Looking back, house president Caitlin Doiron says the alcohol ban at Harrington Hall was about more than drinking.
“It wasn’t about liquor, it was about respect.”
When the alcohol ban ended at Harrington two weeks ago, it came with conditions. This included no glass bottles, no drinking in lounges and no guests after moderate quiet hours, 10 p.m. on weekdays and 12 a.m. on weekends, unless they are signed in.
These rules were meant to be temporary, but the house committee voted unanimously last Sunday to prolong them.
“We just decided not to lift them, because the house is not where we want it to be,” said Doiron.
The house president said the residence has been cleaner and quieter because of the new rules, but there is still a long way to go. After the ban was lifted, she said there were a few overflowing garbage bins and spilled drinks, but things are getting better.
“There’s still that kind of lack of respect and I think it was kind of a transition getting used to the new rules.”
Alcohol was banned from Harrington Hall late last semester after a series of events led to safety concerns. They included discharging a fire extinguisher and setting paper towel on fire.
One regulation introduced after the ban was the “no warning rule,” where any guest without an escort will be asked to leave right away. This rule was in place before the ban, but is now being more strictly enforced.
Harrington resident Jeremy Rasch said this rule in particular is making his residence a better place to live.
“The house has been significantly cleaner since the rules have been in place.
“I think the main thing was the guests in the first place that were causing a lot of the troubles, so the escorting thing is really good for the house,” the 20-year-old said.
First-year student Ben Beyea agrees something needed to be done, but a lesson could have been learned without banning alcohol.
“If they had implemented these rules first and then maybe an alcohol ban if it got worse, it would have been a better idea.”
Residence manager Clayton Beaton said residence life followed the lead of the house committee when choosing what action needed to be taken after the ban.
“We’re looking to the house committee to guide where the situation goes in terms of this period of transition, because who better to make that determination than the students that live that everyday?”
Beaton said he’s noticed an overall improvement in the house, most notably the fewer reports of building damage.
He said the drinking rules were well received by residents, because they were included in crafting a solution for their house.
“These were ideas that were collected within the house, this wasn’t just a couple of people sitting around with some ideas and putting them on paper.”
In two weeks, house committee will discuss lifting the rules about drinking in the lounges and having guests over after moderate quiet hours. The ban on open liquor in the hallways will remain all year.
