The weekend of Oct. 28 through Oct. 30 will prove to be an eventful one for the city of Madison. Between two hockey games, a Broadway show and Halloween, the isthmus will be overflowing with people and parking garages will be full.
The City of Madison and the University of Wisconsin have been preparing since last year's celebration and are focusing on downsizing the event, decreasing the number of visitors and managing the crowds on State Street.
UW Interim Dean of Students Lori Berquam said she sent an e-mail to Big Ten and UW System schools notifying them that students from their colleges have been arrested in the past during the Madison event.
"We want the UW-Madison students to take back Halloween," Berquam said. "We want it to be for our students."
According to Berquam, after this year's events, a list of those who were arrested and the universities they attend will be compiled and forwarded on to those institutions.
"We recognize that everyone's code of conduct might not apply to off-campus behavior … but being in another city doesn't hold them less accountable for their behavior," Berquam said. "Unfortunately, other schools don't have that pride or ownership in the city of Madison that we do."
Amelious White, chief of staff in the Office for Student Affairs at the University of Minnesota, said a front-page story ran in the student newspaper Monday about Madison's Halloween. The university will probably encourage students to be responsible, he added, possibly through an advertisement.
"I'm fairly certain a lot of students are aware of what Madison is trying to do," Whyte said.
The e-mail also requested that schools do not charter buses to Madison during the Halloween weekend. However, some private bus companies — such as Gofer Bus or SchoolRider, which offer a round-trip package from Minnesota to Madison for $79 — were not notified.
Whyte said last year, U of M printed informational fliers for the bus companies to hand out to Minnesota students on their way to Madison. The flier informed students of the laws in Madison and encouraged them to behave during the celebration.
In another attempt to decrease the number of visitors, University Housing and the Private Residence Halls are prohibiting guests over Halloween weekend. Last year, one guest per room was allowed in the public residence halls.
Director of University Housing Paul Evans said there have been easily 3,000 or more guests in residence halls over the weekend.
"All the evidence points out [that our] biggest problem during the Halloween weekend is non-students," Evans said. "You are just inviting in problems (with visitors) because they don't really care about the school or the city and they certainly don't listen to the staff."
Berquam encourages students to "invite anyone here any other weekend of the year — just not Halloween." If the celebration is kept under control, visitors will be welcome in the future, she added.
"We have to interrupt this before someone gets killed," she said, referring to past years' riots.
Eric Varney, chair of Associated Students of Madison, which has played an advisory role in the Halloween decision-making process, said he believes the university and the city have a "pretty solid plan."
"Only time will tell," he added. "If people want to riot, they're gonna riot. I just hope people are smart about what they do so we can have a Halloween next year."
