Task Force Recommendation for VEISHEA

[Farnsworth]

Exactly. It's not without sadness that I see it end, but what else can be done? VEISHEA was a great celebration for a lot of years, but since the mid 80's it's really been more trouble than what it's been worth. Throw in we are in a much more litigious environment than what existed years ago and I can't blame the University for having to do this. I really believe President Leath hates making this decision, but he really doesn't have any more cards to play. This case against VEISHEA has been building for years.

You honestly think any of those would of remotely helped? For starters, how does cancelling classes in the afternoon curb drinking and parties?

Edit: or are you saying a rule was made that they couldnt cancel classes? Either way people would have skipped in mass quantities. Ineffective change either way. Again that's one way of saying "oh but we tried" yet everyone knows nothing would have come from that change. I'm sure a kid who adds to the riot thinks "gee I'd love to get plastered with my friends and cause havoc, but I better wait 3 extra hours until English is over!"

 

[Scott34]

9

Because they all suck and barely do anything. People wanting to try something quickly without thought trying to put bandaids on things. Happens all the time in the corporate would with the exact same failure. Take 3 years off and make effective changed, not quickly hatched together reactionary ones.

Oh Ya, but giving up is easier, and these lame changes are all that could have been done. I could think of 10 changes that would create a better atmosphere for veishea of the top of my head.

But I'm bot going to argue with those happy to see it go. It's done and over with and those that like to give up have won as veishea is dead. Congrats. I'm wrong.

You are really being selfish now. What's it going to take for you to realize that this has become a serious problem?

 

[cloneswereall]

You honestly think any of those would of remotely helped? For starters, how does cancelling classes in the afternoon curb drinking and parties?

Edit: or are you saying a rule was made that they couldnt cancel classes? Either way people would have skipped in mass quantities. Ineffective change either way. Again that's one way of saying "oh but we tried" yet everyone knows nothing would have come from that change. I'm sure a kid who adds to the riot thinks "gee I'd love to get plastered with my friends and cause havoc, but I better wait 3 extra hours until English is over!"

And who exactly is going to say "Well, it's mid-April. Time to head on over to Ames for the weekend for a city-wide party!" when one isn't being sponsored?

Who's going to say "Well, it's VEISHEA week. Time to head on over to Ames for the weekend for a city-wide party!" if it continues in any fashion?

The root of the problem is the event itself anymore. Maybe in 5-10 years they can revisit the possibility of a re-institution of the event, but it shouldn't even be a point of discussion right now because if they say we're going to cancel it for a few years right now, nothing is going to change. This is the first time they've gotten serious about ending it. When it was cancelled in 05, nobody I knew actually gave a **** because we all knew it would be back in 06.

 

[Tornado man]

Oh Ya, but giving up is easier, and these lame changes are all that could have been done. I could think of 10 changes that would create a better atmosphere for veishea of the top of my head.

I agree - what did this "task force" do besides meet periodically and talk around the table?
1. Did they contact other universities with similar problems and what, if any, solutions were arrived at?
2. Did they talk with Ames police personnel (not the chief, but actual patrolmen/women) and ISU security about what they would do?
3. Did they address the root cause of the riots/unrest - which is what their charge from Leach was?
Appears to be a lazy, superficial group to me. What "digging" into the issues did they actually do?

 

[CYKOFAN]

There have been 4 or 5 that have been termed riots, but there is plenty of property damage and other crime that occurs during Veishea even if it isn't a full scale riot

I saw what happened on campus after Kent State so your definition of riot and mine aren't quite the same. And 04 and this year are the only years I remember that could even come anywhere close to being called a riot. Veishea is a tradition that goes back decades. Generations of Iowans, both alums and non alums have taken their kids and grand kids to the parade and enjoyed the other activities. It's brought many millions of dollars to the Ames community over the years so I don't think it's too much to ask the Ames police and ISU security to spend more to beef up security. Drunk is drunk and partying is partying, whether it's in spring Veishea or fall homecomings so I ask again why can't the administration and Ames police find out what other college communities do to keep the huge homecoming partying that happens all over the country on fall week ends from getting out of control? Sure there will always be isolated incidents when there are drunken parties on every campus, but there has to be a way to keep a lid on it as other colleges have obviously done. Why are we going to let a few knuckleheads end a great tradition that has been great for ISU and generations of Iowans for many decades? Call it giving up or giving in, but it doesn't make me proud of my school not to keep fighting for this for the tens of thousands who have enjoyed it in the past and want to enjoy Veishea activities in the future.

 

[awd4cy]

I saw what happened on campus after Kent State so your definition of riot and mine aren't quite the same. And 04 and this year are the only years I remember that could even come anywhere close to being called a riot. Veishea is a tradition that goes back decades. Generations of Iowans, both alums and non alums have taken their kids and grand kids to the parade and enjoyed the other activities. It's brought many millions of dollars to the Ames community over the years so I don't think it's too much to ask the Ames police and ISU security to spend more to beef up security. Drunk is drunk and partying is partying, whether it's in spring Veishea or fall homecomings so I ask again why can't the administration and Ames police find out what other college communities do to keep the huge homecoming partying that happens all over the country on fall week ends from getting out of control? Sure there will always be isolated incidents when there are drunken parties on every campus, but there has to be a way to keep a lid on it as other colleges have obviously done. Why are we going to let a few knuckleheads end a great tradition that has been great for ISU and generations of Iowans for many decades? Call it giving up or giving in, but it doesn't make me proud of my school not to keep fighting for this for the tens of thousands who have enjoyed it in the past and want to enjoy Veishea activities in the future.

What year was that? Was it 2008?

 

[CycloneErik]

What year was that? Was it 2008?

1971, I think.
People are comparing Vietnam issues rampantly at this point to dumb drinking decisions. There may be a context failure or two running through this thread.

 

[CyDude16]

The football team needs to win its game.

Rhoads is 3-2 in homecoming games FYI.

 

[CycloneErik]

I failed. 1970.

http://www.cnn.com/2014/05/02/us/gallery/kent-state-shooting/

 

[CyDude16]

I agree - what did this "task force" do besides meet periodically and talk around the table?
1. Did they contact other universities with similar problems and what, if any, solutions were arrived at?
2. Did they talk with Ames police personnel (not the chief, but actual patrolmen/women) and ISU security about what they would do?
3. Did they address the root cause of the riots/unrest - which is what their charge from Leach was?
Appears to be a lazy, superficial group to me. What "digging" into the issues did they actually do?

holy ****, tornado man and I agree.

 

[clonedude]

9

You are really being selfish now. What's it going to take for you to realize that this has become a serious problem?

No kidding.

They've tried NUMEROUS things to make Veishea work, and yet it still hasn't worked. I don't know what else they can do?

Anything that is called "VEISHEA" is going to be a problem IMO. Just that word makes students and others from outside of Ames think it's time to have a huge party on Welch Avenue and burn and destroy things. That is what that word has come to mean unfortunately.

Ask anyone outside of ISU what VEISHEA is and that is what they will tell you. It's just a great big drunk fest where you can get totally out of control and have riots. That is what it has come to mean.

And it's even gotten to the point where incoming students feel the need to live up the stereotype as well. "If you don't riot like we used to back in the day... then you aren't ****, and you don't know how to party like we did!". That's the attitude now. In fact, I think some feel the need to even outdo previous riots and wreck even more havoc.

VEISHEA has lost all meaning unfortunately, and I don't think you can get it back now. Some things just stick with certain names. When you say "Richard Nixon" for instance, you instantly think "Watergate". Well.... when you say "VEISHEA" now, the first word people think of is "riots".

It's VERY unfortunate, but it's reality.

 

[Wesley]

I agree - what did this "task force" do besides meet periodically and talk around the table?
1. Did they contact other universities with similar problems and what, if any, solutions were arrived at?
2. Did they talk with Ames police personnel (not the chief, but actual patrolmen/women) and ISU security about what they would do?
3. Did they address the root cause of the riots/unrest - which is what their charge from Leach was?
Appears to be a lazy, superficial group to me. What "digging" into the issues did they actually do?

Seems like it was a predestined group sanctioned to kill off VEISHA. Oh well, let's see how many beer parties in the spring next year.

 

[CYKOFAN]

No kidding.

They've tried NUMEROUS things to make Veishea work, and yet it still hasn't worked. I don't know what else they can do?

Anything that is called "VEISHEA" is going to be a problem IMO. Just that word makes students and others from outside of Ames think it's time to have a huge party on Welch Avenue and burn and destroy things. That is what that word has come to mean unfortunately.

Ask anyone outside of ISU what VEISHEA is and that is what they will tell you. It's just a great big drunk fest where you can get totally out of control and have riots. That is what it has come to mean.

And it's even gotten to the point where incoming students feel the need to live up the stereotype as well. "If you don't riot like we used to back in the day... then you aren't ****, and you don't know how to party like we did!". That's the attitude now. In fact, I think some feel the need to even outdo previous riots and wreck even more havoc.

VEISHEA has lost all meaning unfortunately, and I don't think you can get it back now. Some things just stick with certain names. When you say "Richard Nixon" for instance, you instantly think "Watergate". Well.... when you say "VEISHEA" now, the first word people think of is "riots".

It's VERY unfortunate, but it's reality.

Couldn't disagree more. You're focusing on the actions of a few knuckleheads that got out of control in 04 and this year, and of course the media played that to the max. But I'd say Veishea to most ISU alums means a spring celebration of ISU filled with a lot of great campus activities, and possibly a return to the old campus to revive old memories and enjoy the current students. For Iowans it's a great opportunity for Iowa high school kids to get a good look at ISU and find out what it has to offer. To thousands of central Iowans it's highlighted by the parade where they can take their kids and grandkids to enjoy the parade and walking around the beautiful campus. Defining Veishea by the actions of the occasional knuckleheads is way off imo.

