Forums deal with UConn's 'Spring Weekend'

Director of Off Campus Services Jim Hintz during a "good neighbor" visit to Celeron Square Apts. Photo by Brenda Sullivan.

The next forum will be held Wednesday, Oct. 15 at UConn's Student Union.

The University of Connecti-cut's Student Life Committee of the Board of Trustees has scheduled two public forums to ask for comments and ideas concerning UConn's Spring Weekend. The annual event has been a sore point between the town and the university for many years, mainly because it is the occasion for large beer-drinking parties at off-campus apartment complexes neighboring the university.

A great deal of effort, however, has gone into controlling the impact of these parties, and strict measures have been taken with students who violate the university's code of conduct.

The town and the university have been working together to get the message across to students - at all times of the year, but especially when new students arrive in the fall - that they are a part of the town and should be good neighbors. [See related story at this link .]

The first forum will be held today [Thursday, Oct. 9] from 4 to 9 p. m. - the Mansfield Campus Community Partnership expects to make its comments from 4:30 to 5:30 p.m. The hearing will be held in the Student Union.

A second forum is scheduled for 4 to 9 p.m., Wednesday, Oct. 15.

The hearing on Oct. 9 will be in Student Union Room 320; the hearing on Oct. 15 will be in the Student Union Room 410.

The Student Life Committee has been charged by the Board of Trustees with refocusing Spring Weekend so that students can celebrate their academic achievements and the end of the term, but “demonstrably and significantly” reduce alcohol and substance abuse, risky behavior, injury to people and damage to property.

The committee is also expected to complete a survey of UConn students, faculty and staff concerning Spring Weekend and make a report to the Board of Trustees on Nov. 18.

Speakers invited to these forums include representatives from the Mansfield Campus Community Partnership, the Trustees' Senate Executive Committee, the Student Alumni Association, the Undergraduate Student Government, the Community Standards Office, Off Campus Student Services, Windham Community Memorial Hospital, Student Health Services, and the police and fire departments.