October 18, 2010 H Omecoming Tailgates Go Off Without a Hitch
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Serving James Madison University Since 1922 Sunny n 72°/ 48° Vol. 87, No. 15 chance of precipitation: 20% Monday, October 18, 2010 H OMECOMING Tailgates go off without a hitch redefining RYAN FREELAND / FILE PHOTO Homecoming weekend saw 19 alcohol-related violations on campus with only five of 12 party drunk in public violations during peak tailgating hours. By MOLLY HAAS and “I’m not at all hesitant,” he said. GraphIC BY NATALIYA IOFFE / THE BREEZE AARON KOEPPER The once-overflowing baseball lot, The Breeze however, was nearly deserted. “The baseball lot was closed off so we New Greek life policies address alcohol at recognized events Saturday’s Homecoming tailgate was came here,” said Kelsey Dill, a sopho- the most relaxed of the year, according to more social work major, while standing some students, despite initial concerns in the Convo lot. “There are a lot of cars By RYAN PLATT of a crackdown on drinking with heavy but barely any people. This year I feel like The Breeze police prescence. everyone tailgates off campus at like For- Some new Greek policies Police presence seemed minimal est Hills and other places.” The 15 social fraternities and nine sororities now compared to previous games this year The commuter lots next to God- have a new set of policies that govern all chapters, n If there are discrepancies between a in both student and alumni lots. There win field and Zane-Showker Hall were specifically regarding alcohol and party policies. chapter’s national policies and the JMU were about 65 to 70 JMU, Harrisonburg flooded with purple-clad alumni and Oct. 5 marked the end of the probationary period policy, the stricter policy will apply. and Virginia State Police Officers on duty their families. placed on the chapter members of social Greek life, n A minimum of six sober members per Saturday, 15 of which were assigned to “I love being back here,” said Avery which began Sept. 7. It also marked the implementa- sponsoring organization must be present patrol tailgate lots, according to JMU Daugherty, a JMU alumnus who gradu- tion of the new alcohol policies. at the event where alcohol is served. Police Chief Lee Shifflett. The officers ated in ’09. “To me, it feels just like last Fraternity and Sorority Life leaders, including pres- n Sorority parties shall not exceed the size of not assigned to patrol tailgate lots worked year. I don’t want to leave again.” idents, ex-presidents and general members, have the sorority plus three guests per sister. traffic and stadium security. Some never got the chance to tailgate revised the set of rules and regulations they abide by. n Fraternity parties shall not exceed more than 250 This year, police gave out 12 drunk in as students. They created a new set of policies that all chapters registered guests and 30 unannounced guests. public citations and seven underage pos- “When I graduated in ’97, there was no agreed upon and the FSL administration approved. n Chapters must maintain a collective 2.7 GPA. session citations on-campus from 7 a.m. tailgating,” said Vince Coyle, a marketing While all of the FSL Greek community was Saturday to 7 a.m. Sunday, up from 15 alumnus. “After the national champion- involved, three students in the Greek community total alcohol citations on the Saturday of ship [in 2004], our expectations for our were the driving force behind the changes — seniors last year’s Homecoming game. However, team changed, and this was one of the Josh Dodson and Callie McGee and fifth-year senior necessarily mean you’ve done something wrong, only five of the 12 drunk in public cita- ways to support the team.” Ryan Birckhead. just that there are questions about what actually hap- tions occurred during tailgating hours. Kim Turman, a ’99 alumna, said she The old wording made it unclear about what exactly pened versus the accusations,” Birckhead said. “This is definitely the best atmosphere only went to two football games while defined a “party” for a fraternity or sorority, explained The new policy states that in the case of a reported yet,” said Emily Govel, a senior interna- she was a student and was happy to Birckhead. violation, all organizations involved will be brought tional business major, while tailgating in return. “The definition of a party is any fraternity or soror- up on charges and the chapter president will be con- the Convocation Center lot. “This is the first time I’ve been back in ity event that is registered with the university and tacted Monday by 5 p.m. The parking lot behind the Convo- 11 years, and I’m really excited there’s a Harrisonburg Police Department where alcohol is Alcohol education was another focus of the policy cation Center was filled with alumni, tailgate,” Turman said. present,” Article III of