This article has been edited to properly reflect which dorms are affected by the new ID policy.
University of Wisconsin dorms will require residents to register guests for a rate of $100 during Halloween weekend. To ensure students are abiding by the new registration fee, Wiscard and ID checks will continue to be performed at larger dorms to gain entry into the dorm buildings, and all dorms will be locked for the weekend.
In years past, larger dorms still required Wiscard and ID checks but no guests were allowed. This year, all dorms, including Lakeshore, will be enforcing the new $100 fee guest policy, UW housing representative Brendon Dybdahl said.
“We want to ensure the safest environment we can and the most comfortable environment we can for our residents who are living with us,” Dybdahl said.
Limiting the number of guests at UW dorms has allowed security and house fellows to maintain safety during a well-known “party” weekend at UW, Dybdahl said.
Students, however, made complaints saying that some circumstances required the option to have guests at the dorm, Dybdahl said.
“If someone was coming from out of town, their options were a hotel or perhaps stay with somebody living off campus, which are not ideal options. So, hopefully, this gives some flexibility and allows for those cases where that’s needed,” Dybdahl said.
The $100 guest fee for Halloween weekend has students feeling upset along with the 5% tuition increase in the last year, Lakeshore dorm resident Jerra Peters said.
Though students now have the option of hosting guests, many are still upset by the new policy, such as Daniel Fioretti.
“I think it’s kind of ridiculous, you know, I wanted to have my friends visit,” Fioretti said.
“We’re already paying so much for tuition that it doesn’t really make sense to me that we have to pay more to have guests come stay for Halloween,” Peters said.
The fees are mainly used to deter every student from hosting a guest at their dorm, but the money will be going toward preparation for the hectic Halloween weekend, such as paying overtime for house fellows, Dybdahl said.
As Halloween approaches, Witte house fellow Alannah Meese said UW Housing is trying to keep students safe and making it easier for house fellows to do so.
“I just want everyone to go out and be safe. If you ever feel the need, call the house fellow on duty. Don’t be afraid to call someone for help,” Meese said.
