Rodin OKs plans for Senior Week, Fling BBQ event

Several non-alcoholic events are planned for the two nights of Fling. After the third meeting of the provost-appointed alcohol task force yesterday, University President Judith Rodin approved a recommendation permitting Senior Week to continue as planned and another on the development of more sponsored non-alcoholic programming during Spring Fling. The alcohol task force also formed three subcommittees to more closely examine campus alcohol issues. Rodin said she approved the recommendations because the University "had to respond to some of the immediate events." The committee has tried to address policies regarding student events at both of their meetings this week. After Tuesday's meeting, Rodin approved a recommendation allowing student organizations to hold events -- including fraternity and sorority formals and last night's Penn Rocks for the Homeless charity event -- at off-campus establishments licensed to serve alcohol. Rodin said Senior Week will go on as long as students follow the standard safety and security guidelines outlined in the University's alcohol policy and state and federal law. The committee also discussed alcohol policies surrounding Fling -- which will be held April 16 and 17 -- and recommended more sponsored programming that would provide venues for students during the weekend. The Tangible Change Committee, for example, will sponsor a barbeque after Friday night's Fling Concert. The event, with food and a DJ, will be from midnight to 2 a.m. Saturday morning on College Green, according to Tangible Change Committee Chairperson and College senior Samara Barend. Barend added that her group's event will be "another area for people to mingle together since there won't be that many large-scale parties." Undergraduate Assembly Chairperson Bill Conway said the committee is aware of students' concerns about the stringent alcohol policies and events surrounding Fling. "Every student who has talked to me has asked about Fling," the Wharton junior noted. In another attempt to provide students with activities during the weekend, the pancake breakfast outside Class of 1920 Commons will run from midnight to 2 a.m. Sunday morning. It will be enlarged to accommodate up to 2,000 students -- twice the attendance at last year's breakfast, Barend said. She added that the committee will discuss the possibility of further programming next week. In addition to preparing the two recommendations, Rodin said that the committee "really stepped back" and discussed the overall alcohol related problems at Penn. At yesterday's meeting, the task force formed three subcommittees of four to eight members each to examine specific issues relating to alcohol abuse. The committees will review these issues over the weekend and report back to the entire task force on Tuesday. The first committee will look at health and safety concerns, including the issue of citing hospitalized students and the availability of alcohol abuse counseling programs on campus. Rodin said the second committee will discuss student responsibility for alcohol use and the accountability of students for both themselves and their peers when using alcohol. "If we accept the student request to be responsible, what kind of accountability do you associate with that responsibility?" Rodin asked. The third and final committee will look at the broader problem of alcohol abuse and try to determine methods to minimize risks for students and also increase the alcohol-free social options available on campus. A fourth subcommittee could be formed soon to examine alcohol culture. Conway explained that smaller groups can cover more issues. "In our larger group meetings we weren't able to get as much accomplished as we would like," he said.

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