the new policy states. amendments. families and students playing cornhole, Despite the rumors circling about a Violations are approached from a standpoint of not “Each fraternity and sorority must have all exec- ladder ball and throwing footballs. police crackdown in the student lots, just punishing chapters for violating charter policies, utive members complete sober training,” the new “I think every game is getting a little alumni who tailgated frequently said which contrasts the previous policies where a major- policy states in Article V. “Each fraternity and soror- better,” Govel said. “At the beginning of they noticed little change from last year. ity of the time FSL members were somewhat unaware ity must have all of their new members participate in the year, they really cracked down. I still Some said they were told they had to of what the exact charge was, according to Birckhead. a sober team training program as apart of new mem- tailgate at every game even with more pour their alcohol into cups, but other The new policies include a creation of a Standards ber education.” police around.” alumni played beer pong and had visible Committee, where now if there are any accusations of Additionally, chapters that have below a 2.7 Mike Prior, a sophomore media arts cans or bottles of alcohol. violations, the chapter in question would be brought cumulative GPA will be placed on social suspension, and design major, agreed. “I like tailgating in a controlled atmo- to the standards committee, which would judge if the meaning the organization cannot have events where “There’s definitely been an increase in sphere. Everyone here seems to be having function being investigated was an officially recog- guests would be allowed to consume alcohol. police at other games, but today is a good a great time,” said Kevin Kozlowski, a ’99 nized fraternity or sorority function. “A large focus was made for standards in terms atmosphere,” he said. alumnus who attended the tailgate with “It’s worded in a way that you may or may not Prior tailgated on Saturday in both his family. “It feels like a safe atmosphere.” be brought to a standards meeting, which doesn’t see GREEK, page 4 the R-1 and Convo lots, and he said the increase in police earlier in the semester CTONTAC Molly Haas at haasmr@ would not stop him from coming out for dukes.jmu.edu and Aaron Koepper the game. at [email protected]. I N thE COMMUNITY Hustle, bustle in ’Burg JMU traffic from Family Weekend and Homecoming brings more business By BETSY O’BRIEN There seemed to be a crowd at Taverna. contributing writer many restaurants in the area on both Manager Sara Kesser attributed sales weekends. to the weather and having the heated With Family Weekend and Home- “This year it was more appreciated tarista on the roof open. coming two weeks apart, local because of the nature of the economy,” Dave’s was prepared for the high businesses experienced a boost in Tamberrino said. volume of food sales over Family Week- sales, yet Family Weekend brought in Tamberrino said Harrisonburg has end, but saw their sales shift towards more money for some downtown bars a unique economy, as there is not one alcohol for Homecoming weekend. and restaurants than Homecoming dominant employment center and “It was not quite as rowdy,” Kesser weekend. many small businesses support each said. “I was expecting a lot of bizarre “Just from talking to our hos- other. occurrences, but everyone was pretty pitality members everyone was Joshua Wilton House on South Main well-behaved.” extremely happy,” said Frank Tamber- Street has strong ties to JMU because Allie Toro, a JMU graduate and bar- rino, the president of the Harrisonburg the three owners are JMU alumni and tender at Jack Brown’s Beer and Burger Chamber of Commerce. was expecting a boost in sales. Joint, said the restaurant had a large With Harrisonburg’s population at “Homecoming has been steadi- crowd during Family Weekend. 44,015 and with JMU undergraduate ly increasing, although it’s not as “It was busy from the time we Annual Homecoming enrollment at 16,896, widespread fam- slammed as graduation and Family opened ’til the time we closed,” Toro ily visits means a jump in sales for local Weekend,” said innkeeper Jamie Marsh, said. “There were a lot of students Stompmania Step businesses. Many hotels, restaurants who explained a lottery system is used showing their parents Jack Brown’s.” Show, which features and bars were filled to near capacity. to determine reservations. The burger joint was popular as sales “We decided not to do reservations The inn at Joshua Wilton House was for Family Weekend and Homecoming sororities and and it worked out better, we were able fully booked for Homecoming, while were about equal, averaging 450 to 500 to seat more people,” said Clementine the restaurant served more than 100 burgers sold a day.