<p>I mean, I was a student once too. Maybe I'm just getting old (so what else is new?) Is this common? (see below - I've eliminated all proper names)</p>
<p>"But X, manager of custodial services and special functions, said students are not the only ones becoming frustrated. Custodians have recently been forced to respond to an increasing number of gross clean-ups, including vomit, urine and feces. </p>
<p>X said she sees the growing number of foul messes becoming a trend this year: During Homecoming weekend alone, there were two reported instances of feces left in sinks. If custodians continue to find such vile messes, houses will likely soon be fined for these instances. We do not have accurate records for this type of clean-ups, but will begin to track them and bill for their clean-up, X said. </p>
<p>Y, Campus Life Coordinator (CLC), offered the growing problem of finding responsible hosts as one reason why ACE might have fallen through on clean-up this weekend. </p>
<p>Its incredibly hard for the Social and House Events committee to find responsible hosts and peer monitors these days, and often the most exhausting part of throwing a party is trying to find the number of people required to staff it, he said. Even then the E-Board [ACE executive board] is usually called in [to clean] because they cant find enough people to get the job done.</p>
<p>Mini - I had the same reaction when I read the article this weekend. Students getting ill, vandalism -- unfortunately all part of the picture back in my day and today too. But some of this is a whole new level.</p>
<p>I know at Lehigh they have the "Beer Olympics", and the guys wear diapers...because they seem to lose control of themselves. I also read an article in my sociology course about how Lehigh is a commonly used model as a place where rape runs rampant in fraternity houses and men treat women as objects. </p>
<p>Ilcapo, while drinking might be prevalent at Lehigh and you might be reporting about an event held there, the other comments are gross generalizations as far as rape running rampant and therefore nobody should send their kids there. My kid applied and got accepted there but is not going there. By the way, she does not drink. </p>
<p>In any case, everyone should look into colleges thoroughly to get a sense of the "culture" on campus and it is good to share impressions here or comments like "I heard it is a party school or drinking is a big issue there" but to make blanket statements about rape and men there and so forth is spreading information as if it were "fact" and I think a disservice to those who are looking into this fine school. It is ok to talk reputation and your own first hand accounts but the other stuff is really a BIG generalization that you are passing off as fact. And while you put a smiley face on your comment to not send your kid there, it really is inappropriate to say that even if you are kidding. </p>
<p>well i'm being serious about the whole thing, the wink was merely a way to deflect the criticism im now recieving :(....my sociology book honestly has an article written by an alumni of the school who became a sociologist, she did a study about the rape culture that is fostered in lehigh's fraternities, and it is not used as a model for many other studies. we discussed it in class for 2 days, as it is an important issue in the sociology of gender, i'll try to find the article if i can. they also have a "walk of shame", where the guys of the frats sit on their porches and heckle the girls who appear as though they might have stayed the night with another fraternity member. i honestly find it rather repulsive, and i think it is indicative of the ways in which a strong greek presence can lead to problems on a campus. however, i will point out that the study compares high risk and low risk fraternities, and the descriptions of the low risk frats were rather admirable - the women were given clean bathroom facilities, were in general taken care of, and were engaged in lively conversation with others regardless of gender.</p>
<p>"In any case, everyone should look into colleges thoroughly to get a sense of the "culture" on campus"</p>
<p>But if someone had told me that this was the "culture on campus" at one of those prestigious places, I would have thought they were nuts! What is it, like marking your territory at 42k a year?</p>
<p>Tom Wolf's newest novel "I am Charlotte Simmons", (my reading for all of these audition trips-it's a big fat novel and I splurged to buy it hard cover) has some graphic descriptions of coed bathrooms at "Dupont" University. I suggest parents give the book a read if they have time. Enlightening.</p>
<p>jamimom: I am really interested in this book. I was thinking of giving it to my freshman daughter. I read the review that said it aggrandizes some aspects of college life but accurately portrays how hard it is for college kids to have a foundation from which to make moral/ethical decisions. Would it be food for thought for her and a conversation starter about maybe her own tough choices right now?</p>
<p>Reed has coed bathrooms and I haven't seen a problem with behavior at all. I think however Reed is probably atypical as it is smaller than your typical suburban high school and you know your dormmates very well whether you want to or not.
