Gareth McNamara
Contributing Writer
Beginning next semester, all student groups, organizations, houses and dorm rooms hosting parties will be required to meet new policies governing social events on campus. The policies, including training and contracts for designated party monitors, have been developed by the Judicial Committee of Campus Council, which is comprised of student, faculty and administrative representatives.
Regardless of whether it is being hosted in a campus house or within a dormitory, an event will be considered a party if it meets two out of the three following criteria: having 35 or more people present, being advertised in advance or involving the consumption of alcohol.
All those wishing to host a party will be required to file event forms with the Campus Life Office at least three business days in advance, as well as appoint two to four party monitors, depending on the size of the event. At least one party monitor must be a member of the organization, house or suite hosting the event.
Party monitors are expected to remain sober for the duration of the event, uphold the College’s policies and liaise with Security and Protective Services to resolve any safety issues that may arise. In order to serve as party monitors, students must complete an initial two-and-a-half-hour training session, facilitated by staff from Campus Life, Longbrake Wellness Center and Security and Protective Services. These sessions will be offered at least twice per semester.
As well as appointing party monitors, groups hosting events where alcohol is consumed will be required to provide food and non-alcoholic beverages, in accordance with the regulations for On-Campus Social Events laid out in The Scot’s Key.
As of spring semester, students who violate the party policy will be fined and required to attend a meeting with a College hearing officer. First violations will be fined $200, rising to $400 for a repeat offense. Third-time offenders will be fined $600 and will have a mandatory judicial hearing
At a public discussion of the policy last week, College administrators noted that any money generated from these fines will be spent on party monitor training and the development of alternative party spots on campus, possibly including lighting and sound equipment for under the Stadium stands and the reallocation of Bissman and Armington Halls as Greek dormitories with common areas revamped as party spaces.
At last week’s discussion, representatives from the Judicial Committee noted that a number of Greek groups on campus have been implementing the policy at their events since last year. Though the policy will not come into force until after winter break, groups hosting parties before the end of the semester are encouraged to work with Campus Life and SPS to “test out” the policy before it becomes mandatory.
Chair of the Judicial Committee Noël Mellor ’15 sees the policy as responding to an increase in alcohol-related problems.
“I believe that this semester I have seen more individuals going to the Wellness Center and being in more dangerous drinking situations,” she said. “Hopefully, this policy will remind peers to look out for each other and stop situations before someone’s drinking becomes dangerous.”
Mellor’s sentiments were echoed by Dean of Students Kurt Holmes, who serves as an administrative representative on the committee.
“I believe social culture here has gotten a little bit out of control,” Holmes said, speaking at last week’s meeting. “We need to push it back to a point that reasonable people would find acceptable.”
The Judicial Committee emphasized the safety concerns behind the policy, with Holmes noting that a number of incidents occurred this semester where an individual being refused entry to a party has led to a fight.
“We’re trying to get ahead of situations that set students up for trouble,” he said.
Initially, limited allowances will be made for unplanned events that spontaneously grow to the point of constituting a party as outlined in the policy. In such instances, a designated sober volunteer may contact Security and Protective Services to act as liaison as an alternate means of fulfilling the contract, though Dean Holmes cautioned against using this route regularly rather than filing paperwork in advance, advising students: “If an event becomes something that happens every week, get ahead of it.”
A number of students have expressed concerns that the policy is overly punitive, and will disadvantage smaller organizations wishing to host a party who have a lower membership to draw party monitors from than larger ones, such as Greek groups.
One anonymous student who resides in a campus house conceded that “It is a very good idea to have a sober monitor at every party, but I do not think this will be the result of the party monitor policy. Much like the rule that every party needs to be reported to Security ahead of time, this new policy is prohibitive only and does not provide a positive incentive along with its fulfillment.”
“If a party monitor is responsible for what happens at each party, there is no motivation for an individual to volunteer for this role except to avoid breaking the rule that each party needs a monitor,” the student said.
This student also expressed doubts about the motivations driving the policy: “It seems more a matter of the administration protecting themselves from liability for the safety of their students, rather than an actual solution to issues of campus safety.”
Despite the new requirements for groups hosting social events, Director of Security and Protective Services Steve Glick does not anticipate a spike in parties being ended by security.
“I doubt that we will be shutting down more parties, although the one concern is parties that aren’t registered,” Glick said.