Thursday Parties Suspended

This article has been updated to include a statement from the Dean of Students Office to the editorial staff.

Claremont McKenna Dean of Students Mary Spellman has indefinitely suspended the registration of Thursday night parties, the Forum has learned. The policy will be re-evaluated at the end of September.

Among other events temporarily canceled is Thursday Night Club, or TNC, a longstanding weekly tradition at the college.

"If and when there is a TNC, it won't be in North Quad, and that's indefinite," Associate Dean of Students Jennifer Maraña said, adding that the suspension is directed at Thursday night wet events.

A statement from the Dean of Students Office further explained the permanent move. "It is difficult to manage the distribution of alcohol in those residence hall areas."

DOS made the decision after an incident occurred this past Thursday evening, September 9, during which three beer kegs were found by campus security. The college allows one keg to be registered for Thursday events, using a formula that balances the expected number of students attending with the number of those likely to be over 21 years old. Only one keg had been registered by the student government.

ASCMC officials admit to having purchased three kegs for the party, and say more than one has typically been purchased in the past. But campus security has never cared, and de facto policy has been to let additional kegs– for a group of students almost always larger than anticipated and registered– to go unnoticed.

Campus security for the Claremont Colleges changed heads this year, however, and has seen 80% of its staff replaced. New hires discovered the additional kegs being brought in by residents of the host dorm.

“Everything done on Thursday night was the same protocol we have followed for years,” Dorm Affairs Chair Alexander Reichert said. “So we’ve been living with this area of gray for a long time. Now DOS wants to make it more black and white.”

Spellman's office denied this has been the case.

"Having more kegs at an event than what is registered is unacceptable," the statement reads.

TNC, recently turned a CMC-only event, was suspended last spring under similar language and circumstances. The new tone from DOS follows incidents that have threatened other traditional CMC parties, such as the Senior Thesis Fountain Party and the Madrigal Feast.

Michael Wilner contributed to this report.