapse, Murano said no decision would be made until she had finished gathering information and reviewing the history of the event.

Murano declined an interview request by The Eagle last week.

"This is a complex issue that must be closely examined, but we are not working under a specific timeline, particularly since the settlement was just reached not even a week ago," A&M spokesman Jason Cook said last week.

Aggie Bonfire hasn't been ignited on the A&M campus since 1998. The university-sanctioned bonfire was banned from campus after the tragic collapse the following year. Rogue bonfires burned off campus in subsequent years, but it wasn't until 2002 that Texas A&M students came together to launch what now is called Student Bonfire.

Set to burn Nov. 22 in Robertson County, Student Bonfire is not sanctioned by Texas A&M and does not have a spotless safety record. On Nov. 2, a Texas A&M student was airlifted from Robertson County to St. Joseph Regional Health Center in Bryan after fracturing his leg while at Cut, which is the process of cutting down logs that will be used to build the bonfire.

Student Bonfire organizers would not release further information about the student or his condition, but university administrators said the Aggie was recovering and hoped to resume class work this week.

Though Student Bonfire is off campus and outside the purview of Texas A&M, Vice President for Student Affairs Lt. Gen. Joseph Weber said he had checked on the student -- who he said suffered a "pretty severe broken leg" -- and was concerned about the accident.

"I will tell you, I personally still feel very responsible for the health, safety and welfare of all our students, no matter where they are," Weber said. "We work hard here every day to try and mentor them to get them to think about whatever they do -- whether it's driving, drinking or working on a non-sanctioned, off-campus activity.

Weber, a member of the Texas A&M Class of 1972 and a former classmate of Gov. Rick Perry, declined to say whether he believed the tradition should return to campus. Weber was hired in August to replace Dean Bresciani, who abruptly resigned in July after serving four years in the post.

"I am an administrator here. I support very much wholeheartedly President Murano, and it will be a difficult decision that we're going to have to help her make," Weber said. "But she'll make the right decision."

Rehashing the past

Nine years after the deadliest accident in Texas A&M history, the idea of bringing bonfire back to campus is controversial. Current and former students, university administrators and community members are divided on the issue.

An extensive investigation was launched following the collapse, and a subsequent report blamed faulty construction techniques and generations of administrators who had allowed the tradition to become dangerous and inadequately supervised.

Despite the findings, A&M officials pressed forward, trying to find a way to bring the tradition back to campus while making it "forever safe."

In 2000, Bowen banned the practice of cutting trees for bonfire stacks. He also ordered a professional design and formal training for all involved. But in 2002, after an exhaustive review, Bowen announced that the tradition simply would no longer be feasible as a student activity.

Last week, Bowen, an A&M graduate who led the university for eight years before stepping down in 2002, reiterated his findings.

Bringing the tradition back in its revamped form would have cost several million dollars, Bowen said. And even if A&M had the money at the time, there was no guarantee that the university could obtain insurance for the project.

The only way to safely bring back the structure to campus was to have it professionally done, he said. And students at the time -- as well as Bowen himself -- were opposed to such an option. Bowen said last week that he remained opposed to the concept of a professionally constructed bonfire.

"We wanted the bonfire back. We tried very hard. We went into a detailed analysis and looked at every aspect of it. Our conclusion was we could not bring it back as a student activity," said Bowen, who remains at A&M as an engineering professor. "I think if they go through the same kind of analysis today, they'll reach the same conclusion."

Bowen suggested that administrators take the pulse of current students before making a decision. After the 1999 collapse, students wanted to continue with the wedding-cake structure. But the Aggie Bonfire that was begun nearly a century ago was a trash heap -- a version of the tradition that still could be student-led, the former president said.

"I hope they don't embark on it," Bowen said, suggesting that students instead get involved in projects such as Big Event and Habitat for Humanity that would benefit people on a larger scale. "I would like to see them devote their energy there. But for some reason, they don't ask me anymore."

A continued evolution

The pulse of the student body may, in fact, be changing. Many undergraduates likely haven't seen Aggie Bonfire burn on campus, and they almost certainly never volunteered at Cut or Stack. For some, the only experience with the tradition is the off-campus Student Bonfire.

