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Sept. 30, 2005

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Off-campus parties disturb local residents

The 80-year-old man who called was tired. The Greatest Generation survived a Depression and a World War but now succumbs to a party across the street. So someone's grandfather sleeps in the only quiet place he can find - in his car in the garage.

No question, our students are mostly terrific, most of the time. In this case, the residents of the home were campus leaders and great guys. But parties seem to bring out the thoughtlessness in people.

Last year, the Greek Life Task Force considered a number of issues, including the impact residents of Greek groups in unofficial fraternity-like houses have on neighbors. The Task Force surveyed neighbors of these houses as well as those next to homes rented by athletes and also others just adjacent to campus.

The results were resoundingly consistent: It isn't just the Greeks who make lousy neighbors. It seems many of our students are perceived as being inconsiderate. The Dean of Students' Office doesn't fare much better: It is viewed as impotent in being able to affect student behavior off campus.

One factor that creates a problem for Trinity students is that we don't have student neighborhoods. Oftentimes our students in houses are living next to poor working stiffs, the elderly and families with small children. If students can't party on campus OR off campus, where are they going to go?

Most neighbors who call to complain are pretty understanding about this dilemma and don't really mind the parties per se. That's somewhat encouraging because, with a few adjustments, our students could become much better neighbors. In the light of day, most students receive high marks. It is the inconsideration of the hosts and the guests during a party that infuriates people.

The things that set people off can be easily remedied now - at absolutely no cost. The number-one complaint the University receives from neighbors is students urinating and vomiting on their lawns. Day-after trash is also a big problem. In addition, public sex acts are apparently offensive to some people.

Songs, salutations, screams and the laughter of guests coming and going into the early-morning hours are extremely annoying and disruptive. For multiple reasons, neighbors worry about students driving drunk. Squealing tires not only are loud, but they don't instill confidence that the drivers are sober. Neighbors also get as irritated about parking on their streets as students do on campus.

Hosts should talk to neighbors in advance and after parties and give them a cell phone number to call if there are problems. Hosts shouldn't have the most fun at their own parties: guests should. The role of a responsible host is to monitor the event, the behavior of the guests and the neighborhood.

The University won't affect changes in this area by establishing a policy. Generally, we just encourage neighbors to do what our students' parents would do if they lived next to you: Call the police. How nice. The better solution? To appeal to the sense of decency, restraint and goodness in our students to simply show a little respect.

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