Ohio University’s on-campus residents received an email Sept. 30 notifying them of restrictions that will be in place for Halloween weekend.
Restrictions will begin Oct. 29 at 5 p.m. and last until Nov. 1 at 8 a.m., according to the email. Off-campus residents will be prohibited from all residence halls throughout the weekend. However, on-campus residents will be allowed to visit other residence halls.
Those living on campus will be required to wear wristbands issued by OU during the whole weekend, Jneanne Hacker, interim executive director for Housing and Residence Life, said. Wristbands will be used to monitor which students are permitted in residence halls, Hacker said.
To help staff monitor, students will only be able to enter each building through the main entrance, she said.
As Halloween nears, students are being informed of those guidelines by their respective resident assistants, Anna Mcelhaney, a freshman studying nursing, said. Initially, she was frustrated by the guidelines, as she had planned to have an off-campus friend stay with her through the weekend.
“I feel like it (the wristbands) makes me feel safer so that no guys are getting in or anything, or strangers, but it is kind of annoying,” Mcelhaney said. “But at the same time, I … feel safer by it.”
On-campus parking restrictions will also be in place throughout the weekend, according to an OU news release.
Campus parking lots will be closed to the public beginning Oct. 30 at 7 p.m. through Oct. 31 at 7 a.m. Tickets issued during that time will consist of a $150 fine and will not be eligible for appeal.
Faculty, staff and currently enrolled students in possession of a valid parking pass will be permitted to park in any lot the pass is valid within.
Although some are comforted or frustrated by the guidelines, others are neutral when it comes to their thoughts on the topic.
Ren Pollitt, a freshman studying social work, says she is “indifferent” to the guidelines. Many of Pollitt’s friends attend OU, relieving the issue of visitors, and she does understand the reasons the guidelines have been put in place, she said. She does feel, however, the wristband policy may be excessive.
“I definitely am concerned about losing it,” Pollitt said. “I’m also concerned if it's going to be like a paper one or something that was going to rip off and wear down. If I have to wear it for a whole weekend, if it gets ripped, they said they aren't issuing more than one.”
