After the recent alcohol-related death of a CU student, safe partying should be among every Buff’s top priorities.
Despite the possible risks, there are measures students can take to still live it up at a party, while staying safe. For many students that means avoiding Minor in Possession charge among other things.
Michelle Willett, the marketing publications coordinator of Off Campus Student Services said many students are unaware of what consequences getting in trouble off-campus can have to their university record.
“Students don’t realize that when they get ticketed off campus, the university is aware,” Willett said. “Whether it’s an MIP, public urination, nuisance party tickets, the university is aware of every ticket those students are receiving off-campus.”
Kristin Bruner, a 21-year-old senior classics major, said that, from her experience, freshmen receive the most MIP citations.
(CU Independent illustration/Kelly Kaoudis)
“Everybody had a least one MIP within the first three weeks,” said Bruner, regarding her freshman year in Farrand Hall.
Bruner said that she thinks freshmen are the most out of control partiers, partially due to their inexperience.
“Honestly, I’m sorry to put the stereotype on [freshmen], but they’re kind of idiots,” Bruner said. “They just don’t know what to do, and they’re so eager and excited. I was there too, I was a moron.”
Regardless of the age of the student, to counteract the negative consequences of out of control parties, Off Campus Student Services offers CU Party Registration.
According to their website, this is a program where students can register their parties with the organization, and in return receive warning calls when neighbors make noise complaints.
Willett said if a noise complaint is filed after registering a party, instead of contacting the police, CU Party Registration will alert the party hosts and give them 20 minutes to shut down the party.
Last year 208 parties were registered in the program. Out of this total, two received nuisance tickets. A total of 16 parties have been registered in the last three weeks, Willett said.
“We tell students if they’re having a party, there’s always police patrolling,” Willett said. “The cops always know when students are having parties, especially if they see a large group of kids and hear a lot noise.”
Willett said the party information provided by registered hosts is considered public information, and can therefore be accessed by the police.
Evan Akselrad, a 21-year-old sophomore aerospace engineering major, said he doesn’t trust the party registration system since the police can access the information.
“It’s pretty sketchy,” Akselrad said. “Any parties we have had, we keep everyone under control really. I know my neighbors well enough that they can just tell me if we’re being noisy.”
Bruner said that at the end of the day, the responsibility is placed solely on the host.
“Mostly, in order to prevent [dangerous situations], the people who are hosting the parties should try to be more aware,” Bruner said. “I don’t really think it’s the responsibility of the police, because they can’t control what’s going on. If you go out to a party, go with a friend and watch out for each other.”
For more information, go to the Off-Campus Student Services website and view CU’s “Smart Party” guide.
Contact CU Independent Staff Writer Nina Holtz at Nina.holtz@colorado.edu.
