Oct. 21, 2019
COLLEGE PARK, Md.—The sun battles crisp October air, trying to extend the last few rays of a warm Maryland summer as groups of jersey-clad frat boys flock to the barren backyard of an Old Town house.
A shaggy blonde sits atop the deck railing, his iPhone connected to a concert-style speaker. He appeases the crowd with a mix of the latest hits and everyone’s favorite classics. Gaggles of girls stroll in, bee-lining for the bar—a plywood structure with the fraternity’s letters spray painted on the front.
“Brian, hey,” one of the girls taps a towering brunette perched next to the bar, “do you guys have any seltzers or is it just nattys?”
Her friends nod around her, chirping the name of college students’ favorite cheap drink across the country.
Ducking behind the frame of the bar, Brian pops back up with a maroon and white cardboard case: Natural Light ‘Catalina Lime Mixer’ Spiked Seltzers. The girls grin and shout, delighted they’ve been spared the tragedy of drinking their calories from a warm can of beer.
“What I would give to be slugging Zelko right now,” another frat boy pouts as he joins the group of girls and Brian.
The group chattered about the new rule recently put in place in the Greek Life community—no beverage containing over 15% alcohol by volume shall be present at social gatherings.
This rule banned the hard liquor with a scent so potent it resembled rubbing alcohol—a staple of College Park parties—in the hopes of creating a safer drinking environment.
About 30 minutes from the nation’s capital, students at the University of Maryland choose to fill their empty weekends with drinking—a common pastime for college students across the country.
Since students returned to College Park for the fall semester, the city council passed a bill by unanimous vote that hopes to contain “unruly social gatherings” in Old Town.
This new law defines these gatherings as eight or more people—often underage—with the intent to consume alcohol, that disturb the town’s peace.
Should students find themselves in more than one situation where police are called to control said gatherings, both the students residing in the house as well as their landlord are subject to fines up to $1,000. After the third violation, the landlord risks losing his or her rental license.
Dan Alpert, a junior at the University of Maryland, represents the student body as the College Park City Council Liaison. He describes his position as a jointly appointed role between the city council and the Student Government Association.
While Alpert wasn’t surprised to see the bill passed, he said that “for a city and a council that has worked really well with the university, students in general and SGA, for the council to propose a bill without talking to students—it was surprising.”
It wasn’t until a few weeks from the vote that student organizations were made aware of the proposed bill, despite its major effect on their living situations, and potentially their financial stability.
Realistically, Alpert does not expect this ordinance to change much about College Park’s social life. He does admit, however, that it “opens up possibilities for students in particular to be targets and have more financial burdens if they’re living in Old Town.”
Many of the students who came out in droves to attend the city council meeting on Sept. 24 where the ordinance was passed raised this argument.
Backed by nearly four hours of discussion and a petition signed by over 2,000 students, attendees voiced their concerns about receiving fines that can almost equal a year’s worth of textbooks.
Alpert said the amendments to the bill were positive.
These included increasing the number of “unruly” guests from four to eight—many houses in Old Town house more than four residents—and allowing students to remain in their house for the entirety of their lease despite having numerous infractions. Without the amendment, students faced eviction during the year.
“[Students] have a perfectly valid reason to believe we were ignored. Students should know that what the city does affects them,” Alpert said.
As the city enters a time of transition, Alpert hopes students use this ordinance as a catalyst, and urges them all to vote on Nov. 5 if they’re registered in College Park.
“Make there be a reason for your voice to be heard. Use this as a call to action to be involved,” he said.