 

[alarson]

Why? Because VEISHEA just isn't worth it. There are about a hundred other ways I'd rather have my tax dollars spent than on extra police training and personnel for a silly festival that the students can't handle.

Even with any damage that has been caused over the years, i'd wager that nearly every business in ames would disagree with this, especially all the hotels and restaurants that were consistently filled veishea weekend.

 

[cloneswereall]

Couldn't disagree more. You're focusing on the actions of a few knuckleheads that got out of control in 04 and this year, and of course the media played that to the max. But I'd say Veishea to most ISU alums means a spring celebration of ISU filled with a lot of great campus activities, and possibly a return to the old campus to revive old memories and enjoy the current students. For Iowans it's a great opportunity for Iowa high school kids to get a good look at ISU and find out what it has to offer. To thousands of central Iowans it's highlighted by the parade where they can take their kids and grandkids to enjoy the parade and walking around the beautiful campus. Defining Veishea by the actions of the occasional knuckleheads is way off imo.

There's the disconnect. VEISHEA, as it is defined connotatively today, is not a celebration of the University. It's not viewed as cherry pies, campus organizations, and parades anymore to anybody not connected with the University. It's seen as on-campus concerts, off-campus house parties, and a time to get really hammered. That isn't going to change until the association of VEISHEA = city-wide, out of control party is dead to those outside of Ames and the University. Best way to do that is to kill off all of it as it is known today. If you keep anything VEISHEA like in the spring, the association will never go away.

 

[alarson]

No kidding.

They've tried NUMEROUS things to make Veishea work, and yet it still hasn't worked. I don't know what else they can do?

Well one of the problems is they had many recommendations after 04, but over 10 years they went back to same old same old.

The problems arent going to go away without veishea either. The campustown area is getting more and more densely populated with more and more multi-story buildings going up. Veishea or not, within the next 10 years i bet there's another 'disturbance' in the spring when the weather is nice and a bunch of people decide they want to be outside and drinking.

 

[CyDude16]

There's the disconnect. VEISHEA, as it is defined connotatively today, is not a celebration of the University. It's not viewed as cherry pies, campus organizations, and parades anymore to anybody not connected with the University. It's seen as on-campus concerts, off-campus house parties, and a time to get really hammered. That isn't going to change until the association of VEISHEA = city-wide, out of control party is dead to those outside of Ames and the University. Best way to do that is to kill off all of it as it is known today. If you keep anything VEISHEA like in the spring, the association will never go away.

Question, do you think isu is the only university that has a spring or fall celebration? If not, why didn't this task force talk to officials from say Penn State, Indiana U, Wisconson, KState, Illinois, Purdue, etc? These are all schools off the top of my head that have celebrations yearly that have problems and sometimes even more than just two riots in the last decade. I'm not excusing the behavior as I was up there that night and walked home embarrassed. And yes the students who were idiots need to pay the consequences, hence why it needs to be disbanded for a few years. But the overreaction is astounding, and this task force for the most part was just a facade for Tom Hill.

 

[Angie]

Even with any damage that has been caused over the years, i'd wager that nearly every business in ames would disagree with this, especially all the hotels and restaurants that were consistently filled veishea weekend.

The business owners aren't the only ones paying taxes, so I honestly don't care much. Most are big chains benefitting that have corporate offices elsewhere.

 

[cloneswereall]

Well one of the problems is they had many recommendations after 04, but over 10 years they went back to same old same old.

The problems arent going to go away without veishea either. The campustown area is getting more and more densely populated with more and more multi-story buildings going up. Veishea or not, within the next 10 years i bet there's another 'disturbance' in the spring when the weather is nice and a bunch of people decide they want to be outside and drinking.

Just curious, but why don't any of these things happen during Homecoming, or one of the first few weeks of fall term, or during the weekend of any home football game? Hell, why doesn't this happen at UNI or Iowa the first few nice weekends in the spring? My guess is it's because there aren't associations of causing a ruckus the third week of September like there is during VEISHEA week.

 

[CYKOFAN]

There's the disconnect. VEISHEA, as it is defined connotatively today, is not a celebration of the University. It's not viewed as cherry pies, campus organizations, and parades anymore to anybody not connected with the University. It's seen as on-campus concerts, off-campus house parties, and a time to get really hammered. That isn't going to change until the association of VEISHEA = city-wide, out of control party is dead to those outside of Ames and the University. Best way to do that is to kill off all of it as it is known today. If you keep anything VEISHEA like in the spring, the association will never go away.

Obviously I don't agree with that but I'm an older alum and maybe Veishea is becoming to mean "party" to a lot of the younger Iowan's, thanks in no small part I'm sure to the way the media has played up what I would call the mini-riots in 04 and this year. Then why not a very public campaign on the part of the university to emphasize the many good activities and real meaning of what Veishea should be, or at least used to mean if the perception has changed that much. And of course beefing up security and finding out how other campuses deal with major partying would be a priority. Just can't see giving in to some very drunk people that occasionally have been allowed to get completely out of control.