2008 Woodie Awards
Community voices concern over off-campus partying
Alex Panagiotopoulos
Issue date: 9/23/04 Section: News
Ear-splitting noise, garbage littering the hallways, inebriated neighbors urinating everywhere, and the putrid stench of stale beer: all reasons some students choose to move to a different dorm or off-campus.
Off-campus Marist students in Poughkeepsie have their new neighbors wishing there was some other locale to which they could move to as well. In a city hall meeting Sept. 13, local officials revealed that they have been inundated with complaints from residents about student parties on their streets. A task force was proposed to try and "nip this in the bud," city hall chairman Frank Mora told the Poughkeepsie Journal. Increased pressure is being put on landlords to have stricter rules and to register their houses with the police as having college students.
The result? Last weekend, complaints were down, a party on Delafield Street was squashed, and noise violation tickets were issued. Council-
man John
Lawrence, D-2 Ward (which includes Delafield, Market, and Cannon streets), said that Marist College is going to be more hands-on in dealing with its off-campus students.
"In years past, they weren't really involved," Lawrence said.
"They're doing some things differently, because things have gotten out of hand. The college is being more proactive."
The college started the Dutchess Campus Community Coalition after receiving a New York State grant to "form a team addressing high risk behaviors of college students living on their own." It provides a meeting place for local agencies and organizations along with students from Marist, The Culinary Institute, Dutchess Community College and Vassar to set goals and discuss about off-campus life.
Other members include Poughkeepsie and Hyde Park police, Dutchess County Tavern Owners, St. Francis Hospital and the Dutchess County Council on Alcoholism & Chemical Dependency.
The Coalition meets once a month, with their next meeting at 3:30 p.m. Sept. 29 in the PAR. Steve Sansola, in his role as associate dean for Student Affairs, works with the coalition.
Off-campus Marist students in Poughkeepsie have their new neighbors wishing there was some other locale to which they could move to as well. In a city hall meeting Sept. 13, local officials revealed that they have been inundated with complaints from residents about student parties on their streets. A task force was proposed to try and "nip this in the bud," city hall chairman Frank Mora told the Poughkeepsie Journal. Increased pressure is being put on landlords to have stricter rules and to register their houses with the police as having college students.
The result? Last weekend, complaints were down, a party on Delafield Street was squashed, and noise violation tickets were issued. Council-
man John
Lawrence, D-2 Ward (which includes Delafield, Market, and Cannon streets), said that Marist College is going to be more hands-on in dealing with its off-campus students.
"In years past, they weren't really involved," Lawrence said.
"They're doing some things differently, because things have gotten out of hand. The college is being more proactive."
The college started the Dutchess Campus Community Coalition after receiving a New York State grant to "form a team addressing high risk behaviors of college students living on their own." It provides a meeting place for local agencies and organizations along with students from Marist, The Culinary Institute, Dutchess Community College and Vassar to set goals and discuss about off-campus life.
Other members include Poughkeepsie and Hyde Park police, Dutchess County Tavern Owners, St. Francis Hospital and the Dutchess County Council on Alcoholism & Chemical Dependency.
The Coalition meets once a month, with their next meeting at 3:30 p.m. Sept. 29 in the PAR. Steve Sansola, in his role as associate dean for Student Affairs, works with the coalition.