Being a part of the community and showing Ram Pride is just as important living on campus as living off — actions over Halloween can create a poor reputation and put students in danger.
Halloween is one of the most dangerous holidays on college campuses, said Dean of Students Jody Donovan.
“Have a great time, dress up in costume, but don’t put yourself at risk,” Donovan said. “I hope that when folks go out to celebrate that they will watch out for each other.”
Police enforcement will be greater over the weekend in order to respond to problems if needed, but the goal is not to catch anyone, said Emily Allen, the community liaison for Colorado State University and the City of Fort Collins. It is to keep the community and students safe. CSU’s Code of Conduct does apply both for students not only on campus, but also off campus.
“Your actions have impact,” Allen said. “Just because you go off campus, that doesn’t mean you get to shed your CSU gear.”
Allen said CSU and Fort Collins have a close relationship and law enforcement from both areas communicate with each other. Students could face disciplinary action from the University for actions that happen off campus.
“There will be other fun and exciting programs out there that aren’t disruptive to our neighborhoods,” Allen said. “A couple bad apples can ruin a reputation. CSU students don’t want to be known for that.”
Housing and Dining Services is planning events for students in the various residence halls, but the policies for the residence halls will remain the same as they are at other points during the year, said Larry Serfozo, the residence director for Corbett Hall.
Serfozo said there is not a policy in the residence halls limiting what costumes and masks students can wear, but residents are required to be able to show identification upon request and should be aware that problems will be addressed if costume props resemble weapons. Corbett Hall also hosted a program for students about cultural appropriation with their Halloween costumes, although the residence halls cannot tell a student not to wear a costume.
“Whether or not someone wants to wear a costume is their choice, but it could impact those around them,” Serfozo said. “We want to make sure we are giving residents the tools to be as inclusive as possible.”
In addition, students should be aware of the people around them in the residence halls— they should still respect quiet hours and be sure they are aware of their noise levels.
“At the end of the day, it’s all about making sure everyone can have the experience they want and making sure your experience doesn’t infringe on the experience of others,” Serfozo said.
On-campus students should remember to keep residential communities in mind if they decide to go off campus, although there are activities for students other than going to parties, Serfozo said.
“There are a lot of people who don’t just live here for four years — they live here for a lifetime,” Serfozo said. “Be aware of the impact that your actions have.”
Donovan said students are a part of the Fort Collins community and they do amazing things like Cans Around the Oval, among other activities. But students’ behavior can still put their reputation in a negative light.
“Students do amazing things that kind of go unnoticed when there is disruption in the community,” Donovan said.
Collegian Reporter Megan Fischer can be reached at news@collegian.com or on Twitter @MegFischer04.
