Last year, the University’s cancellation of the annual 200 Nights celebration left seniors without any countdown-to-graduation bash until Ashlee Fox ’06 stepped in and organized 100 Nights. This year, the debate on campus centers around the fact that seniors will have two events to chose from instead of one.
Two separate events are planned for the senior class by the senior class. One – which will take place Feb. 9 at an undisclosed location – is planned by seniors Darrin Lusk and Emily Dittrich.
The other was originally planned by the Student Beach Resident Association (SBRA), but has now been taken over by “three reliable beach residents who have a lot of experience planning class events,” according to an e-mail sent to senior beach residents from the students now planning the event.
Duane Melzer, coordinator of off-campus students, said that it is his understanding that prior to working at Fairfield, student beach residents planned class-oriented events without help from the administration.
“Students are adults and they can easily plan events off campus,” Melzer said.
Over the summer, Dittrich spoke to Fox about her experience planning the event. This inspired Dittrich to plan an event for her class.
A Facebook event was created in September to let people know that plans were in the works and to get feedback from students, said Dittrich.
According to a statement from the organization, SBRA had no intention of competing with the event hosted by Lusk and Dittrich.
While both parties have been tight-lipped about the controversy surrounding the planning of both events, Dittrich and Jen Miller ’07, Secretary of SBRA, both confirmed they spoke in the early stages of the event planned by Dittrich and Lusk.
Miller said that purpose of her conversations with Dittrich was to inquire on behalf of the students SBRA represents about the event planned by Ditrich and Lusk. According to Miller and the official statement from SBRA, the organization was approached by students about the credibility of the planners and what they viewed as a high price of $85 per person.
It was SBRA’s job to find an alternative, Miller said.
“It’s not really fair to the class to split everyone up, and that’s what seems to be happening,” Dittrich said.
Miller, however, said she believes that “whichever event students decide to go to, they are going to have a great time.”
The SBRA began planning an event for Feb. 17 at the Rain Ultra Loundge in South Norwalk, but the organization announced in a statement e-mailed to The Mirror last week it is no longer planning the event.
“The hardest part is getting approval from the school for events that people will still want to attend,” the statement said. “After meetings with administration and deliberation, the result was SBRA and Fairfield not hosting the event and withdrawing completely from any association with it.”
According to Melzer, the reason for SBRA’s withdrawal from 100 Nights was that the Rain Ultra Lounge did not having enough space for the expected number of attendees and SBRA’s desire to save money for a “spring fling” type of event that would promote class building with other activities than drinking alcohol.
The new event, however, mirrors the SBRA event almost identically.
The event will still be held at Rain and according to the SBRA statement, the new students contacted Rain themselves to plan the event. The $20 cost per person will still include transportation to and from Rain but will no longer include food and drinks. However, food and drink specials will be offered, according to an e-mail sent to beach residents.
The event planned by Dittrich and Lusk costs $85 per person and includes transportation, food, an open bar and a specialized 100 Nights shot glass.
Although the events are scheduled for two different nights, seniors may not plan to attend both.
“I don’t think most people will go to both,” Caroline Kelly ’07 said. “Everyone is going to go where their friends are going and that kind of depends on whether they like on campus or off campus.”
Brandon Reilly lives on campus and is attending the event hosted by Lusk and Dittrich. “I have friends that are going to [that event] with me,” he said.
Sean McGrath ’07 said he will definitely be attending a 100 Nights event but is unsure which one.
“It is hard to tell which event is going to be popular and affordable,” McGrath said. “I haven’t really decided yet because I’m not sure of all the details to be honest.”
Kelly said she sensed a rivalry between the two events.
“It would have been interesting if the two groups got together and planned an event for everyone,” she said. “I think that’s what [Lusk and Dittrich] were trying to do, plan an event for everyone while the SBRA one was more for people at the beach.
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