Correction appended: Feb. 24, 2013.
Students living in residence halls on campus will have to contend with some changes to residence life policy this weekend.
In anticipation of State Patty’s Day, the number of guests allowed in the halls has been restricted. Residence Life is setting a limit at one guest per every regular two-person room and two guests for supplemental housing, Caleb Fernandez, president of the Association of Residence Hall Students said.
Fernandez (sophomore-advertising and public relations) also said that the number of residential advisers on duty will be “more than usual” and the Penn State Auxiliary Police will have increased rounds over the weekend.
If a student is found to have more than one guest, the student will be subject to sanctions, Diane Andrews, senior director of Penn State Residence Life said via email.
Additional guests could be asked to find another place to stay, Andrews said.
The policy was enacted last year, Andrews said, which lead to a significant decrease in damages and other policy violations during the weekend last year.
Penn State students expressed mixed reactions to the policy.
Marlon Gil said he thinks the policy is not only unfair but also impractical.
Gil called the new changes “crazy.”
“They’re trying to control our social lives,” Gil (senior-electrical engineering) said. “I’m pretty sure the RAs won’t be hunting people down.”
But Amanda Murphy said she thinks the policy is fair.
“I think it’s acceptable because the ones that make all the destruction downtown are from out of town,” Murphy (sophomore-environmental system engineering) said. “I wasn’t planning on having anyone over so it doesn’t affect my plans.”
Nadia Garnett said she also agrees with the policy.
“I can definitely understand the change,” Garnett (senior-Spanish) said. “It’s kind of better because the problems come from people who visit.”
Nick Anderegg contributed to this report
