Last night’s UPUA General Assembly meeting was supposed to signify the beginning of the end–the crowning moment of a presidency during the toughest year in Penn State history. When it broke last night that President T.J. Bard would not be running for re-election, I anticipated a Presidential address for the ages, complete with tears, reflection, and nostalgia. What happened next, however, is symbolic of the selfless nature of Bard’s presidency.

“I will not be addressing my decision to not seek re-election tonight. We still have three weeks left,” Bard said.

It was only downhill from there, as the only new order of business was confirming Hannah Bracale–who previously served as Panhellenic Representive to UPUA–as an On-Campus Representative. During committee reports, Governmental Affairs Chair Adam Boyer mentioned that he submitted a proposal to change the name of Park Ave. to “Paterno Way” to State College Borough Council and the College Township Supervisors.  The Supervisors will be discussing this proposal at their meeting tonight, which beings at 7 p.m. at the township building.

And then, after only 28 minutes–in what was the shortest UPUA meeting of the year, if not all time–the meeting was adjourned. I didn’t even start into my second diet Coke. Democracy will resume in two weeks, after spring break.

T.J. Bard Tie Rating of the Week (1.5/5): This was putrid. The spotlight was on Bard tonight, whether he liked it or not, and I walked away disappointed. He went with a dark blue shirt complimented with a dark blue tie, with a design that resembled what you might see a redneck wear at a city council meeting in some hillbilly southwestern Pennsylvania town. Seriously, when I saw it from a distance, it looked like the Looney Toons logo tie that your uncle with three teeth wore to your cousin’s wedding. Bard only has a few meetings left to impress, and this certainly wasn’t the start he was hoping for.

Elias Warren Quote of the Week: (Adam Boyer: “Capitol Day is April 4th”) Elias: “I will revisit my schedule.”