[media-credit name=’MATTHEW KUTZ / Herald Photo’ align=’alignnone’ width=’648′][/media-credit]To reduce the number of visitors to Madison for Halloween, Interim Dean of Students Lori Berquam has made significant strides in contacting neighboring university officials about expectations regarding the celebration.

Berquam said she has spoken with officials from all other University of Wisconsin system schools and all Big Ten Universities. She asked neighboring university officials to contact their students and request they reconsider any plans to visit for Halloween. However, the interim dean will delay judgment on any triumph until after the Halloween weekend.

"I'm certainly pleased with the publicity our stance on Halloween has gotten," Berquam said. "But I'd hold off on my response with regard to the success of the effort until after we see what actually happens on Halloween."

Berquam's efforts have led to publicity in several Midwest newspapers, including the Chicago Sun Times. Several campus newspapers, including those at Marquette University, Indiana University, Michigan State University, the University of Minnesota, UW-River Falls, UW-Oshkosh, UW-Eau Claire and UW-Green Bay, have also printed stories about Berquam's message.

Molly Tilleson, a senior at the University of Minnesota, said administrators at U of M have tried to inform students of housing regulations and potential sanctions accompanying crime in Madison this weekend.

"There was an e-mail sent to the entire student body," Tilleson said. "And there've been several articles in the student paper discouraging students to attend the event."

According to Tilleson, although the administration made efforts to contact students, she is not sure how effective the message will be.

"I wouldn't say [administration] made it a huge point to make sure everyone knew," Tilleson said. "A lot of students don't read the student newspaper, and I'm not sure how carefully anyone really read that e-mail. If they were really serious about discouraging students from going to Madison, they could have used some other means to do it."

Tilleson said she would not be coming to Madison for Halloween. A number of students are sticking around for the football game and the beginning of the basketball season, she added.

However, UW students who do not live in the residence halls are most likely going to have visitors. Berquam said she has accepted this fact and hopes students will be able to exhibit some responsibility for their guests.

"I think the student body has really gotten on board with this whole 'save Halloween' idea," Berquam said. "If we want this thing to continue, we've got to save it. I hope that people who do have visitors are able to say to them, 'be a good visitor, don't start fires, don't riot and don't be destructive.'"

In Midwestern newspapers, Berquam's message for students to reconsider visiting Madison on Halloween was shortly followed by the news that UW residence halls would not allow any guests over the weekend. Berquam said this effort would only make a small dent in the crowds on State Street, but it will make a huge difference for life in the dorms.

"I think, if nothing else, that policy will definitely have an effect in those residence halls," Berquam said. "Students will probably not have to fight for the use of their showers, or have to step over so much vomit, or have to worry about waking up with a stranger sleeping on their floor."