Monmouth U students learn to 'party smart' New program provides students with tips on how to host parties BY DANIEL HOWLEY Staff Writer The Monmouth University Human and Community Relations Committee has launched a student-sponsored program aimed at bettering relations between students living off campus and local residents. Developed by Monmouth University student Nicole Stevens, the Party Smart Program provides students living off campus with information about how to host parties, while being respectful of their neighbors. "Students wanted to reach out to their peers in a creative way to encourage them to make good decisions," said Stevens, who chairs the Human and Community Relations Committee. Similar programs have seen success at other schools, including Ohio State University, Colgate University in New York, the University of Michigan and Old Dominion University in Virginia, according to Stevens. "Trying out such a program at Monmouth would benefit both students and local community members, since it would encourage students to be more responsible when having off-campus parties," Stevens said. Students participating in the Party Smart Program receive kits containing information on local laws and commonsense practices for hosting off-campus parties, according to Stevens. "The Party Smart kits include various items as well as a Party Smart pamphlet, which has a great deal of information about alcohol safety and other helpful hints about ways to 'party smart,'" Stevens said. At its inaugural kickoff party in February, Stevens said students were given kits and information highlighting common sense practices for hosting parties. Approximately 20 Monmouth University students are participating in the Party Smart Program, Stevens said. "The program is still fairly new, however, and we hope to advertise it much more in the coming weeks as well as next semester when we can get a fresh start with the beginning of a new school year," Stevens said. The formation of the Party Smart Program comes on the heels of a February Ocean Township hall meeting hosted by state Sen. Sean Kean, where scores of local residents complained of repeated problems with students living off campus in residential neighborhoods. At the meeting, frustrated residents asked Kean to develop a plan that would give local governments more power to intervene and punish students living off campus, as well as the landlords who rent the houses to the college students. Kean told residents that he is crafting legislation targeted at landlords. "The legislation that we are going to introduce really focuses on the landlords," Kean said at the meeting. "I know some of you out there went to college at sometime … and you may have done some things that the kids are doing now. "The answer to this is to really focus on ways to give an incentive to the landlords to improve the quality of life for everyone in the community," Kean added. Representatives from Monmouth University responded to Kean's comments in a prepared statement saying, "While the majority of students are good tenants and good neighbors, the university realizes that on occasion an offcampus incident will occur. "When a student violates the law or disrupts the quality of life in a neighborhood, Monmouth University takes action immediately," it stated. Student renters caught committing criminal offenses off campus are charged according to the university's Student Code of Conduct, as well as by the towns. Stevens said that she believes most large schools experience similar situations with students residing off campus. "The important thing is that Monmouth's students and administration are aware of the issue and are taking an active part in improving community relations," Stevens said. Communication between students and residents is key to avoiding problems, Stevens said. "Students should also show their neighbors that they are trying to be good, respectful, cooperative neighbors, hoping for the same respect in return," Stevens said, explaining that she is hopeful that the Party Smart Program will be a success. "Hopefully the program will stay atMonmouth for years to come, continuing to encourage students to be more responsible when having off-campus parties and thereby improving Monmouth University's relations with the surrounding communities," Stevens said. Students interested in participating in the Party Smart Program can pick up a Party Smart kit at the university's activities office. In addition to the Party Smart Program, the university has also developed the "Living Off-Campus 101" seminar, according to Mary Anne Nagy, vice president of student affairs. "In an effort to continue to educate our students on the dangers of binge drinking, a new program was implemented in the fall 2007 semester for our offcampus residents," Nagy said. "The Office of SubstanceAwareness and the Office of Off-Campus and Commuter Student Services jointly offer this program for students living off campus where these and other important neighbor issues are discuss. "Each house is invited to send at least one representative to this training with the idea that the person will go back and share the information with the rest of the household," Nagy said. She further explained that if students are charged with violating the university's Student Code of Conduct by hosting parties that are disruptive to area residents, they will be given special consideration as to the severity of their punishment if they attend the seminar. "In other words, it is to the benefit of each house to have a representative at this meeting," Nagy said.