Whether it was the poor weather or the new event format that influenced the low attendance level at this year’s Spring Weekend, students were disappointed.
Unlike in past years, images of jam-packed lawns, loud music, bright sunshine and flowing alcohol provided by universities or campus groups were no where to be found at this year’s Spring Weekend.
This year, Spam Jam – now called “Down by the Shore” – was combined with May Day and held on Lessing Field on Saturday for the entire student body. A separate barbecue was held at the townhouses for juniors and seniors in response to upperclassmen who lodged complaints.
Saturday’s Lessing Field Event
Ashlee Downing ’08, the IRHA member in charge of the Saturday event, said there was a large amount of students present, but the majority were freshmen and sophomores because it was on campus.
Downing said she was surprised that more students did not utilize the beer garden, which was a fenced-off area where students of legal drinking age could drink beer.
Charles Sousa, the area coordinator for the townhouses, said the beer garden had its challenges because students were unclear about when alcohol would be served and at what cost. However, Saturday was targeted to the entire school community including students, faculty and staff.
“Spring Weekend as a whole, starting Thursday night, went well,” said Sousa. “There weren’t an overwhelming amount of issues. [The weekend] was fairly consistent with what it’s been like every other weekend.”
He said students came to “mingle with their peers” at class-specific events such as the Sunday barbecue.
FUSA President Hutch Williams ’08 agreed that the weather was a major factor and that attendance was average, about 85 percent.
“The beer garden numbers were low but that doesn’t reflect the number of upperclassmen that were there; a different demographic of the junior class,” he said.
For next year, Downing said she would like to have more small activities like thepalm reading and henna tattoos that took place this Spring Weekend.
Downing said the dunk tank with Public Safety was most successful, raising over $600 for the Special Olympics. Students could also play to pay off parking tickets.
“I had a great time, personally. It was a lot of the freshman class. I knew the majority of the people there,” said Erin Rigby ’10, who said she enjoyed the moonwalk and sand art station.
Carole Mancarella ’10 agreed that mostly freshmen attended.
“It wasn’t amazing or anything but I had a good time,” she said.
Other underclassmen enjoyed the free food at the Saturday event but thought the event could have been better, in general.
“Unless you are 12 years old and enjoy carnivals, it was beat,” said Mike Palumbo ’10. “There were a bunch of students drinking and hiding from millions of RAs.”
Although the University provided alcohol for of-age students, students were deterred by the price of a can of beer and the rather empty beer garden set off from the rest of the activities.
“It was cool that they served beer, but I didn’t even bother getting one because there is no reason to pay $2 to drink a can of beer in a fenced-off pen by myself,” said Lauren Tuthill ’08.
Sunday’s Barbeque at Townhouses
A barbecue was held on Sunday from 2-6 p.m. for juniors and seniors, to compensate for the lost tradition of Spam Jam held at the townhouses. FUSA members planned such events as a mechanical bull and a DJ for further enjoyment.
“There were a lot of beach residents at the Sunday event. The hope was that it was class specific,” said Sousa.
He also said the mediocre weather hindered student attendance.
“If it’s a nice weekend, the event would get a lot of people,” he said. “If it’s not a nice weekend, it’s a crapshoot.”
Williams said the new format for the two-day Spring Weekend worked out well and the programming from all groups involved was positive. However, there is a possibility that the barbecue will be held at the townhouses on Friday evening from 3- 7 p.m. in the future. Adding new activities, and potentially alcohol, will keep it exciting, he said.
“Now that we’ve laid the foundation for Sunday’s event, we can build on it and possibly introduce alcohol – a worthwhile goal for next year,” said Williams.
Marco Ambrosio ’07, secretary of student life, said the Sunday event was “fine” but attendance was low because students were concerned about finals and the weather.
“Maybe the weather kept kids indoors and not on their porches,” said Ambrosio. “If it was a nice day, more people would’ve been there.”
Since “Down by the Shore” was held on Saturday, the barbecue at the townhouses for juniors and seniors only was scheduled for Sunday.
“It couldn’t conflict with May Day,” he said.
The majority of students who attended the Sunday event were juniors who, Ambrosio said, came to “eat, ride the bull and hangout on their porches.”
“The [mechanical] bull got a workout,” he said.
Downing said the Sunday event never seemed completely full but there were 200 people present throughout the four-hour period. However, students disagreed.
“I was really disappointed because not a lot of students showed up, and it didn’t seem like a special event. The fact [remains] that they held it on Sunday and people had a lot of work to do to this week,” said Lena Carlucci ’08. “They should have had it on Friday or Saturday.”
Sarah Dent ’08, a beach resident, agreed that the event should not have taken place on a Sunday.
“People were tired from the day before and had work to do,” said Dent, who did not attend the Saturday event because she thought it was for underclassmen.
Dent suggested holding the barbecue at the townhouses the same weekend as Mock Wedding because “all the seniors are gone, there is nothing to do at the beach and it would give everyone something to do.”
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