Kent’s Halloween celebration is intense. Thousands of fairy-tale characters stumble through the streets, police stand guard with 100 wrist-ties on their belts and the alcohol supply is unlimited.
I’m all about going out and having a good time, but where’s Kent State University’s public relations and communications department? Crime and public drunkenness are greatly increased every Halloween weekend, and I think that Kent State’s PR should be reaching out to students.
What Kent State is doing wrong
When I searched “Kent State University Halloween 2011” on Google, I found ridiculous videos from YouTube and a few stories about this weekend. Students who were involved in the crazy party posted the drunken videos. One story, “KSUPD to Focus on Campus Security for Halloween” discussed campus police and the guest rules in dorms, another story “Celebrate Halloween Kent Style” featured pumpkin carving and the other “Don’t Be A Shitshow This Halloween” discussed smart drinking. Most stories were from Kentwired.com, a student-run campus newspaper.
Why are students the main source for communication about Halloween? Why isn’t Kent State trying to communicate safety with students in preparation for the typically out-of-control weekend? Where is the information about safety and how to handle a dangerous or troublesome situation?
What Kent State should be doing
Although Kent State is taking proper precautions by having extra patrol on campus and monitoring campus guests, I think more student communication should be done. I have three suggestions for Kent State’s communications department.
- Create a specific Emergency Hotline for Kent students on Halloween. Instead of the typical 911 call, Kent campus and city police should have a line that students can call specifically on Halloween night if they are in trouble. This number should be put on posters and communicated to students around campus.
- Have a seminar with a professional self-defense instructor. Students love going to see the different speakers for free on campus, why not take advantage of this and teach student how to handle a dangerous situation. This would be extremely beneficial to students before a weekend like Halloween.
- Send a mass email to all students addressing this weekend. Kent State has to have a plan to help keep students safe. An email explaining Kent State’s precautions and precautions for students should be communicated before the festivities start.
These are only three ways that Kent State could help out students before Halloween weekend. Can you think of others ways that Kent State can help students prepare for the party?
Great recommendations, Britney. I know the university has posted guidelines in the past. Check out the guidelines at OU. http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=ohio%20university%20halloween%202011&source=web&cd=4&sqi=2&ved=0CDkQFjAD&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ohio.edu%2Fstudents%2Fnews%2F2011%2Floader.cfm%3FcsModule%3Dsecurity%2Fgetfile%26pageid%3D1898965&ei=-dyyTrmHNpPMsQLluIC_Aw&usg=AFQjCNH8PaKdTWDEo_kFt3qp6MAQ-ZNtdQ&sig2=uVotVTuO2mR-OoesQtcuaQ&cad=rja
To start off I love the idea of getting more communications to the students themselves. For myself I am a senior here at Kent State I have only known about Kent Halloween because I have been living in an apartment near downtown Kent. I know about just because of the word of mouth.
This is how most Kent State students know about Kent Halloween as well. It is all about hearing it from other people. I will completely agree with some of your statements as well, this is one of the most dangerous days in Kent. Students just do not know how to hold their alcohol very well. There were about 87 911 calls Halloween 2011, 22 of those being alcohol related. If you are caught downtown in the streets around all this craziness, it will seem like almost every other person you pass on the sidewalks will be stumbling or have red eyes due to drinking.
The only thing I would add in would be something to the effect of being smarter while drinking. Trying to enforce the underage drinking law would not work, students under 21 would find a way to drink anyway. Knowing how to drink is important, although the same argument for nobody going to a seminar would also apply here. That is why you could get someone famous to be the spokesperson, perhaps someone who has dealt with drinking problems and is able to shed some light on drinking, by making an emotional statement about it.
I think another way that Kent could help out the inevitable drinking issue, is to have medical units already set up around Downtown Kent. Having fliers up where these checkpoints are located before Halloween, so that students could go to that location for medical assistance. These are just a few ideas to add on to your three. I do not think any of these will be completely effective due to the nature of College Students wanting to get “fucked up”, and thinking they are invincible. All Kent State can do is provide a way to keep their students from dying on this night, and so far so good, we have not had any deaths on Kent Halloween that have been reported.