BY DAVID LAU

In print | Published September 28, 2006

On Monday night, the Social Affairs Committee made a decision to organize the upcoming Halloween party together with Student Council. This decision was made in light of the fact that Mary Lyon RAs, the traditional organizers of the party, had decided not to host the party this year.

While SAC had received several proposals from other students before making the decision, in the end they felt that by hosting the party together with Student Council they would be able to throw the best party. “SAC received many e-mails with great ideas for the party,” SAC co-director Emily Nolte ’07 said. “Many students submitted their ideas but said they could not throw the party themselves, but rather hoped their ideas could be incorporated. Some were really creative, such as using Parrish Parlors, the Shane Student Lounge, and part of the Admissions space. Unfortunately, we could not get approval for such spaces.”

SAC discourages and indeed does not fund any parties or events that are held in any of the newly renovated areas that may have food or beverages present in order to prevent any damage caused to the furniture from spilling. Because SAC will be hosting the Fall Formal just a week after the Halloween party, Student Council was also ready to help organize the party. “Student Council is very ready to step in and do this party,” Joella Fink ’07, Student Council president, said.

Nolte added that the two groups would meet with the administration during the decision-making process. “We are working closely with the administration to find a suitable space,” she said.

As of now, SAC and Student Council are considering various spaces to hold the party. “We currently have about five different options and are checking to see which ones we can and cannot use,” Nolte said. “We should know by the end of this week as to the location.”

One such place that they are considering is Upper Tarble, which was suggested by Eleanor Joseph ’07, a member of Student Council. Drinks will be served in the entryway to Tarble where the bag lunches are normally served so that alcohol will still be available and Upper Tarble will remain dry. “I hope to turn that into a bar,” Joseph said. “People can drink there first and then go up to Upper Tarble later.”

One factor that SAC and Student Council are taking into consideration when choosing the location for the party are the availability and easy access to public bathrooms, as many people on the committees found that to be a problem when the party was being hosted in Mary Lyon. Another factor that the two committees are taking into account is whether or not the party can be held outside. “If it is held outside, we will have to deal with possible issues such as noise complaints,” Fink said.

SAC and Student Council are undecided as to whether this year’s party location will become a new permanent location for the party, but both expressed hope and confidence that the party would return to Mary Lyon in the near future. “The Halloween ML party has been an on-again, off-again tradition for the last 60 years,” Joseph said. “My guess is that it may go back to ML next year, but that depends on next year’s RAs and residents.”

Nolte also did not want to commit to hosting the party in the future. “SAC and Student Council are jointly hosting this year’s event,” she said. “We are not claiming this as our party for the two organizations to host in the future. Next year’s SAC and Student Council will have the option of throwing it or if other groups are interested they will be able to propose the party. It really depends from year to year on the people involved.”

Nevertheless, the two groups were confident that regardless of location, this year’s event would be a huge success. “Hopefully we can throw a better party than before,” Fink said. “We just look at this event as a good opportunity to have fun with people.”

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