Excerpts from Veishea task force report

December 1, 2004

The 2004 Task Force on Assuring Successful Veishea and Other Student/Community Celebrations report released 15 recommendations in its final report Tuesday.

Recommendation 1

It is clear that the issues surrounding Veishea transcend the event itself. Resolutions of underlying problems will affect the future health of the Ames and Iowa State communities. As President Geoffroy works to communicate broader messages, the committee encourages and supports the concept of a “Town Hall” meeting prior to making a decision about the future of Veishea.

General recommendations to reduce the probability of disturbances

Recommendation 2

The University administration should encourage Iowa State University students to become responsible members of the campus and Ames communities by understanding community rules and regulations and the consequences of breaking them. To advance these goals, we recommend:

Requiring a freshman seminar to educate students about living on a university campus.

Providing an orientation for students who decide to move off campus.

Creating educational programs about proper party procedures and conduct.

Informing students and others that it is illegal to remain in a riot area even if you have not been specifically ordered by a police officer to leave.

Having representative groups of students, such as GSB, help students understand rules and regulations through Daily ads, a code of conduct handbook and/or additional measures.

Getting students involved in and committed to reducing the likelihood of future disturbances.

Providing expanded alcohol education.

Making it clear to students and parents that violations of bootlegging, underage drinking, and other student conduct policies will not be tolerated by the University.

Recommendation 3

The University should institute policies that would help motivate people to disperse from a riot area. To advance these goals, we recommend:

Changing Regents/ISU Student Disciplinary Regulations to include rioting, disorderly conduct, failing to disperse and hindering emergency efforts of police, fire and medical personnel. All such rules should apply regardless of whether the conduct occurs on or off campus and regardless of whether university or city officials issue orders to disperse.

Changing Student Disciplinary Regulations to state that students who violate Student Disciplinary Regulations during a disturbance will be subject to enhanced penalties under the Student Disciplinary Regulations. However, students should be allowed to show that they actively tried to quell the disturbance as a means of avoiding or reducing penalties.

Changing Student Disciplinary Regulations to clarify that interfering with safety officials (including police, fire and medical responders) who are responding to a disturbance is a violation subject to enhanced penalties, and that assaulting, throwing objects at, or otherwise endangering safety officials, peer security, student government officers or university officials and employees engaged in trying to quell a disturbance is grounds for immediate suspension and dismissal from the University.

Recommendation 4

Iowa State and the City of Ames should improve procedures for preventing nuisance parties. To advance this goal, we recommend:

Creating and publicizing a Web site on nuisance parties.

In conjunction with local landlords, reviewing regulations of nuisance parties, bootlegging and serving alcohol to underage people. Consider adding additional requirements or incentives for landlords to include provisions in leases to prevent and control such events, including requiring that landlords provide tenants with a disclosure of applicable city nuisance regulations.

Amending nuisance party regulations to increase the financial consequences of hosting nuisance parties in the following way: Implement a special response fee ordinance that requires cited residents to reimburse the city for the cost of police responses to disorderly parties after the second police response to an address within 90 days, where at least 25 people are gathered, and when at least two citations are issued.

Recommendation 5

Iowa State and the City of Ames should attempt to identify the best practices for responding to developing and ongoing disturbances. To advance these goals, we recommend:

Convening a summit among university and city administrators, students, community representatives and law enforcement agencies from locations around the country where campus disturbances have occurred to discuss best practices for responding to developing and ongoing disturbances.

Ensuring that all involved police agencies employ the same riot control philosophy.

Supporting the recommendations of the Iowa Law Enforcement Academy.

Developing, in conjunction with Campustown businesses and the Ames and Iowa State University police departments, a consistent and efficient emergency evacuation plan. All Campustown employees should be trained in these procedures. This plan should be publicized and posted in all Campustown businesses and rental properties, and made available to neighborhood organizations.

Recommendation 6

The following alcohol-related recommendations should be adopted by the appropriate entities:

The City of Ames should examine amending the beer keg party regulation to require issuance of a permit based on number of kegs purchased or placed on hold by persons at the same address.

The state and city should examine increasing criminal and civil penalties to require issuance of a permit based on the number of kegs purchased or placed on hold by persons at the same address (including forfeiture of profits) for bootlegging, serving alcohol to underage people, nuisance parties, and failing to prevent consumption by underage people.

Iowa State should change Student Disciplinary Regulations (SDR) to make clear that alcohol-related violations that result in a public disturbance will be subject to enhanced penalties under the SDR.

Recommendation 7

The University and City of Ames should implement a comprehensive communications campaign. This recommendation applies regardless of the decision on the future of Veishea; however, the message would need to be tailored based on the decision. The campaign could include:

Information on how to host successful parties.

Information on negative consequences of illegal activities, especially celebratory riots.

Ways to positively engage the media, including activities such as background meetings, and openness about underlying causes and responsibilities.

Ongoing proactive social marketing.

Recommendation 8

The University, The City of Ames, and the Government of the Student Body should work together to address the need for the development of alternative social venues and outlets that appeal to the social needs of underage and of-age students.

Change Veishea

Recommendation 9

Iowa State should consider changing official Veishea events to decrease the likelihood of a disturbance. Specifically, we recommend considering:

Offering several late-night/all-night/large-draw entertainment events.

Relocating post-dusk Veishea events away from Campustown.

Recommendation 10

Veishea planners should shape events so that they showcase Iowa State’s educational mission and encourage civic participation and respect for the Ames community. To advance this goal, we recommend:

Inviting and encouraging active participation from all colleges in a coordinated effort that includes students and alumni.

Appealing to prospective students by highlighting the past, present, and future achievements of the University in accordance with the land-grant mission.

Discontinue Veishea

Recommendation 11

If Veishea is cancelled, the University should offer opportunities during the year for campus organizations to showcase themselves and to replace lost income that Veishea generates.

Recommendation 12

If Veishea is cancelled, the University should schedule alternative social and educational events throughout the year.

Recommendations to seriously consider

Recommendation 13

The University and the City of Ames should examine how alcohol restrictions and their enforcement may contribute to rioting. Specifically, we recommend considering with input from appropriate experts and stakeholders: