Justin Veiga | executive editor
jveiga@smcvt.edu

After a stressful and draining week of classes, papers, exams and practices, St. Michael’s College students can’t be blamed for wanting to kick back and have a good time during the weekend.  For many students, it’s comforting to acknowledge that the biggest concern on any given Saturday is deciding on a brand of beer, welcomed angst following a week of much more burdensome worries.

But while the weekend offers students a chance to rest their minds (while simultaneously overworking their livers), it is a time of heightened nerves for many administrators, who seek above all else to keep St. Michael’s students safe.

And while “fun” would likely rank at the top of most students’ list of priorities from Thursday night to Sunday morning, “safety of self and peers” should be up there as well.

So let’s break it down.  Students want to be safe and have fun.  Administrators want students to have fun, and also want them to do so in a safe manner.  Maybe we’re not so different after all?  Could it be that weekend extravagancies exist through a mutualistic relationship between students and administrators?

It can and it should, which is why this weekend, and each subsequent one, St. Michael’s students should be thinking R and R — register and register — as in guests and parties.

Obviously registering both elements is no guarantee that poor choices will not be made.  It does not reduce the liabilities facing party hosts and does not provide an excuse for tearing down a house.  But if something does go awry, having names and places documented with Student Life will only help students in dealing with such situations.

By providing the names of visitors, registered guests are viewed as temporary members of the St. Michael’s community.  This does not make them exempt from penalties or dealing with the consequences of negative actions, just as being a permanent member of the community does neither, but it drastically enhances the protection they receive from security.  If a guest is registered, there is a St. Michael’s name accompanying him or her during a visitation.  If not, he or she is essentially going at it alone.

The same is true, in a sense, with parties.  By providing Student Life with a site and guest list for on-campus functions, the well-being of those attending becomes an immediate priority.  Residence directors, in stopping by such locations, can make sure that everyone is safe, that only welcomed guests are enjoying the festivities and that house residents are in control.  If control is lost for whatever reason, residents have someone to turn to for quick and responsive assistance.     

Both registering processes are ridiculously simple and only require a few minutes at the Residence Life Office.  Fill out a quick form in exchange for peace of mind.  It’s a pretty sweet deal.  Unless you prefer the alternative: 

Imagine a wall, an enormous concrete barrier to be more precise, one reaching 20 feet high.  Picture that wall surrounding the perimeter of the St. Michael’s campus.  The existing entrances and exits can remain in place, so make a brief break in the wall to allow for their presence.  But be sure to place a security booth at each and of course a gate like the ones you see at parking garages or toll booths.  Lights on the barrier are optional, though highly recommended.  Cameras on top of the wall, spread apart by intervals of 50 feet, are mandatory for this particular mirage.

Now a much simpler dream, imagine a completely dry campus.  No parties, anywhere.  Age means nothing.

There.  This solves the guest and party dilemma facing the administration.  No one steps foot on this campus without a security clearance.  Heck, who would want to?  No booze means no parties.

Go ahead and snap out of this nightmare now.  If each word in these two potential realities made you cringe, I did my job as an editor this week.