Posted on Tue, Oct 11, 2011 : 10:14 a.m.
University of Michigan wants students to curtail pre-game partying
By Cindy Heflin
The University of Michigan would like to curtail pre-game drinking.
During a fireside chat with students and U-M President Mary Sue Coleman, E. Royster Harper, the university’s vice president for student affairs, said police are trying “to tone it down … and to not have it begin so early.”
During the meeting, one student complained that police are going into houses and forcing people to leave whether they’re 21 or not.
Comments
KathrynHahn
Wed, Oct 12, 2011 : 8:12 a.m.
Back in the '80's I lived on E. Davis a few blocks North of the Stadium. After one game a drunk fellow was getting into his car parked in front of our house. We were sitting on the porch. He decided that would be a good place to empty out his car of garbage. After the second potato chip bag hit the lawn, my roomate at the time asked him to "please not litter in our yard". The guy became irate and started toward us like was ready to kick some a**, because he was littering in our yard? Just goes to show, drunkedness breeds stupidity. Maybe a crackdown on underage drinking would be a start, because obviously you can't fix stupid, maybe you can prevent it though??? Or at least try!
mtlaurel
Wed, Oct 12, 2011 : 3:40 a.m.
Too bad those rabbit hutch towers are being constructed...those kids probably find their classmates with the big parties to escape from their room for a nice weekend day and evening. I can see why the parties might be getting better....sorry about that mzlady.
mzlady
Wed, Oct 12, 2011 : 2:21 a.m.
This is an issue that U of M should have been addressing years ago instead of letting it get as out of control as it has. Students partying and drinking in their front lawns isn't a new thing, and it doesn't just happen on game days. In my opinion most of them just don't care, and show a gross lack of respect for the city of Ann Arbor. They don't care if they trash the streets or create a poor image of Ann Arbor, because most of them will be leaving in April. Until they are held accountable for the messes they make or being a drunk nuisance, this problem is just going to get worse.
David Briegel
Tue, Oct 11, 2011 : 8:55 p.m.
No Rich, Just their very own golf course and Crisler Arena parking lot where the infamously notorious "double standard" is celebrated in Maize and Blue!
treetowncartel
Wed, Oct 12, 2011 : 3:03 a.m.
I remember a friend getting an open intox stepping off property on Dewey Street one evenging that wouldn't have even drawn a cop stop on on a football saturday. What do you say about that Mary Sue?
David Briegel
Tue, Oct 11, 2011 : 11:49 p.m.
We can't deny the "privileged class" their privileges any more than we can ask them to pay the same tax rate as the rest of us!
treetowncartel
Tue, Oct 11, 2011 : 10:15 p.m.
Don't forget the bar at the business school, and then the availability of alcohol at other university events and the Michigan League
mtlaurel
Tue, Oct 11, 2011 : 7:43 p.m.
post editorial correction:The Big House and Big Ten Network have no alcohol advertising...However in regards to alcohol advertising..research shows alcohol ads can be seen anywhere...especially sponsoring sporting events,concerts,magazines and everywhere on the internet. 45% of the commercials that young people view each year are ads for alcohol. 2001 College AlcoholStudy states continuous alcohol promotions and ads including lowering prices on certain types of alcohol on a campus have increased the % of alcohol consumption of that college community....
mtlaurel
Tue, Oct 11, 2011 : 6:58 p.m.
oh tssk tssk..a harmless thing like partying on Church or Forest or Wells and staggering with your pals to the game and home again. What really is the problem?? Should be grateful-these undergrads partying are probably not driving anywhere on these game days, they are hanging with friends and in their respective rental houses. Is the message about drinking?? oh right-I'll watch the Big Ten network and try to forget the alcohol ads and let's tell the kids....the Big House is a million dollar enterprise....but those ads for alcohol and beer are just silly ...just ignore all that now, it's a big mistake...do less partying.okay??
Rich Rezler
Tue, Oct 11, 2011 : 7:10 p.m.
@mtlaurel: Not arguing your points, but It should be noted that the Big Ten Network does not accept advertising from alcohol companies, nor are there any alcohol-related advertisements in Michigan Stadium.
golfer
Tue, Oct 11, 2011 : 6:30 p.m.
if you think this is going to happen. i have some swamp land for sale in fla.
Wolf's Bane
Tue, Oct 11, 2011 : 5:54 p.m.
