At Orientation, every freshman hears the legend of Ball State University once topping the Playboy party school charts, but partying in Muncie isn’t what it used to be.
About a decade ago, we became a dry campus. In 2004, there was a crackdown on public intoxication and big parties in response to a year of tragedies. Last week, Muncie liquor stores stopped selling kegs, and tougher enforcement of the noise ordinance might be in place by October.
Times are certainly changing. And on behalf of the entire student body, its time to say things are going too far.
If the amendment — proposed by the Ball State-Muncie cooperative Campus Community Coalition — passes, repeat noise-violation offenders could be labeled “no-party properties” and charged $250 for future noise violations. Apparently, the policy will increase “order” in near-campus neighborhoods and help clean up litter on the streets.
When it comes to jobs, city revenue, the art scene and media attention, the Muncie community embraces Ball State. However, when it comes to parties, noise, temporary residences and cars parked along near-campus streets — the realities of having thousands of college students in the neighborhood — Muncie is much less accepting.
If the city wants to build better relationships with Ball State, it must be willing to work with the students, too, not just make administrators happy.
We thought that was the point of the Mayor’s Commission, to speak from the student perspective on Muncie policies, but they have yet to hold their first meeting.
Giving Muncie national media attention for being the college town that took away kegs — and maybe loud music, too — isn’t the way to show good faith toward current and potential university students. If we wanted to go to Brigham Young University, we would’ve.
We’re young. We’re students. We study and work hard and generally keep to ourselves, but sometimes we party. It’s college. Things were pretty much the same around here — if not worse — a decade or so ago, when these Muncie residents who are complaining about parties were in their 20s.
If residents are being put in danger and the city streets aren’t safe, the police department has a duty to tighten its control. However, if the biggest problems parties are causing include loud music and trash in the streets, live and let live.
Embrace your local college students.
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