And when they talk of the subject, they speak only of bonfire. Not Aggie Bonfire versus Student Bonfire or on-campus versus off-campus.

Even the Bonfire Coalition -- a recognized student group created in 2002 and dedicated to bringing bonfire back to campus -- became inactive this year due to a decline in membership.

Senior Erik Gnaedinger, a former leader of the organization, said he believed Murano would come to a conclusion about Aggie Bonfire after consulting with the vice president for student affairs, Vice President for Facilities Chuck Sippial and the 12th Man Foundation. But because the Bonfire Coalition is without an active roster this year, the organization likely won't play a role in those talks, Gnaedinger said.

"It's been a sad thing," Gnaedinger said, discussing the timing. "But it's something that was decided on by lack of participation, not by efforts of the administration of the organization."

Gnaedinger said the Bonfire Coalition, at its largest, had about 85 members, but that number steadily declined over the past four to five years, dropping to just 15 active members last year. Had the organization remained active this year, it would have had seven or eight members, he said.

"The biggest reason, I think, is no one has been allowed to really make many comments on bonfire," Gnaedinger said, explaining that many students assumed that the return of the tradition to campus simply wasn't an option or that they didn't have a say in the matter. "The waiting game beat out the desire."

Gnaedinger said he believed bonfire could be returned to campus safely. And if given the chance to speak out, he said, many students would say the same thing.

"We have a lot of former-student support and a lot of current students who want to be active but don't feel like it's their decision. They feel like the decision lies in the hands of Dr. Murano and the Board of Regents," Gnaedinger said. "They feel like they don't get to vote on it, they don't get an open forum on it. I think that's a big problem. If you allow students to voice their opinions, they'll have a pretty strong cry for bonfire to come back."

ON THE WEB

Student Bonfire is set to burn Nov. 22 in Robertson County. For more information, go to studentbonfire.com.

For more information about the Bonfire Coalition, go to www.bonfire-coalition.com.

Comments

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17 comment(s) found!

Posted by: On: 11/19/2008

Comment Title: SPELL CHECK!!!!
Those of you posting that are students, your spelling is atrocious, you need remedial English

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Posted by: On: 11/12/2008

Comment Title:
Are you stupid or something...let Ol' Army go and New TAMU evolve... to what? You must understand Texas A&M, we must never forget how we started. And A&M has evolve a lot in the past 100 years. Just because we want the Bonfire back doesn't mean, we are going to forget the lives that died. Us aggies never forget our commrades, We are a family and we always stick together."SLIVER TAP" but this was an awesome experience and if you don't like it and it does come back.. DON"T GO!!!!!!!and don't let your kids come to TAMU. At the time of the 12 Aggies that died they were all doing something they believed in...thats why they were there.

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Posted by: Phil On: 11/11/2008

Comment Title:
Bring back bonfire? you have got to be kidding...this is something important? What kind of immature mind would want something so trivial, and dangerous back among kids? Are Aggies so starved for whatever a bonfire brings to risk students? Instead of wanting the bonfire back, I'll bet those families would rather have their kids back.

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Posted by: On: 11/11/2008

Comment Title:
As a resident of Bryan/College Station all my life. I feel that Texas A&M has changed so much. Before The TRAGIC ACCIDENT, I can honestly say that every Thanksgiving Holidays;, I would look forward the Aggie Bonfire. It was an amazing experience. Thousands and Thousands gathered around the bonfire was great. Now that we have the opportunity to reconsider we must reinstate. Ever since the terrible accident Aggies have lost the spirit of family. We have morn for several years, I respect the families that lost their loved ones, but they died doing something they believed in, Why else where they there when the tragic happen. It was around 2am in the morning. I will never forget that night and the following day. Those moments will live in my mind forever, when several hours after the accident, Jamie Hand was the last one to be pulled from the logs. I can say that if they could be here, they would want the Bonfire back. Of course this time would be different, so that this tragic never happens again.

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Posted by: Sarge '83 On: 11/11/2008

Comment Title: Hats off to the lady Prez
Great tradition. Great time. If brought back it will be limited in ways that will make it one of the safest things we do. Bring back the fire!