On Football Saturday's Packard street resembles Mardi Gras festivities in Big Easy; cheap beer and scantily clad girls bouncing all of the yards. I love it.
redwingshero
Tue, Oct 11, 2011 : 6:23 p.m.
Bouncing.. like on trampolines?
djm12652
Tue, Oct 11, 2011 : 6:16 p.m.
only difference is in NO, the cops enforce the law...
Wolf's Bane
Tue, Oct 11, 2011 : 5:50 p.m.
You reap what you sow, University of Michigan regents. You reap what you sow!
djm12652
Tue, Oct 11, 2011 : 5:47 p.m.
I guess I don't get it...I've gone to my fair share of "happenings" and the urge to get knee walking, commode hugging, floor kissing drunk just wasn't there...but I guess as long as one is in college, regardless of their age, one should be allowed to act in an embarassing manner with drunken stupidness, and garbage spewing. Although around the stadium one will see quite a number of the "solo" cups outside as people throwback that last bit of brew. So glad I'm not the mother of any of them.
redwingshero
Tue, Oct 11, 2011 : 5:52 p.m.
Agreed. Post graduate college students that "makeout with the porcelain queen" on a weekly or monthly basis have some issues...
redwingshero
Tue, Oct 11, 2011 : 5:31 p.m.
Fat, drunk, and stupid is no way to go through life, son.
Wolf's Bane
Tue, Oct 11, 2011 : 5:54 p.m.
Yeah it is.
Neil Overgaard
Tue, Oct 11, 2011 : 5:30 p.m.
When I was in college, we pre-partied but with 2 main differences: 1. We only had "boom-boxes", not giant stereo systems and 2. We cleaned up the mess afterwards.
Neil Overgaard
Tue, Oct 11, 2011 : 5:36 p.m.
FYI - this is Neil's wife commenting.
redwingshero
Tue, Oct 11, 2011 : 5:18 p.m.
"During the meeting, one student complained that police are going into houses and forcing people to leave whether they're 21 or not." Case in point, if you allow police to enter your residence w/o a warrant (whether you are doing something wrong or not-before you all start screaming 'if you're not breaking the law, you don't need to worry'), you're brining it on yourself. I thought you can have minors in houses where alcohol is being consumed, as long as they were not partaking? Now, if the house as a whole is being a nusiance and loud, they can ask the non-residents to leave, right?
Joe_Citizen
Tue, Oct 11, 2011 : 5:09 p.m.
What, the party's over, what do you mean the party's over, it just begun.
Grumpy
Tue, Oct 11, 2011 : 4:50 p.m.
11 comments and still no Beastie Boys reference???
djm12652
Tue, Oct 11, 2011 : 6:17 p.m.
okay...Beastie Boys...lol
redwingshero
Tue, Oct 11, 2011 : 5:19 p.m.
Yeah, I was hoping someone else would go after it...
MRunner73
Tue, Oct 11, 2011 : 3:57 p.m.
How is it that a larger number of students are late in attending 12-noon kick off times during home games? I don't think they did the pre-game party thing. The pre-game partying thing is more related to the 3:30 PM kick times or the big night game against ND. I know that during homecoming years when there is a noon kick, my former frat house is barely awake before the game and the hosting of us alums is always set for after the game. Even the annual Mudbowl game has been held at a later time in recent years, unlike it's traditional before the game event. I totally agree with bunnyabbot about the mess of blue cups all over the street on Packard and State. I would bet that those cups get there AFTER a noon kick off game and not before. The mess and clean up is a different issue compared to pre-game partying. I would hope to see Campus Police or city officials levy stiff fines for litering in many of the student-residential areas...hold them responsible. As for pre-game partying, this is nothing new, it has been going on for generations. Let students and people in general have a good time, but clean up your messes.
MikeyP
Wed, Oct 12, 2011 : 3:05 a.m.
Rather difficult for campus police to levy stiff fines in the student residential areas considering that said areas are outside of the jurisdiction of the campus police (in other words, it's the AAPD's jurisdiction.) Ditto the other parts of the U... they simply can't go dictating rules off-campus.
Michigan Man
Tue, Oct 11, 2011 : 3:44 p.m.
Back in the day the former U of M AD used to be juiced by 10:00 AM on home football Saturdays! Has the Office of the President consulted with the Athletic Department on this new initiative? Not sure the Athletic Department has authorized the President to move in this direction?
quetzalcoatl
Tue, Oct 11, 2011 : 3:44 p.m.
