The Daily Campus

Issue date: 4/22/09 Section: News

Students party at Willington Oaks Apartments last year on Spring Weekend during 'Willi Oaks Wednesday.' This year, Konover Residential, the property managers, are changing their guest policy.

UConn students may find this year's "Willi Wednesday" event, a more recent addition to Spring Weekend, to be a bit different than last year.

Residents of Willington Oaks, the off-campus apartment complex known for hosting the Wednesday night festivities, were recently told of a new policy that limits the number of guests allowed into the complex and will take effect for Spring Weekend.

According to regional manager Joanne Heckman of Konover Residential, the property manager of Willington Oaks, the revised policy for Spring Weekend states that each apartment is allowed only two guests per resident on Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights.

All Willington Oaks residents signed a lease agreement before moving into their apartments that approved, in advance, any provisions that may be made for Spring Weekend. Article 24 of the lease agreement specifically states, "Tenants will follow all rules and regulations as they relate to quiet hours, alcohol, kegs, and where applicable, Spring Weekend ... At any time, for any reason necessary to protect the property or provide for its quiet enjoyment, landlord reserves the right to prohibit public gatherings of individuals on the property that are not tenants."

In an effort to provide additional protection to residents, Willington Oaks management has hired state police officers to patrol the complex tonight, though patrols may continue for the duration of the weekend. According to Lieutenant Buddy Conroy of Connecticut State Police Troop C in Tolland, the officers were hired because of the size of last year's celebrations and will be there this year in case things get out of control.

"We're there for people's safety," Conroy said, noting that the patrols will resemble those regularly hired by Carriage House Apartments, where officers "walk around, make sure everybody's safe, and that parties don't get out of control."

Some students have already expressed disappointment with the new policies.

"I really think they're going to ruin 'Willi Wednesday,'" said Eric Kelly, a 6th semester history major. "They're taking away a lot of the off-campus lifestyle we've been waiting for."

Continued...

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