2008 Woodie Awards
Dillon Hall cancels annual pep rally
Rector says he didn't prepare residents for the event, which won't be rescheduled in 2008
Madeline Buckley
Issue date: 9/2/08 Section: News
Dillon Hall Rector Fr. Paul Doyle shocked residents Sunday when he announced the residence hall's pep rally, held every year before the first home football game of the season, was cancelled.
The pep rally, a series of skits mocking aspects of Notre Dame life, has been a Dillon Hall tradition since the late 1970s, lead pep rally scriptwriter Ryan O'Connor said.
Fr. Doyle cited two reasons for his decision.
"I failed to provide the necessary direction and support," he said.
The rector also told his residents the pep rally "was not coming together in a timely fashion."
Though this year's event is not intended be rescheduled, Fr. Doyle expressed his intent to hold a pep rally in the future.
"I hope we can have a pep rally next year that is the sort of pep rally the Dillon men and campus community have come to expect," he said.
Before Fr. Doyle broke the news of the pep rally's cancellation to the dormitory as a whole Sunday night, he had a private meeting with current Dillon Hall President, Brendan McQueeney.
"Fr. Doyle felt that he had not given us enough guidance," McQueeney said. "He said that he normally has a meeting with the Hall President at the end of the [previous] school year to get the ball rolling, which didn't happen."
There was a lot of miscommunication on both sides, McQueeney said.
After speaking to McQueeney, Fr. Doyle held a meeting in order to tell hall staff about the cancellation, O'Connor, a resident assistant, said.
The sudden decision surprised hall staff and scriptwriters, O'Connor said.
The students in charge of putting the pep rally together had been working since the spring and throughout the summer, O'Connor said. They were almost finished with the preparations when they heard the news.
"The script was already written," he said. "Tryouts were supposed to be that night. Everything was all set."
The scriptwriters had also already established several guests to speak and appear in skits, O'Connor said.
The pep rally, a series of skits mocking aspects of Notre Dame life, has been a Dillon Hall tradition since the late 1970s, lead pep rally scriptwriter Ryan O'Connor said.
Fr. Doyle cited two reasons for his decision.
"I failed to provide the necessary direction and support," he said.
The rector also told his residents the pep rally "was not coming together in a timely fashion."
Though this year's event is not intended be rescheduled, Fr. Doyle expressed his intent to hold a pep rally in the future.
"I hope we can have a pep rally next year that is the sort of pep rally the Dillon men and campus community have come to expect," he said.
Before Fr. Doyle broke the news of the pep rally's cancellation to the dormitory as a whole Sunday night, he had a private meeting with current Dillon Hall President, Brendan McQueeney.
"Fr. Doyle felt that he had not given us enough guidance," McQueeney said. "He said that he normally has a meeting with the Hall President at the end of the [previous] school year to get the ball rolling, which didn't happen."
There was a lot of miscommunication on both sides, McQueeney said.
After speaking to McQueeney, Fr. Doyle held a meeting in order to tell hall staff about the cancellation, O'Connor, a resident assistant, said.
The sudden decision surprised hall staff and scriptwriters, O'Connor said.
The students in charge of putting the pep rally together had been working since the spring and throughout the summer, O'Connor said. They were almost finished with the preparations when they heard the news.
"The script was already written," he said. "Tryouts were supposed to be that night. Everything was all set."
The scriptwriters had also already established several guests to speak and appear in skits, O'Connor said.