Dear Students,
We hope your semester is going well and that you had a wonderful fall break! As the second half of the semester picks up, so do the events and gatherings happening across campus. With Family and Friends Weekend just around the corner and Halloween season in full swing, there’s a lot to look forward to and many ways to get involved. We want everyone to enjoy the season, so we are sharing some information about upcoming programs, important considerations for Halloween costumes, making space reservations and some health and safety reminders.
Halloween and Upcoming Programs
We know Halloween season can be a time for parties, costumes and fun, and we want to help you do that safely and respectfully. Please be thoughtful and appropriate in your costume choice. It is fun to be someone else for a night, but not when it mocks or disrespects the culture and identities of others. Cultural appropriation or cultural co-opting is never acceptable. Please review a few costume tips for creating an inclusive Halloween.
Recognizing that everyone has different needs when it comes to being in community with one another, we also want to highlight upcoming campus programming that also provides substance-free social spaces for students:
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Friday, October 18, at 10 pm in the Great Room, join us for MHC After Dark: Succulents After Sundown
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Friday, October 25, at 6:30 pm in the Great Room, join us for Pumpkin Decorating for the Fall Fest Contest
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Friday, October 25, from 8 pm-9:30 pm come make S’mores Under the Stars at the Fire Pit by Lower Lake.
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Saturday, October 26, at 2 pm, come enjoy Fall Fest on Pageant Green from 2 pm - 4 pm
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Thursday, October 31, 6:45 -7:45 pm, come out to the Volleyball game and wear your best costume for the annual Costume Contest! See the link for more information.
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Thursday, October 31, at 8 pm, come watch the original “Beetlejuice” in the Great Room.
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Saturday, November 2, at 8 pm you can join students in Torrey Hall for their annual Boos Without Booze event, which is part of our MHC After Dark series.
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There are a lot of Residence Hall-specific programs happening during the next two weeks as well, so please talk to your RA and look for signs in your building for upcoming events.
Space Registration
This semester, we have seen an increase in unregistered large gatherings in residence halls. We love to see friends gathering together and enjoying each other's company in our Residence Halls. These spaces are intended for the use and enjoyment of the residents in the buildings. While we understand the desire to have larger gatherings, it is important to consider the potential impact on your fellow students living in these halls, as well as the physical spaces in which you all live.
In order to ensure community care and respect, there is a registration policy in place for using campus spaces, including common areas in residence halls. As a reminder, all spaces on campus must be registered for gatherings. This policy exists to help ensure that events are well-organized and safe for all involved. While this policy is not new, we want to take a moment to reiterate expectations heading into the remainder of the semester.
Here are some important things to know when planning to book a common space in a residence hall:
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Spaces in residential halls are intended for use primarily by the residents of said hall and should be reserved in advance.
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The College’s alcohol policy prohibits the consumption of alcohol and possession of open containers in unapproved areas, including public and common areas of residence halls (this includes the lawns of residence halls). Note: guests cannot be charged for admission, food/beverage, or entertainment.
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Music must be played at a reasonable level to maintain a considerate environment in your hall and neighboring halls.
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The hosts are responsible for event clean up and restoring the lounge/living room to its original condition. Hosts may also be held responsible for any property damage in the hall caused by any attendee.
Please note that to best support all of our residential communities, events over 15 students that do not adhere to the Common Space reservation guidelines and/or policies may be asked to end their event by Residential Life staff, the Professional Staff on Call, Public Safety and Service, or other College administrators.
Health and Safety Reminders
Whatever events you choose to attend, we encourage you to make informed decisions, so please review the safe partying tips and consider what is best for yourself and those around you
Please know whatever choices you make, your health and safety are the most important priorities, so we also want to remind you of the college’s Amnesty Policy, which is designed to prioritize student safety by allowing individuals to seek help in emergencies without fear of disciplinary consequences. The Amnesty Policy states that students who actively seek help or medical assistance for themselves or when concerned about someone else’s use of alcohol or other drugs will not be subject to disciplinary sanctions. If you or someone you are with needs medical assistance for an alcohol or drug-related concern, call Public Safety (413-538-2304) and stay with the person until help arrives. Those off-campus seeking assistance should call 911.
Thank you for your time and attention to this matter. We hope everyone has a well and safe weekend and Halloween season!
Take care,
Rachel