Freewrite #2 2/18/09

I think that the new restrictions on parties at Georgetown will end up hurting the school more than helping it. Georgetown is a university known for it's prestige and academia, never for its wild festivities or dangerous parties. Take George Mason, for example. Our students are absolutely fed up with the campus police, and it seems as though their main purpose is to get people in trouble instead of providing for our safety. I have never been to a party on campus, which does not mean there are not parties, it just means all of them require some sort of transportation to an off campus location, which means more risk. The rates of drunk driving will no doubt increase. At Georgetown, the police have said that they will no longer be issuing citations, but instead will be arresting students for any party-related incidents. Honestly, what is the purpose of that? That is a waste of the taxpayers money as well as a waste in effort on the side of the police. In a place like Georgetown, there are much bigger issues for the police to tackle, like gang violence, drunk driving, and drugs. An article in the Washington Post written by Suzan Kinzie states that at Georgetown University, "Parties in university-owned housing are limited to 25 or 35 people...or 50 in a back yard or on a roof. One keg per party. Students have to register parties...Two over-21 hosts have to register...hosts are required to be trained in safety and liability issues." These so called solutions to the party issue are complete overkill. Every college in America has some sort of a party scene, and creating hurdles for partying on campus will only make people go off campus, not stop it completely. That does not eliminate danger, but instead creates it. The article states that the surrounding communities in Georgetown have been in complete uproar over the new regulations because the parties are ending up in their neighborhoods. 2nd District Commander Andy Solberg has said that there have been more community complaints in the first two weeks of school than he has ever seen.
Not only have these regulations been upsetting the student body of the University, but they have also taken a toll on the community. Strict regulations like this will undoubtedly affect the enrollment of the university. When looking at schools, potential students are not only looking at the academics of an institution, but also at the social scene because that will be their home for the next four years of their lives. In the end, Georgetown will find that these new restrictions will only turn students away from the university. The school is known for its competitive academic nature, and the students should be able to let loose on the weekends after five days of grueling hard work.