Concerns were raised at the Student Association meeting Monday about MayFest’s intended purpose for academic events – not a Euclid block party.

Corey Driscoll, community relations associate, and Darya Rotblat, assistant director of the Office of Orientation and Off-campus Programs, delivered a presentation on MayFest, the day off from classes in April. Though the MayFest title actually refers to a university event, it is commonly misinterpreted to include the Euclid block party. Both Driscoll and Rotblat said they realize most students find MayFest appealing because of what Euclid Avenue, not the university, has to offer.

Though MayFest is a day scheduled by the university to highlight students’ academic achievements, the off-campus party scene has received more attention than academic presentations over the past two years.

Residents of the Syracuse community have complained about the effects the day has on their neighborhood and seek change. The South East University Neighborhood Association drafted a petition and sent it to Chancellor Nancy Cantor. The petition expressed the group’s displeasure at the Euclid Avenue parties and requested MayFest be brought back to the SU campus.

Both Driscoll and Rotblat said they believe change is necessary to improve neighborhood relations. They said they don’t want to see MayFest end, but at the same time want to ensure student safety.

On the scene at last year’s MayFest were 20 Syracuse police officers, 20 Department of Public Safety officers, three Department of Public Works crews and an estimated 4,000 partygoers.

The result: one arrest, one DUI arrest, five SU ambulance calls and four hospital visits. Five phone calls were made to the Chancellor’s desk with neighborhood complaints and various e-mails were sent to Driscoll’s office. Local news stations covered the event with headlines such as ‘Beer Over Brains.’

Driscoll and Rotblat wanted SA’s feedback on what to do to make MayFest more appealing and Euclid safer. The two went to houses on Euclid last year to educate the students about city ordinances the day before MayFest. Still, abundant underage drinking occurred. Students were spilling onto the streets and overpopulating balconies.

‘I was at MayFest all day last year, and I sat there while people walked around and looked at posters,’ SA member Jonathan Barnhart said. ‘There needs to be more advertisement, more physical stuff.’

Driscoll and Rotblat asked SA members if they felt students viewed MayFest as simply a day off, or as an academic day of projects and presentations. Almost every SA member agreed most students see it as just a day with no classes.

‘There are two realities,’ SA member Helene Kahn said. ‘Number one: we don’t have school that day. Number two: it seems that it’s usually a beautiful day. Compared to academic activities offered in the Dome, I hate to say it, but there’s only one place students are going to go.’

The idea of making MayFest a required event for all students was discussed. Other ideas included setting boundaries where the parties can go and issuing tickets if parties exceed these boundaries.

‘We’re trying to take a proactive stance,’ Driscoll said. ‘Maybe the last year wasn’t that bad, but it’s going to keep growing. Something bad will happen.’

This year’s MayFest is scheduled for April 21.

The SA meeting finished quickly after the MayFest presentation. Other topics touched on include:

* A bill proposing a partnership between Student Association and Class Alliance was passed. It will now move to the ballots to be voted on in student elections.

* A bill passed allotting $1,000 to the Hillel Jewish Student Union. The money will go towards the auditorium space for the John Dau Sudan fundraiser.

* A bill was passed allotting $700 to the NABJ-SU Chapter for their event, Sew & Tell – An evening with Zandile Blay.

* The SA debate will be held on Nov. 5 in Hendricks Chapel.

* Marlene Goldenberg mentioned a proposal being debated by the Campus Sustainability Committee to ban smoking within 25 feet of all SU buildings.

mequalte@syr.edu

Published on October 27, 2008 at 12:00 pm