Saturdays? Pre-game partying starts too early on Saturdays? I thought it started Sunday mornings for the following week.
xmo
Tue, Oct 11, 2011 : 3:39 p.m.
Michigan could hire Andrew Volstead to help them come up with a plan. He has a pretty could track record on curtailing drinking!
thecompound
Tue, Oct 11, 2011 : 11:42 p.m.
Or Agent Van Alden from Boardwalk Empire ;)
tdw
Tue, Oct 11, 2011 : 3:19 p.m.
Dream on ! Next thing they'll say is that they want to be more financially responsible
bunnyabbot
Tue, Oct 11, 2011 : 3:14 p.m.
I don't really care that they party all day, aside that I think it is stupid that to me isn't the problem. The problems that I see are the mess, the mess that is still there on sunday and monday. (I'm talking about Packard near State as this is my drive into town route) Blue and red cups all over, just like the picture except they are all over, in the street, the gutter, blowing into neighbors yards. All over. (what a bunch of spoiled lazy students, how hard is it to set up cardboard boxes with trash bags in them for people to use). It is the people crossing the street willy nilly, walking in the bike lane. The football game toss that is played in the easement or the lawn where the ball bounces into the street. It is the football thrown OVER traffic. YES OVER. This is very unnerving for a driver. Out of the corner of your eye you don't know what it is or where it is going. If they want to play beer pong on the lawn at 9am I don't care, I might think they are a bunch of loser binge drinkers but I am more worried about getting a football in the windshield or the garbage attracting rodents or ending up blocks away.
lumberg48108
Tue, Oct 11, 2011 : 2:50 p.m.
Isn't this part of the "experience" Brandon wants to create ... a "pre-season bowl" atmosphere in September? You cant have it both ways -- you cant promote games as "happenings" and promote outdoor ice hockey as a party and have night football games and expect people (or students) to party less I am guessing many or all commenters will state similar feelings so the question is... U-M wants more attention and more "happenings" ... with that comes more partying! if common folk like us get it, why does the super smart U-M brass not get it?
jcj
Wed, Oct 12, 2011 : 1:33 p.m.
The brass gets it alright. They just felt they needed to do some PR lip service.
lumberg48108
Tue, Oct 11, 2011 : 5:34 p.m.
@racerx I think you missed my point totally We ALL KNOW they are going to party and accept it. But U-M wants MORE "happenings" and at same time wants less partying? Its illogical - and you missed it
kmgeb2000
Tue, Oct 11, 2011 : 4:58 p.m.
@racerx: It looks like you are both saying the same thing with the exception of the end. I would agree that Brandon is not blameless as the original poster pointed out. You cannot create the Bowl atmosphere without the excitement and the excitement feeds the partying atmosphere - low and behold they are partying. As you point out, they need no excuses to party, but given a "happening" experience they will likely take it too the next level.
racerx
Tue, Oct 11, 2011 : 3:38 p.m.
@lumberg48108-regardless of the time of the game, who the team is playing, and when the event occurs, students are going to party. I went to college in a small town and someone got a new cow, so the whole village partied! To say that the "super smart U-M brass not get it?" is missing the point. If liquor is available, these kids/students are going to drink, whether there's a football game or not. Even if there's nothing to do, they will still drink out of boredom. Sorry, blaming Brandon is baseless.
Woman in Ypsilanti
Tue, Oct 11, 2011 : 2:43 p.m.
I want to be a princess and have a pony! No, make that a unicorn.
djm12652
Tue, Oct 11, 2011 : 5:43 p.m.
and my daddy is a lawyer from Chicago, New York, LA...blah blah so I can do what I want! LOL
breadman
Tue, Oct 11, 2011 : 2:43 p.m.
Late game means more time too party! Think about that one... Or lock up the parking lots open later. ND late game, I went by Pioneer High that morning at 7:30a.m out partying in the morning. Ms.Brown's report on the game seem to report more police problems. Drunks
treetowncartel
Tue, Oct 11, 2011 : 2:42 p.m.
Good luck with that!
kmgeb2000
Tue, Oct 11, 2011 : 4:48 p.m.
I don't think it could be put any more succinctly. Besides, now with 115,000 fans, that fact alone inceases the potential number who may enjoy themselves beyond social norms or a UM presidents policy memo on the appropriate standard for fun.