Jackson McCarron
Writer
At the Bucknell Student Government (BSG) congress meeting on April 21, Public Safety Chief Steve Barilar delivered a report detailing all crime and incidents during this year’s House Party Weekend.
According to the list, theft and underage consumption were the two most frequent violations of the weekend, with 15 and 10 registered counts, respectively.
The list also enumerated one noise complaint, five counts of criminal mischief, five counts of public drunkenness, three counts of harassment, one sexual assault-indecent, six alcohol overdose transports and four drug law violations. The noise complaint was registered by a resident of the Bucknell View Mobile Home Park in Milton.
Broken windows in Harris Hall resulted in one charge of criminal mischief to an individual not affiliated with the University. Two separate individuals were also charged with criminal mischief for allegedly causing damage to vehicles.
Charges of harassment and sexual assault are still being investigated.
Although many of these statistics seem grim, it is worth mentioning that the University is not the only University that can lay claim to a riotous weekend. Bloomsburg University boasts a similar annual tradition.
This past weekend, Bloomsburg University celebrated Block Party Weekend. During the festivities, local Bloomsburg police found it necessary to deploy an armored riot control vehicle to disperse a crowd of intoxicated party-goers on a Bloomsburg city street.
A video posted on BloomUtoday.com captured large crowds of students throwing bottles at the vehicle while the police used smoke canisters. Students can be heard in the video chanting “USA! USA!” as a police officer on top of the vehicle is apparently hit with a bottle.
In his meeting with BSG, Barilar said of House Party Weekend and the Bloomsburg riot, “If you think about what is happening 25 miles east of us, I guess we aren’t that bad.”
Susan Lantz, Dean of Students at the University, also weighed in on the recent statistics. In an email sent in response to questions about the administration’s reaction to the release of the violation from House Party Weekend Lantz said, “Although we are pleased with attendance at these events and pleased with examples of students caring for each other, we are disappointed in the statistics … We are currently evaluating what can be done to address the negative behaviors and consequences associated with House Party weekend.”
The administration is not yet discussing plans to change House Party Weekend.
“It’s just too early to discuss next steps because we are still evaluating this year’s events,” Lantz said.