THE CARROLL NEWS: Editorial: Spring Concert

Editorial: Spring Concert
================================================================================
staff on 01 April, 2008 04:09:31
 
This past Friday, SUPB brought rapper T-Pain to John Carroll University for the
spring concert. Although the group succeeded in hosting a popular act that was
generally enjoyed by the crowd, problems concerning security and safety arose as
the night unfolded. Long lines and incoherently drunk students were prevalent
during the course of the show. SUPB needs to evaluate security measures and
logistics in order to ensure that chaos doesn’t happen at future events.
Although doors opened at 7 p.m., many students waited in a line that reached
from the DeCarlo Varsity Center to the intersection of Washington Boulevard and
South Belvoir Boulevard for over an hour. This was due in part to one of the
three metal detectors not functioning while people began filtering into the gym.
The long lines and rowdy behavior of students who were pushing and line cutting
could have easily been avoided by having more metal detectors and by utilizing
other security measures such as pat downs or wands. Also, opening the entrance
by the recreation desk would have alleviated much of the problem.
Also, it wasn’t communicated to students that they were prohibited from
using cameras. This needs to be done in the future so that students don’t
have to throw out their batteries or run back to their residence halls to drop
off cameras.
The other major problem was the level of intoxication of many students.
Although EMS was on hand and prepared for potential emergencies, the amount of
students needing medical attention due to accidents caused by intoxication far
surpassed the number of staff on duty. EMS had to work around the clock
attending to intoxicated people.
This easily could be fixed by having more security on staff and turning away
students who were obviously intoxicated.
It is important that the logistics of future events be thought out and that
potential problems be worked out in advance by the programming committee.