New to the College this fall, the Party Assistant program will engage students in the duty of regulating parties held by their peers. In late September of this year, students received an email from Barbara McCall, Director of Health and Wellness Education, inviting them to apply for the position of Party Assistant. The program has been considered for a number of years but was initially proposed by a student member of the Task Force on Alcohol and Social Life from 2011-2012.
McCall explained that the process of creating this position has involved interviewing and reviewing materials at schools with similar programs, such as Swarthmore, Haverford, Dartmouth and Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. It also involved meeting with consultants, engaging with stakeholders at the College and consultation and review by the College’s legal team.
The goal of the Party Assistant program, McCall explained, “is to increase safety and reduce risk at registered parties through peer-to-peer support.” Due to concerns regarding the responsibility and amount of work required of hosts, the Party Assistant program was created to “expand the team of folks looking out for each other at events,” as well as to “support the hosts in making important safety decisions.” Ultimately, the Party Assistants will act as a resource for both the hosts and attendees. Party Assistants will also be responsible for providing the required amounts of food and nonalcoholic beverages for registered parties with alcohol.
Party Assistants will play an active role in registered parties every step of the way. They will arrive early to parties in order to survey the social space, as well as meet with hosts and a Public Safety officer. Their shifts will typically last from about 9 p.m. to 2 a.m. When the event is over, they will reconvene with the hosts and officer in order to assess the night as well as to make suggestions for future events.
In addition to being paid for their Friday or Saturday night party shifts, they will be compensated to attend monthly meetings that will involve ongoing training, as well as providing the administration with feedback on the program. As McCall put it, “Party Assistants will essentially act as extra eyes, ears and hands at events to support the hosts in creating and maintaining a safer and enjoyable event environment.”
The Final Report of the Task Force on Alcohol and Social Life, published in May 2012, details the Party Assistant Proposal, explaining the role and expectations of the Party Assistants (or Party Monitors, as they are referred to in the report). In addition to coordinating with the hosts and Public Safety, Party Assistants are entitled to take steps to remove persons who are intoxicated or belligerent. If possible, they will do this in coordination with the hosts. If they experience trouble removing an intoxicated or belligerent person, they are able to call Public Safety for assistance.
Party Assistants will also deal with capacity issues. If the party fails to comply with College policy (for example, underage alcohol consumption, incorrect marking of hands at the door, etc.), Party Assistants may contact Public Safety.
As of now, there is no set number of Party Assistants that the College plans on hiring. Applications are being accepted on a rolling basis and the administration is looking for more applicants. Ultimately, McCall explains, the hope for the Party Assistant program is that it “becomes part of the fabric of Middlebury’s social life.” Stressing the importance of peer-to-peer support, McCall hopes that upperclassmen will help contribute to a “culture of safety that they experienced as first-years and sophomores” that will ultimately provide for a safer, united campus environment.
