Members of the Inter Residence Hall Association have presented an order requesting changes in Veishea policies.

They are threatening to boycott the event if changes are not made.

The order, called “Noncelebratory Celebration” – written by presidents from three associations and the IRHA president – requests four changes: having less security and fewer resident assistant rounds; unlocking access doors to all residence halls; removing visitor policies; and changing the alcohol policy so that those of legal drinking age will be permitted to drink, but those who consume alcohol irresponsibly will face harsher punishments.

IRHA members plan to send the bill to several people, including President Gregory Geoffroy and Department of Residence Director Randy Alexander, said Jeff Greiner, UDA president. If the terms proposed are negotiated to the satisfaction of the IRHA internal affairs committee, they will not boycott Veishea, he said.

The possible boycott means IRHA won’t support funding to residence hall activities associated with Veishea, Greiner said.

“Veishea lives or dies based on people attending it, and students living in the residence halls are the largest chunk of people we have,” said Keith Twombley, TRA president.

Alexander said some of the requests could not be satisfied solely by the department.

“I’m pretty sure I would not have the authority to change these things by myself,” Alexander said.

“There are a couple of things I doubt the university would go along with, such as not having guests sign in and unlocking the building.”

Alexander said the reason for the extra precautions is student safety, citing the murder of Harold “Uri” Sellers during the 1997 Veishea celebration as a reason to be cautious.

“A lot of the problems aren’t even Iowa State University students,” he said.

“We had a murder here – it can’t get any more serious than that.”

Greiner said it’s time for safety policies to be looser.

“Certain policies were created to make Veishea safer – I think the level of safety has been achieved, and it’s time to ease up,” Greiner said.

Alexander said asking students to carry keys for residence halls and to put up with extra RA rounds isn’t too much to ask.

“I would be opposed to unlocking doors. If I was a student, I don’t see what the big deal is.”

Security is the biggest issue for students, Twombley said.

“Personally I would be very happy right now with a decreased security presence,” he said. “That’s the main thing people complain about.”

The alcohol policy is an area in which Alexander said he could understand students’ dissatisfaction.

“I understand that the people who are of age don’t like it,” he said.

“I can see their point on it.”

The argument that Veishea can still be an alcohol-free event, but those who are 21 in residence halls should still be able to drink in their rooms, has been brought to Alexander’s attention, but the matter wouldn’t be able to stop there.

“If we changed that policy, then we’d have to make the same argument for the greeks,” Alexander said.

Jill Kelsay, RCA treasurer, said it seems “extreme” to request changes in the no-alcohol policy because President Gregory Geoffroy said it is a non-negotiable area this year at a recent meeting with IRHA representatives.

Other IRHA members are optimistic that negotiations can be made.

“We’ve already spoken with Geoffroy about some of the problems with Veishea, and he agrees there are problems for the most part, but disagrees about when to start working on it,” Twombley said.

Greiner said he thinks a boycott would gain support from students who are already disillusioned with current policies.

“A lot of people don’t participate anyway,” Greiner said. “It would just be making official what is already happening. There could be a lot of support for boycotting [in UDA]; however, we have a lot of freshmen who haven’t ever experienced [Veishea].”

Greiner said he hopes it won’t come to a boycott and thinks there is room for compromise.

The Veishea co-chairs, Jen Fritz and Mark Ringkob declined to comment on the order, which was presented at last week’s IRHA meeting, and possible boycott.

“We don’t have enough information to comment right now,” Fritz said. “In all honesty I would rather see it not go to a boycott.”

Twombley said students have complained about the policies for years, but this is the first year he and other representatives have been in the position to do something about it.

“We are sick of the old policies,” Twombley said. “The no-alcohol policy looks good on paper but all it does is take away the civil liberties of students in the residence halls.”