Post-TDF Stats: An Interview with Dean Rick Culliton

So, for the past week, Zach has been getting me—by threatening me with a glow-stick, as usual—to run around with him to get the administrative perspective on Tour de Franzia. Here’s the first product of that running around, an interview with Dean Rick Culliton, Assistant Vice President for Student Affairs, who was gracious enough to give us—via a set of terse email replies—the post-game stats of last Friday’s revelries.

A longer, more conversational interview with Dean Mike Whaley, Vice President for Student Affairs, will be posted sometime later today, if I ever finish my paper in time. (Edit: Whoops, probz tomorrow.) For Public Safety’s own “Awareness Report” regarding the event, click here.

Could you describe the administration’s attempts to prevent Tour de Franzia from taking place this year?

As you are aware, the university increased its staff presence by doubling up the public safety shifts and bringing in about 20 student affairs staff to monitor the event, secure facilities and address violations of the code of non-academic conduct.

Did you think these strategies were successful? If so, how so?

The increased presence of staff led to less vandalism than previous years and an increase in the number of students documented who will now face judicial charges as a result.

How has the administration’s approach during the event changed in the past few years?

We had more staff present this year in an effort to provide support to Public Safety in managing the problematic behaviors that have characterized this event in the past.

How many students were hospitalized/documented during the event?

There were five intoxicated people who required medical attention.  Four were students and one was a non-student guest in a woodframe.  I don’t have the total number of students who were documented for other violations but those students will be notified of charges from my office in the coming days. In addition to the open containers and underage drinking violations, there was a student arrest, two fire alarm pulls, a discharged fire extinguisher in a wood frame, and several incidents of damage around campus.

How does the administration/SJB define an “open container” with regard to Tour de Franzia?

I would describe carrying a bag of wine around campus so people can drink it at various outdoor locations as a violation of the open container policy.

Does the administration/P-Safe actually read the ACB? Did they actively use the ACB as a means to prevent the tour? If so, how so?

I can’t speak for everyone in the administration but we are aware that some students use Wesleying and the ACB to communicate, although I wouldn’t say we monitor it.  Much of the information about the tour was provided to us by students who were concerned about the event as well as the serious problems (assaults, hospitalization, vandalism, sexual assaults) that accompany events like this.