Halloween security tight at freshmen dorms

By Bobbi Jo Snethen

For most UW freshmen, Halloween had only been experienced through their televisions sets or fabricated by friends' tall tales of pepper spray and rioting. This year, however, the Freakfest celebration seems nothing more than a Badger home football crowd-with the audience in costume instead of a Sea of Red.

In recent years, university residence halls implemented a strict code upon freshmen residents during Halloween weekend.

"We required our House Fellow staff to have house meetings with their residents to go over the policies for the weekend which includes no guests, and to review safety and security issues with the State Street event," said UW Assistant Director of Housing Kay Reuter-Krohn. "We even let them know during orientation, so that it doesn't come as a surprise."

In attempt to provide a "safe, clean and comfortable home" for residence hall students during Halloween, University Housing prohibited any guests besides other UW-Madison residents from entering the building, increased security, including constant surveying by police, and limited entry with electronic keys new to University Housing.

But for some freshmen, the message wasn't clear enough to cancel plans made with out-of-town companions hoping to stay overnight.

"I live in the dorms, but since my friends don't, they're going to sleep in their cars tonight," said freshman Megan Seroogy who live in the Elizabeth Waters dormitory. "We even tried to make hotel arrangements, but the closest hotel we could find rooms in was like six miles away."

Others in the southeast dorms expressed frustration in the policy.

"It's unfortunate that even though we're not planning on destroying anything or burning down anything like in the years past, we still are penalized this way," said 18-year-old Witte resident Joey Schroeder, dressed up as Joseph Stalin for the night. "It's supposed to deter people from coming to town but that's not happening and if anything, it'll put more drunk drivers on the road."

Witte house fellow Chris Wagner, who watched Witte's inside stairwell for half of his eight-hour shift, explained that students have alternatives to drinking and costume displaying on State Street.

"We planned a movie night that's going on right now titled 'Serial Killers and Cereal' so kids can be entertained without leaving the facility," said Wagner. "We also had a pumpkin painting contest earlier this evening."
Students just across the street participated in Video Game night at Ogg Hall.

"I just spent like four or five hours in there," said freshman Adams Hall resident Jon Wick on his way home with a couple of friends around 1 am Saturday. "I just think the whole Freakfest thing is overrated. You can go on State Street any weekend and watch people pour out onto the streets looking like idiots, maybe it's just funnier when they're wearing costumes."

Although the majority of freshmen seem to spend their Friday and Saturday night carousing off to house parties and onto State Street, they generally make it back safe and sound.

"The worst we've seen tonight is just really intoxicated kids who need help to their rooms, but no violence, no rioting or anger," said Wagner.

This was Wagner's first year performing house fellow duties, while UW Police Sergeant Kurt Feavel was entering his 23rd year on the force for Halloween weekend.

"We don't get a lot of uproar near the freshmen dorms . . . For the most part, they seem to follow the rules very well, but with what's happened in the past, we've learned to be prepared for the worst in all of downtown," said Feavel.

Feavel's partner in fighting crime, UW Police Officer Aaron Chapin, says working the shift is just a waiting game.

"This is my seventh year on the force and the night's always going to climax at bar time, if at all," said Chapin. "Our job is primarily to make sure these kids make it home safe."

Bar time came and everything from bumble bees to Flintstones poured through the dorm entrance. Eventually the pour became a trickle and Friday night of Madison's coveted Halloween weekend tradition ended rather mildly-similar to that of any other weekend on campus.

However, with the Badger football team facing Indiana for the homecoming game, and Freakfest looming, the weekend was far from over.

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