Last year, by the time the Monday before a huge nationally televised primetime showdown for the Penn State football team rolled around, the small tent village known as Paternoville had already started springing to life outside the gates of Beaver Stadium.

This year? An empty lot.

The Nittany Lions' record has nothing to do with it, and in fact the athletic department doesn't have all that much to do with the absence of one of Penn State's newest, most enjoyed, traditions.

Last week the university issued a statement that to increase safety at Paternoville this year, things like electronic appliances, extension cords and alcohol, among other things, would be prohibited from this week's installation of Paternoville. And, of course, the timeframe during which students would be able to move into the tent village would be severely limited.

With an official time set at 6 a.m. Thursday, the administration has effectively shortened what was a week-long festival of team spirit into two frustrating days of jockeying for position in front of the student entrance. Also, students will be mandated to have their campsites packed up by 8 a.m. on the day of the game, to avoid any possible accidents with the crowds of people that will be flocking to the stadium.

The university may fear any incidents involving drinking, illness or injury, and hopefully administrators have the best interest of the students in mind, but to have a specified start time so late in the week, it may be asking for more trouble than it could have ever perceived happening at the original Paternoville. One needs to look no further than the chaotic rushes through toy stores during the holiday season to see what scenario could play out early Thursday morning when the Nittany Faithful clamor for prime real estate
in front of the stadium.

The frustration and desperation of those who are now forced to wait until two nights before the game to start their camp might be intensified due to the way Penn State presented this information. The announcement was made less than a week before students would start showing up last Thursday to set up campsites, without any collaboration with UPUA, USG or any other student group.

Krzyzewskiville in Duke, the model for all collegiate tent villages is actually run by the school's student government and features all the amenities that one could want at a campsite.

However, here at Penn State the opposite seems to be taking root, as the tradition is sliding more under the control of the administration and digressing away from the vibrant display that was the pride of the athletic department last season.