Though tailgating in the Mods before football games is a long-standing tradition on the Heights, a policy implemented last year excludes a sizable group of underage seniors from doing so.
For the last home game of the season, however, the Quality of Student Life Committee, in concert with the Office of Residential Life, has initiated a trial run of an altered policy. During the three hours prior to Boston College football game against Miami on Nov. 24, seniors under the age of 21 will be allowed into the Mods to tailgate with their peers.
Around 250 undergraduates begin their senior year while under the age of 21 and at the end of the football season about 100 students remain under 21. By the time senior week arrives, this number decreases to a range of 20-40 underage seniors.
Underage seniors wishing to attend the Miami game will not be allowed to enter the now-fenced-in Mods freely. In order to avoid a potential influx of students who are neither of age nor seniors from entering the Mods, those encompassed in the proposed policy are asked to acquire a new Eagle-One card stating their class year at Student Services in Lyons Hall no later than Tuesday.
Those attempting to enter the Mods will be asked to present their new BC ID in addition to their license, and the officer at the gate will check their name against a list of underage seniors. Those given permission to enter will receive a wristband that they must wear at all times. The BC Police Department, the Boston Police Department, and Residential Life staff members will all patrol the area; any underage senior caught drinking will face removal from the Mods and judicial action.
Henry Humphreys, director of residential life, asked that students not abuse the opportunity that is being given to underage seniors for the Miami game. "Hopefully seniors understand that this is a special program and every time a minor is found in the Mods drinking underage during tailgating that they could be banned permanently from the Mods and will be ineligible to live in the Mods their senior year," Humphreys said.
Jorie Soskin, co-chairperson of the QSLC and A&S '08, reiterated this statement. "Our biggest concern is kids abusing the system and choosing not to abide by the no-drinking policy … We hope that students will be respectful and take the opportunity to be with their friends before the game and not abuse it," he said.
The Miami game, currently only a test pilot of the policy, will determine whether it will be made permanent.
"The Miami game is a test so we can figure out the logistics and staffing, we want to see how things work," Humphreys said.
Because there is a distinctly larger portion of seniors under the age of 21 at the beginning of September than there are now, there could be a discrepancy in how the policy will function if implemented permanently.
"QSLC members will be stationed at each gate to monitor the process, and after the game we'll get together [with Residential Life] again and review," said Angelica Grasso, co-chairperson of the QSLC and A&S '08.
In addition, due to the Thanksgiving holiday, fewer students are expected to attend the game.
"We understand that it's Thanksgiving and students might not be on campus because of timing issues and whatnot, this is the opportunity that we have … It's to our advantage to try it with a limited number," Soskin said.
Though the administration expressed concerns about an increase in underage drinking, the QSLC avow that the proposed policy will not promote increased violations of the drinking age. Rather, it seeks to allow underage seniors to partake in an age-old tradition with the other members of their class.
The QSLC, drawing inspiration from the athletics office's "We Are BC" campaign, is seeking to form traditions and promote sportsmanship on campus. "The Mods are a big tradition for senior year on campus and joining in the tailgating is part of that," Grasso said.
If the opportunity is not abused, the Miami game may set a precedent for seniors in years to come.
"We hope that this provides an opportunity for the administration to see that seniors over 21 and under 21 like to be together and it doesn't necessarily mean that everyone drinks," Soskin said.
Be the first to comment on this article!