The Inter-Residence Hall Association is in the process of pursuing a revised Veishea policy for the university, attempting to ease some of the restrictions put in place by the university administration during the Martin Jischke era.

IRHA wants several changes: Less security and fewer resident assistant rounds; unlocking access doors to all residence halls; removing visitor policies; and changing the alcohol policy so those of legal drinking age will be permitted to drink.

IRHA originally planned to boycott the event if these changes were not made, but dropped that idea this week.

The requests being made by IRHA are fair. The boycott plan was an inappropriate idea that would have been counter-productive, but the complaints made by IRHA should not be taken lightly by the powers that be.

Veishea is a celebration run by students, for students. Jischke’s rules and regulations came without any student input. And that is the problem with them. Yes, there was a murder during Veishea in 1997. And yes, the years leading up to and including that year were fraught with riots and pandemonium due to excessive drinking.

So, instead of telling students they have nothing to say about what is supposed to be THEIR week, let’s work to dispel the myth that Veishea is a time to drink heavily. It’s not.

Students leave town in record numbers come Veishea week. Why? Because the entire celebration has been branded as “boring” because of alcohol rules. All of a sudden, scores of “disillusioned” students felt that, if they couldn’t drink extra heavily that week, they shouldn’t be here for it.

Let the students make their own rules. Obviously, there should be some oversight, but the dictatorial approach of the Jischke years should not happen. People who are 21 in the dorms should be able to drink – Veishea week included. And if students want less security, and make reasonable arguments to support that, their voice should be heard and taken into account.

We need to stop treating Veishea as if it is only a drinking event, where the cool kids go home for the weekend and drink, while the rest stick around and watch the parade and pet the goats at the petting zoo.

Loosening the rules will keep some people here to experience what Veishea really is – a student celebration – and will begin the process of abandoning the idea that Veishea exists as an excuse to get alcohol poisoning.

If the university wants more students to enjoy Veishea, a good place to start is giving them the power to make the rules that will govern them. After all, that power is supposed to be their’s.

editorialboard: Andrea Hauser, Tim Paluch, Michelle Kann, Charlie Weaver, Omar Tesdell