Members of Leath's "Veishea Task Force" Announced
- Thread starter ZachsterPoke
- Start date
I would say there's not a pattern. There were issues in the 90s\early 00s. Changes were made. THAT was the pattern, and that pattern ended. We avoided problems for a decade. I think they could reevaluate the changes they made last time- some of those changes have reverted back.
I would say this year was something different. For one, it occurred on a damn tuesday.
I mean, i think part of things is just that veishea occurs on one of the few warm weeks before dead week\finals week roll around and deaden the party scene for a bit, and then people leave town. VEISHEA or not, that weekend is going to be one of the bigger party weekends of the year (it certainly was in 2005).
I also think people overstate the national 'blemish' iowa state has taken over this one. While its not good that it happened, there have been several of these types of disturbances at universities just this spring. Unfortunately these things can and do happen in college towns when the party scene isnt managed well. And i think thats where Ames\ISU needs to look, as its not the VEISHEA events that are the problem, its the problem of parties getting out of control and then the police making a poor decision to route those crowds to the bars where there are more drunks, and then you have a problem. And as i see more multi-story projects going up in the campustown area, along with the student body size exploding the population in this area is only going to increase, so this is something that Ames\ISU is going to need to address with or without VEISHEA.
Last edited:
I was helping with security on the Friday night and right in front of me I saw several cops tackle and cuff two guys who obviously were not ISU students. I found out moments later that one of them had flashed a gun earlier. It was at that point I thought to myself that VEISHEA needs to end before the next young person is killed. There were 47 arrests that night.
VEISHEA has seen one young man stabbed to death and and another fall to his death from a balcony. Although I don't believe either were were ISU students, I don't think it really matters. I would absolutely hate to see VEISHEA end, but I've gotten to the point where I just don't think it's worth the horrible cost anymore.
VEISHEA has seen one young man stabbed to death and and another fall to his death from a balcony. Although I don't believe either were were ISU students, I don't think it really matters. I would absolutely hate to see VEISHEA end, but I've gotten to the point where I just don't think it's worth the horrible cost anymore.
The mega-parties are the crux of the problem. Are people served alcohol or do they bring their own? According to dram laws, if you give alcohol to someone and they do damage, you assume liability for the damages. People arrested can plea bargain and say where they got their alcohol, and the hosts of the parties now face expulsion, criminal and financial liabilities. Add to that underage drinking, and you have charges for contributing to the delinquency of a minor.
I agree that night time activities and especially bands should be eliminated. Moving the spring game to another weekend also makes sense - since a great deal of football spectators are also drinkers.
I agree that night time activities and especially bands should be eliminated. Moving the spring game to another weekend also makes sense - since a great deal of football spectators are also drinkers.
Tuesday Night?
I can somewhat understand the potential for riots on Friday/Saturday night of Veishea- but a Tuesday night? I would hate to see an ISU tradition discontinued- but some changes in the culture of VEISHEA need to occur. I haven't paid much attention to media stories on the riot, but I would be curious if this was an alcohol fueled riot or "crowd effect" rioting. IMO it is easier to control the former.
I won't say the potential for VEISHEA riots wasn't there back in my days at ISU: 1982-86, but I don't think it is a coincidence the first riots happened about 4 years after the drinking age was raised from 19 to 21. IMO its a more contolled drinking culture on a college campus when 75% of students can drink legally in bars vs. 25%. It pushes drinking to "unsupervised" rinking at house parties.
I can somewhat understand the potential for riots on Friday/Saturday night of Veishea- but a Tuesday night? I would hate to see an ISU tradition discontinued- but some changes in the culture of VEISHEA need to occur. I haven't paid much attention to media stories on the riot, but I would be curious if this was an alcohol fueled riot or "crowd effect" rioting. IMO it is easier to control the former.
I won't say the potential for VEISHEA riots wasn't there back in my days at ISU: 1982-86, but I don't think it is a coincidence the first riots happened about 4 years after the drinking age was raised from 19 to 21. IMO its a more contolled drinking culture on a college campus when 75% of students can drink legally in bars vs. 25%. It pushes drinking to "unsupervised" rinking at house parties.
Last edited:
Re: Tuesday Night?
Bingo. And I can tell you that there is a person on the task force that will bring this very point up because I work with him - not that the drinking age has a prayer of being reduced back to 18...
Re: Tuesday Night?
Wouldn't want it back at 18...but do think it should be 19. Call it silly, but there are too many 18 year olds still in high school, and that makes it much more available to even younger ones. I think 19 is a good compromise.
Wouldn't want it back at 18...but do think it should be 19. Call it silly, but there are too many 18 year olds still in high school, and that makes it much more available to even younger ones. I think 19 is a good compromise.
Wouldn't want it back at 18...but do think it should be 19. Call it silly, but there are too many 18 year olds still in high school, and that makes it much more available to even younger ones. I think 19 is a good compromise.
There are a lot of 19 year olds in high schools as well. Especially in urban high schools.
Yes, but there has to be a line somewhere. On average, I'm guessing there are more 18 year olds than 19 year olds in high schools, nationally.
Re: Tuesday Night?
Problem is there are not enough bars to hold all the people that show up in Ames that weekend. Hell when I was in college after we turned 21 we still had house parties because the bars were so packed and it was hard to get together with friends at the bars.
The same issues come up time and time again with VEISHEA. Yes at times they get the drinking calmed down only to have it build back up to being a huge party.
Problem is there are not enough bars to hold all the people that show up in Ames that weekend. Hell when I was in college after we turned 21 we still had house parties because the bars were so packed and it was hard to get together with friends at the bars.
The same issues come up time and time again with VEISHEA. Yes at times they get the drinking calmed down only to have it build back up to being a huge party.
Has there been any indication or rumor of what their recommendation will be? Seems like the whole process has been pretty quiet.
I have only heard rumblings but it sounds as though there are a few people on the task force that are opposed to VEISHEA in any form, a few that support it with relatively minor changes, if any, and most others somewhere in the middle. So tonight could be a surprise.
CycloneErik
Well-Known Member
Based off the 2 or 3 public forums I watched, I highly doubt it completely ends. I have not heard from one person who wants it to be abolished completely. Most everyone has asked for it to continue, but with changes.
