Spring Break
State media to blame for attracting outsiders, trouble to Spring Weekend
Our Opinion
Issue date: 4/28/09 Section: Commentary
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Every UConn student knows when Spring Weekend is, and as students, we obviously look forward to it as the semester nears an end. If by any chance you don't own a calendar or pay attention to your syllabi, the state's news media will indefinitely fill you in. But this is where the problem with non-students who attend Spring Weekend begins.
UConn administration and the majority of students do not want drunk and rowdy non-students all over our campus. With the huge number of non-students who attend anyway (many of whom are underage), how is it that they find out? All blame can be directed toward the Connecticut media. As soon as Spring Weekend hits the news, young people from all over New England begin to make their plans to travel up to UConn and obtain all their underage alcohol. If the news media would stop promoting Spring Weekend, whether or not they do it intentionally, the amount of unwanted guests would probably drop a great deal. The dates of Spring Weekend spread enough through word of mouth; news coverage simply exacerbates the situation.
It is understandable for the media to cover the event, but there is no need to let the entire state know the whole weekend plan. It could be limited to the local news only to inform residents of the roadblocks and traffic checks so they can plan accordingly. It is first and foremost a local event and is the biggest hindrance to the local area. People on the other side of the state will not be affected by any loud drunk kids at night, their roads will not be cut off and they will not wake up with their cars flipped over. It should not be covered in their local media.
It makes sense to cover the arrests and violations on the actual weekend. By then pretty much everyone will be here anyway. But starting weeks before is excessive and only makes the weekend more stressful for the police and UConn students.
Viewing Comments 1 - 8 of 8
Class of 06
posted 4/28/09 @ 9:16 AM EST
The logic behind this article is absurd. In true collegiate fashion, you are seeking to place blame on individuals who are providing information as a matter of record rather than where it belongs. (Continued…)
Esto
posted 4/28/09 @ 10:22 AM EST
Blame the media? C'mon DC! That's nonsense and you know it. Blame should be put on those irresponsible individuals (notice I didn't say students, even though many are actual students) who visit the campus or live on campus or in the nearby apartments and get drunk or high and misbehave by destroying property or fighting. (Continued…)
ben
posted 4/28/09 @ 11:45 AM EST
This opinion is very true.
I found myself watching the 10pm news on Thursday and saw spring weekend stories all over the place. I had no clue it was spring weekend since i dont go to UConn. (Continued…)
Jon
posted 4/28/09 @ 11:45 AM EST
Way off the mark. "All blame can be directed toward the Connecticut media?" How about current students inviting their friends up from home, giving them places to crash, spreading stories back to high schools about how awesome Spring Weekend is and how the cops don't check ID's? Blaming the media for an event that is student run is absolutely ridiculous. (Continued…)
current student
posted 4/28/09 @ 11:55 AM EST
it's an open campus, we can't keep people out. I will agree that students should probably not bring as many outsiders to campus, but even those folks aren't typically the problem. (Continued…)
Matt
posted 4/28/09 @ 12:15 PM EST
This is an absurd commentary. A newspaper asking other media to not cover a newsworthy event? You guys have a short institutional memory. Past riots, a long history of drunken and disorderly behavior, and a host of potential safety issues makes Spring Weekend an important focus of the state media. (Continued…)
s
posted 4/28/09 @ 2:14 PM EST
it is not the media that is the problem. It is the vermin that inhabit this college and the fact that Uconn lets it get out of control. Thoses disgusting students gather like cattle to drink and be idiots, it is a shame that the police did not shoot any of them. (Continued…)
Class of 08
posted 4/28/09 @ 2:27 PM EST
Spring Weekend is a fun event and it doesn't just occur at UCONN. Campuses all over the state and country have similar events. The history of disorderly conduct (flipping cars/fires/riots) will never go away and the media will always be a part of it. (Continued…)
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