Students and visitors at the University of Northern Iowa will have to deal with extra security measures at the university’s Homecoming celebrations this weekend.

A 125-foot water-filled barricade will occupy the 2200 block of College Street known as “the Hill” — the UNI equivalent of Ames’ Welch Avenue. The barricade will be used to protect life and property, said Rick Ahlstrom, Cedar Falls police chief.

The extra security precautions for UNI Homecoming are not a response to the April 18 Veishea riot at Iowa State, officials said, but rather to past activities by UNI students and their guests that have made the enhanced security necessary, university officials said.

Last year, said Edgar Berry, UNI associate vice president for educational and student services, 5,000 people packed the Hill, inhibiting emergency vehicle access. The barricade is designed to push the crowd of people down the hill and keep that from happening again, he said.

On Thursday, the Cedar Falls Police Department dropped the oval-shaped barricade — which is almost 40 feet wide in some places — on the Hill. Students will be kept out of the area, and police officers will be stationed inside and around the barricade, Ahlstrom said.

The police department caused some controversy after deciding to place the barricade on College Street, said Brendon Moe, UNI student body president. The plans for the barricade were not discussed with the UNI Homecoming committee or with the student government, he said, and the committee had to reroute the Homecoming parade because of the barricade.

Other efforts are underway to prevent disruptions at this year’s UNI homecoming. A group of student, business and community leaders and Cedar Falls residents who live near the UNI campus have organized their efforts for a new campaign to keep Homecoming safe. The campaign, “Celebrate with Pride,” promotes awareness and enforcement of alcohol laws and crowd safety regulations.

“In the past few years, two-thirds of the arrests have not been UNI students, they have been students from University of Minnesota-Mankato, Iowa State, University of Iowa and other area schools,” Moe said.

The campaign is asking UNI students to remind their guests about the dangers of binge drinking and alcohol laws, he said.

This year, they have a more concise message — “Be Proud, Be Smart, Be Safe.” Moe said this year’s campaign has already been more effective than past campaigns. He has heard positive reviews about the campaign from students.

“We want everyone to come and have a good time, but be responsible, because you will be held responsible,” said David Zarifis, director of the UNI Department of Public Safety.

Iowa State, however, is taking no extra safety precautions for this year’s Homecoming events, said Alison Monaghan, Homecoming public relations chair. The Department of Public Safety trained the Homecoming committee in crowd control tactics, she said, but the department has done so every year.

“We aren’t really anticipating problems with Homecoming this year,” said Monaghan, junior in journalism and mass communication. “There is going to be a lot of positive energy around the events.”