With Palmerfest only three days away, Student Senate members are finalizing plans to keep students as safe as possible.
Senate will have a table set up near Rollerbowl Lanes, 28 Palmer St., this Saturday to hand out pizza, water and plastic cups to partygoers, Off-Campus Life Commissioner Bradley Evans said.
There will be about 200 Pilsner-style cups available to anyone who trades in a full bottle of beer for one and about 500 other plastic cups that Senate volunteers will hand out for free, said Health and Safety Delegate Mary Kate Gallagher. Both types hold 12 fluid ounces.
Gallagher said the 12-ounce size is important for students to recognize because a typical Solo cup holds 16 ounces, more than a standard serving of beer.
“By the time you’ve had 3 Solo cups of beer, you’re having 4 standard drinks,” she said.
The Pilsner-style cups are made of shatterproof plastic. The other cups have facts about alcohol poisoning and sexual assault printed on them, as well as the Student Senate logo.
Senate’s other fest safety efforts start today in Baker University Center with Safety Day, Gallagher said. At Safety Day, students will be able to learn what to do in the event of a boil order, how to use a fire extinguisher and how to behave around police, she said. The main event of the day is Pizza with the Police, a free lunch and discussion with OU Police Chief Andrew Powers.
The senate table will be outside Rollerbowl from noon until about 4:30 p.m., Gallagher said.
“We will be providing pizza … so that they’re eating to slow the absorption of alcohol,” she said.
Evans said the goal of trading cups for bottles is making Palmerfest safer. In past years, officers and police horses have been hit and injured by thrown bottles at the notoriously rowdy street party.
“If that saves an officer from being hit in the head with a bottle … I think this will be a successful initiative,” he said.
Gallagher said she is hopeful that senate can curb the number of bottles on the street but doesn’t expect to stop everyone from having them.
“I know that even after we’re gone people will be bringing more glass bottles,” she said. “… While this may or may not prevent things from happening … we’re there.”
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