As student groups like Common Grounds grapple with the new regulations, many students are raising concerns about a lack of party spaces and the potential dangers of parties moving off campus.
Meg Itoh
News Editor
Students were notified last week that small houses would be restricted from hosting events, a new restriction implemented by Residence Life to maintain safety.
“We will not be changing our regular patrols for [the new restrictions]. We will only conduct walk-throughs if the officers believe an event is taking place,” said Steve Glick, director of Security and Protective Services (SPS).
Glick said his officers did not break up any events this past weekend.
“We will continue to monitor how the campus responds to this issue,” he said.
Common Grounds, a student-run and managed coffeehouse program located in Gable House on College Ave. has been greatly affected by the implementation of the new restrictions on small houses.
“Common Grounds is currently holding events in Compton. The biggest effect [the new restriction] has on our program is that at the moment, we cannot sell any beverages or baked goods, because our health license is tied to Gable House,” said Marjorie Zeager ’17, president of the Common Grounds program.
“We’re also worried about disturbing the residents of Compton, as we are taking up their communal space and having events that are potentially loud. I’m sure that other groups are experiencing this issue as well,” she said.
Monét Davis ’19 expressed concern with how the new restrictions will affect student programs.
“I understand that they’re doing this for the safety of the students, but it limits the space for Greeks and others to have parties, and it’s extremely unfair that Common Grounds can no longer operate in their own home anymore,” she said.
Davis said the policy diminishes spaces available for parties. “We, as a student body, already have very limited party spaces and now that houses are no longer allowed, it limits the choices even more. I hope that the school does some major work on the homes during spring break [and]summer.”
Isaac Nordmoe ’18 said he thought the new restrictions on small house events would not have an effect on stopping the parties.
“Enforcement is a problem, since already nothing is being done; people will have parties and get-togethers and they’re not going to stop just because of the rules,” he said.
“The wild parties will move out of the safety bubble of campus to avoid the rules and the rules [will] then backfire … possibly encourage[ing] the very situation [Res Life] wanted to avoid … the College’s rules will force people off campus and generally into more danger; the policy is short-sighted and irresponsible,” said Nordmoe.
Nordmoe is also worried of escalated tensions between Res Life staff and students.
“I personally hope they realize that if a small group of friends playing a board game and having a drink gets busted by Security, there will be no end [to] unrest from students,” he said.
“There was a purpose for the rules and I sincerely think they did a very poor job of thinking through how they were going to accomplish their goals and how the rules they did make would [affect] the student body,” he said.
Ashanti Wallace ’16 warned the school must “do a better job of ensuring quality houses rather than implementing another policy that will only further dampen campus culture.” Wallace is a part of the Women of Images program and resides in Colonial House.
“I personally don’t agree with the recent house restriction policies simply because I don’t think they get to the root of the issue. I have lived in a campus house during my entire four years here and can attest to the poor integrity of small campus houses,” she said. “I have a hole in the ceiling of my house now that has yet to be repaired.”
Students agree with the motivating factor behind the new restriction. “Safety most definitely should be the number one concern of the school, and I believe that they’re showing us that, but the announcement just wasn’t done well,” said Davis.