Dan Goldin Day: Past and Future; (Present To Follow)

In November 2003 it was announced that the university I, Tom, was attending had just decided on a new president. A former NASA executive and fundraiser, he was much ballyhooed by the university's trustees and some of their close personal friends. His name was Dan Goldin.

The trustees decided immediately to throw a parade in honor of the decision. They scheduled it for November 17th. In order to boost turn out, or win the admiration of the student body, the trustees cancelled classes for the entire day.

The day they picked to cancel happened to coincide with a ridiculously difficult math exam I was scheduled to take. The professor was forced to postpone. I love the trustees.

It truly was a glorious time to be a harried Boston University student who needed an extra day to study for a midterm mathematics exam.


But then, tragedy, sort of. The trustees, mere moments (it seemed) after selecting our hero (Dan Goldin) to lead the university into the next age, passed a vote of No Confidence in their appointee!

Dan Goldin Ex-President? It was true. Having never set foot in his office, having never worked on day, hour, or minute, as president of this university, he'd been dismissed.

He had, however, signed the contract which entitled him to, approximately, $1.8 million dollars (USD) severance pay. For not working. Million. For signing his name.

We, the student body, were outraged. Well, no, that's an overstatement. Tuition money has gone to more foolhardy plans than a botched presidential selection.

We were, however, worried for our day off. What was to come of the parade they'd scheduled? Would we have to go to class? WHAT OF DONUTS?!

The trustees, in their infinite generosity, decided to not only give Dan Goldin his hefty parting gift, but also give the student body the day off, like they promised.

The extra day to lay around (and also do some studying) was almost better than a gigantic cash windfall (I wouldn't know if it were actually better, having never been simply handed $1.8 million dollars).

And, since that day, November 17th, 2003, I have vowed to celebrate Dan Goldin and his ridiculous part in the proceedings every year by skipping work/school/etc and doing whatever I please.

Since then, the celebration has grown, usually through college friends spreading the story and the tradition as they move away from Boston and to other exotic locales - like Milwaukee, Wisconsin - where, last year, they celebrated with a brewery tour.

This year I've enlisted the aid of many other friends to spread the holiday even further. 2006 will feature additional celebrations in Indiana, California, Missouri, Georgia, New Jersey, Philadelphia, Guatemala, and, hopefully, New Zealand.

Dan Goldin Day has gone international.

So, to sum up, the spirit of the holiday is this:

Skip out on work, lay around, celebrate however you see fit.

Whether it's a two-car parade through the center of town, drivers waving at confused townsfolk (like Dan Goldin Day 2005), or a brewery tour (which seems to be the most popular variant this year,) or simply sleeping in, playing xbox all day instead of going to work, and raising a pint to Dan Goldin, I urge you to enjoy it.

Thanks all,

-Tom