Veishea may be unique to Iowa State. Rioting, however, is not.

University of Maryland students took to the streets in celebration last month after the Terrapin men’s basketball team scored a win over rival Duke University. In a scene resembling the events on Welch Avenue last April, police arrived on Maryland’s Route 1 clad in riot gear, shooting pepper ball guns and using tear gas in efforts to control the crowd.

Maryland students do not have the same opportunity to voice their concerns regarding the riot in an open forum as ISU students have been able to do.

Instead, student leaders will be the only student representation in a meeting with university administrators, College Park city officials and county police.

Students must e-mail their questions to Maryland’s Student Government Association President Aaron Kraus instead of asking them directly. Otherwise a closed forum is expected, according to a March 3 article from the Diamondback, Maryland’s student newspaper.

“I believe an open format where all students could come would be better,” Kraus said in an interview.

“However, I must negotiate with other parties, and other parties are the ones interested in keeping it closed.”

Maryland President Dan Mote and Vice President of Student Affairs Linda Clement said they fear an open discussion would result in finger pointing between police and students, according to the Diamondback.

Philip De Koster, junior in sociology and member of the Veishea task force, said there was a small amount of finger pointing in Iowa State’s open forums. He said a majority of students were respectful, however, and both sides listened to each other.

De Koster said it seems a bit ridiculous to have a closed forum because the university is about the students and should be inclusive.

Although Maryland administrators said they believe the closed forum is the best decision, ISU administrators and task force members have held a different view.

Ames Police Cmdr. Randy Kessel, who was involved in one of the first open forums after the Veishea riot, said open forums are good if there is a moderator who can keep the conversation and questions on track.

Kessel said he believes all parties should be at the table.

“When the meeting starts, you must have ground rules so that these are the guidelines to the meeting,” Kessel said. “If you have a format that everyone agrees to respond to, then everyone feels like they’ve had their chance to be involved in the process for it to be successful.”

He said he was confused as to why Maryland has decided to not hold open forums with students and the public.

Vice President for Student Affairs Thomas Hill said that openness and inclusiveness in the process of addressing the April 18 riot has seemed to work so far at Iowa State, as student input was used in drafting recommendations sent to ISU President Gregory Geoffroy to help guide him in his decision regarding the future of Veishea.

“It’s hard to say, but I assume there’s a reason for them doing it that way,” said Hill, who has facilitated discussion about the Veishea riot with students.

“Some will say that at no time ever is there a reason to have a closed hearing.”

Celebratory riots like the April 18 riot are not a unique phenomenon. The Ohio State University experienced a similar riot in 2002. In the aftermath, a 37-member task force was formed with students, university administrators, city officials and residents serving on it. The following investigation mirrored the 2004 Veishea investigation.

Another task force appointed by Colorado State University following a riot at a football game in August 2004 also included students.