Ohio University's Student Senate will vote on a resolution condemning the violence at this year's Palmerfest and High Fest and supporting increased police force at upcoming fests, hoping to prevent police from shutting down fests entirely in the future.
Senate president Robert Leary will introduce the resolution at tonight's meeting, and said he expects it to unanimously pass. He added that he believes the majority of students do not condone violent behavior such as setting fires and throwing bottles at cops.
Last weekend, Athens police shut down Palmerfest for the second year in a row after partygoers started a couch fire in the street at about 11 p.m. Officers wearing riot gear and on horseback cleared the street and reported students throwing bottles at them, according to a news release.
I think if this kind of behavior keeps going
there are going to be increased restrictions to make sure that these fests don't happen at all in the future Leary said. I'm sure if the police are much less tolerant this coming weekend at future fests people are going to think twice. ... I would hate to see something that has become a part of the culture at OU disappear because of the actions of a small minority.
Athens Police Chief Rick Mayer announced Monday police will be more closely scrutinizing any multi-house parties that occur for the rest of the month in an effort to reduce fires and safety hazards at fests.
Molly O'Brien, at-large senator for University Life and candidate for treasurer running on the Prepared to Engage, Act and Respond ticket, is co-sponsoring the resolution and said she agrees with increased police presence and law enforcement at fests.
The police are there to protect us
but they still let us have a good time. They give us warnings
they don't harass us
O'Brien said. If we can't behave ourselves
there has to be an appropriate action. ... Ohio University is a great institution and we are often condemned because we have the reputation of being a party school.
Another sponsor of the resolution, John Calhoun, current senator for Arts and Sciences, openly opposes Athens City Council's proposed, stricter noise ordinance, but agrees with senate's resolution supporting stricter law enforcement at fests this year. Calhoun is also one of two students serving on the ad hoc committee responsible for drafting the proposed ordinance.
Every time someone sets something on fire
it makes my job harder
Calhoun said. Students lose credibility. ... The members of the ad hoc committee sometimes associate those ways with (OU) culture. A lot of times
I hear concerns about safety. That doesn't have to do with noise
but they associate it with noise.
Calhoun added members of the ad hoc committee said the fests are just getting worse.
Student Senate did not pass a similar resolution after the fire and violence at last year's Palmerfest, and Calhoun attributes that to what he interprets as a pattern of behavior not present last year.
Last year