I hear that they are having more problems with behavior this year, trash left in the chapel and rude behavior to performers, but the honor principle is still very active and the abberant students while very noticable are in the minority.
Renn Fayre will be the test I imagine. We are going down for graduation, should be interesting.</p>
<p>I bought America A Citizens Guide to Democracy Inaction for my husband, Two hardcover tamora Pierce novels for my 14 yr old( I also bought her the Order of the Phoenix on CD) and have to track down Richard Dawkins new book ancestors Tale: a Pilgramage to the Dawn of Evolution. And those are just the hardcovers!
Not that we have room for anymore books and I have been getting most of them at the library but I always give books for the holidays.
BUt maybe they should crack down on homecoming like the NBA is having to crack down on player and spectator behavior.
Reed had to really crack down on Renn Fayre one year ( before our time) when there was a lot of damage, student body always has to pay to clean it up and the next year the students were much better about monitoring themselves.</p>
<p>OK, here's a question that could be asked on the same general topic---</p>
<p>Concerning public drunkenness on campus grounds, what are the rules & regs at various universities that CC parents have visited? My D, who is a HS senior, has accompanied us to six schools. And at only one of them, which just happened to be a Jesuit institution, could the resident student taking us on the campus tour come up with a cogent answer to that question--being that campus police would haul the offending student away for a 1st time warning, then more serious punishment, including expulsion, for further offenses.</p>
<p>Interesting dilemma here. I went to a Big 10 school many moons ago where students staggering around on any weekend night seemed to be the norm rather than the exception, and it didn't scar me for life. While I certainly want my daughter to enjoy herself next year, might we be better off 'steering' her towards the more restrictive atmosphere, where she already has received some nice merit aid?</p>
<p>And believe me, I fully understand that kids are going to drink and carry on at virtually any institution. But dang it, the kids are there to learn (while spending our hard-earned dollars) & that should be the priority over the thought that it might not be the ultimate party campus...</p>
<p>so I can't speak from experience, but I've never understood the vandalism & sometimes outright destruction that can occur from the resident students in their dorms.
The stories I hear (currently) from the housekeeping staff at the college where I work still baffle me...why would you ruin the place you live/sleep in? The staff have also said that all-male houses are worst with this kind of trashing of rooms and/or vandalism.
Apparently the colleges fine the houses (or indivdual students if it can be discerned whom is responsible), and eventually, you could be kicked out of the residence system. But it still goes on, even at our small, religiously affliated college.
I guess it is the drinking that leads to this, but it still makes no sense to me. I wasn't a tea-totaler in college, but since I always had to go home somewhat presentable to Mom & Dad, I didn't have much chance to get excessive. And if I did drink too much, I usually fell asleep before the urge to vandalize took over ;-)</p>
<p>The feces thing seems to have become common at this institution, maybe, or at least has been reported on multiple occasions (this was the only one about homecoming.) All co-ed houses, no fraternities. Now I tend to be a quiet sort, and in the 60s there wasn't a drug to which I had access that I didn't try, and there were plenty of drunken parties (alcohol simply puts me to sleep.) I even almost understand the vandalism thing - after all, mommy and daddy will pay for it, as they always have.</p>
<p>But why would you go so far as to "foul your own nest" (and why would that be a "cool thing to do"?) Is it happening elsewhere? A nationwide thing? (inquiring minds want to know....)</p>
<p>Enough. I'm off it. Thank you for letting me vent.</p>
<p>Oh wow - revolting. I'm interested, too, in whether this is a nationwide thing. This is enough to finally take this school off the list of prospects for my kid, sadly. Thanks for bringing it up, Mini.</p>