Saturday night's Halloween party in the Freeman International Center demonstrated the potential for a vibrant and controllable on-campus social scene, one that we as students have lacked for some time. However, it also showed that whether administrators, public safety officers and students like it or not, social life at Middlebury will remain cleaved and devolved until everyone can find an alcohol policy that will work in their best interest, rather than against it.
The Halloween party had it all: enough space to handle a big turnout, loud music and a great theme. But it lacked the one thing that all college parties must have: booze. Word soon spread that the levy was dry at Freeman, even for those of legal drinking age. So some Midd kids did what any sensible college student would do and brought their own. No big deal, right?
Wrong. Public Safety responded in the most sensible way: by breaking it up. Indeed, a public safety officer hijacked the microphone around midnight on Saturday night and announced that the party was over, and that everyone had to leave.
Students rightfully booed. And it was a loud boo. But in putting a stop to the best social event of the year and breaking up an otherwise contained swath of students, Public Safety only made its job harder. Instead of being faced with a large concentration of students at one big party, they diffused the Saturday night social scene into a score of start-up parties across campus. Public Safety's handling of the Halloween Party neglected not only the best interests of students, but its own best interest as well. Of course, we might be singing a different tune if those planning the event had provided alcohol in the first place. But at the same time, the ridiculous alcohol policy probably made it impossible to serve any beer at such a party.
A well-thought out alcohol policy will make future parties on campus an asset to social life at the College, whereas the system in place clearly provides no adequate outlet to party on-campus for the student body and no adequate means for public safety to practically monitor student behavior.
Written by News Editor SCOTT GREENE
