University to hold hosts responsible

   COLUMBUS -- Ohio State University students who host parties that become unruly or out of control will be immediately suspended from the university, William H. Hall, interim vice president for student affairs, announced at a news conference today.  Further judicial proceedings could result in permanent dismissal from Ohio State, he added.

  “For the past two weekends, residents living in the 12^th, 13^th and Chittenden avenueareas -- and last weekend on Norwich Avenue -- have participated in riotous behavior,” Hall said.  “Out-of-control parties fueled by the easy availability and over consumption of alcohol have spawned behavior that university officials, most students and the Columbus community consider outrageous and totally unacceptable.”

Hall added that the vast majority of Ohio State students are responsible, mature and a credit to the university and surrounding community. “Unfortunately, it is this disruptive few causing the problems we’ve experienced over the last few weeks,” he said.

Several initiatives were put into place last weekend to prevent such activities from occurring again, including distributing Smart Party/responsible host kits, talking with party hosts, offering alcohol-free activities such as free barbecues, and notifying landlords of possible parties, Hall said.

“Despite our best efforts, we once again had riots,” Hall said.

In addition to holding party hosts accountable for the actions of their guests, Hall said, a significant number of undercover officers from the Ohio Liquor Control Board will patrol the neighborhoods looking for liquor-control violations.

Student party hosts who charge money for beer at parties, serve underage drinkers, allow the parties to spill into lawns and streets, have unruly guests throwing bottles or other objects from the property, and have guests climbing on or attempting to overturn vehicles will be considered in violation of university regulations, Hall said.  In the absence of clear evidence to the contrary, hosts will be defined as those whose names are on the lease and who are present on the premises during the party, he said.

Lawn parties of any size are also being strongly discouraged, Hall said.  “Students who choose to ignore this advice and hold an outdoor party should be aware that they are assuming a very high risk of being sanctioned,” he said.

Hall also expressed his support for the efforts of Mayor Michael Coleman and the Columbus Police in helping the university deal with the riotous behavior. “This problem is damaging to not only the university’s reputation, but that of the city as well. We are grateful for their commitment to increased enforcement and punishment, and for their continued support of university efforts to stop this behavior.”

  Hall said that, in addition to being subject to arrest and prosecution or civil liability, any student engaging in dangerous, destructive or riotous behavior or other activities that threaten health or safety also will be subject to the Ohio State judicial process under the Code of Student Conduct.

The university took a number of steps this week to ask appropriate groups for their support in trying to prevent further weekend disturbances.  They include: 

• Student leaders sent an e-mail to all students, asking them to step forward and help identify those students committing serious offenses.
  
• Parents received two letters – one from Ohio State President William Kirwan and the other signed by Mayor Michael Coleman and Council President Matt Habash – to advise them of the situation and to encourage them to speak with their children about staying away from these dangerous and troublesome areas.
• University officials sent letters to area high school principals and Ohio college officials, asking them to discourage their students from coming to the campus area and alerting them to the dangers of these events.
• The university has asked campus-area landlords to help, and several have agreed. Among the suggestions the university offered landlords are asking them to share with their student renters the new Code of Student Conduct; remind them of their responsibilities as tenants; remove flammable materials from porches, parking lots and building-adjacent areas; have dumpsters emptied on Friday and Saturday of each week; hire off-duty police officers for each weekend until the end of the quarter for extra security on their properties; and work with Columbus police to control the dangerous and illegal behavior in common areas.  They’ve also been asked to encourage their tenants to voluntarily refrain from hosting large parties for the rest of the quarter.
• At the request of Mayor Coleman, Kroger, Big Bear and UDF have agreed to sell only cans in their campus-area stores this weekend.  The Miller distributor has talked with retailers about selling plastic bottles as well.  And the Anheuser-Busch distributor has offered radio time for the university to air public service announcements on the need for responsibility and a warning to those who break the law.
  
  
  “We will not stand by while our safety – and that of the entire Columbus community – is being compromised by the diversion of large numbers of police officers from their regular duties to deal with these behaviors; nor will we tolerate those who facilitate, foster or participate in these behaviors,” Hall said.
  

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(LO)