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Posted by: On: 11/11/2008

Comment Title:
I went to cut before, I've saw the last bonfire burn, and I was there after bonfire fell. I saw the thousands of students crying not only for their fellow students but also for a tradition that had failed them. Through it all, the students stayed until the very last person was taken out and the very last log was pulled whether it was day or night, Aggies were there. We mourned our friends, we mourned our tradition and we mourned the passing of something that words could not describe. Anyone would tell you that that one tragedy brought together thousands of people, and THAT my friends is spirit. No matter what happens whether an oncampus bonfire burns again despite all the obstacles against it, or it doesn't. Aggies know that there is a spirit among Aggies that will never be defeated.

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Posted by: On: 11/11/2008

Comment Title:
I agree with the first poster. Its time for Old Army to go and let TAMU evolve. The bonfire was associated with Texas A&M College and the Corps. Those wonderful days are gone. I've attended bonfires in the field behind the old mess halls and a couple in front of the MSC and have many good memories. It will never be the same for me, so I say let it go.

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Posted by: On: 11/11/2008

Comment Title: Bonfire
i have been to a few bonfires and even had the priviledge to walk in with the band, and it is awesome, the tradition should live on. Safety first, but we have for so long let traditions dwindle away. Stand for what you believe in, and that includes traditions and Ol' Army, yes move forward but never forget the past, its where we came from. Gig'em Aggies.

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Posted by: Russell 03' On: 11/11/2008

Comment Title: PRO Bonfire
I'll bet a dollar to a dime that none of the posters below have ever been to a bonfire, and probably didn't graduate from A&M or any other four year school for that matter. It is a solid school tradition that should not have been delayed for so long. I went to every bonfire since the age of three. It is hard to describe the power and emotion of 80,000 people gathering to celebrate our school and the looming matchup with our rival. I think it would be good for the footbal team to come speak to the crowd again and get pumped up for the big game. I hope it comes back, its been too long.

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Posted by: sam mac09 On: 11/11/2008

Comment Title: New Tradition
How about we start a new tradition. Like female cheerleaders. Then I dont always have to here about the Homo jokes from my friends in different schools. Besides, we have won against UT the past few years and didnt need a bonfire to get us pumped up. Even this bonfire that is off campus just recently collapsed. Its not worth it.

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Posted by: On: 11/11/2008

Comment Title: Stick with tinker toys leave the lincoln logs alone till you learn how to play with them
Stacking wood is a very difficult task. lol You would never guess this was a school for engineering. Building fire has only beeen around for thousands of years, and maybe in the next few thousand A&M will learn how. Then maybe yes.

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Posted by: On: 11/11/2008

Comment Title: i agree
Do not bring it back. Its clear that if it falls again and kids are hurt that A&M will not help but only run and hide for eight years just like last time! Only to squeeze out 500 thousand to families that lost a child. Insurance paid the rest.

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Posted by: Hank "78 On: 11/10/2008

Comment Title: What the bonfire produces?
Bonfire has produced broken families, and dead and injured kids in the name of some silly football tradition. Bring it back and A&M looks like a bunch of ignorant losers.

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Posted by: Elliot 07 On: 11/10/2008

Comment Title:
Bonfire is an Aggie Joke. Bonfire is something great? Get a life, Old Army, and get over it. We have a great idea of the concept, what it entails, what it is about. Forget bonfire. It is old news.

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Posted by: Loser Police On: 11/10/2008

Comment Title:
Forget the stupid bonfire!

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Posted by: AgupNorth On: 11/9/2008

Comment Title:
"Evolve"??? Is that what we call it when students find more passive activities? You probably have little concept of what Bonfire is, what it produces, and what young people would be involved in in its stead. We had a tragedy, but that is short sighted to let that be the end of something great, that fosters and produces so much positive, as is the testimony of countless thousands that participated through the years. Props to Murano for considering this- I'm sure she'll get many ill-informed arrows shot at her, as do all pioneers.

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Posted by: Gary 04 On: 11/9/2008

Comment Title:
Only at A&M will the alumni try to bring back bad "traditions" to make themselves feel better at the cost of the current students. Aggies today have never had the bonfire, therefore they are not missing a thing. Leave it that way. Old Army needs to go away and let A&M evolve.

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