Professional Football. The NFL, Otherwise known as the No Fun League. Wear the wrong socks, get a fine. Celebrate excessively in the end-zone, get a fine. Unapproved visor on your helmet? Fine. Twelve men in the huddle? Penalty.

Sound like UD? Now we're getting somewhere. As is normal policy, the university has informed its students they are getting wind of 'unauthorized spring festival parties' as they put it this year. While thanking us for our ability to demonstrate cooperation throughout the year, they remind us that the university is ready to take appropriate action to manage the risk to safety and property associated with these 'unauthorized festivals.'

Apparently the police have been instructed to confront gatherings larger than 12 guests along with parties that have live bands and loud music. So, for example, say my household of six people and all have girlfriends. Invite those six girlfriends over to be with us six guys and, uh-oh, another friend shows up: time for the cops to intervene. Say for example Jesus was getting together with his 12 disciples'that's too many, time to intervene. Or did I interpret that wrong? It did say gatherings of more than 12 guests, right? What is a gathering? Does it consist of 13 people playing Scrabble with Colas? Or is it 13 people with alcohol?

Now for the 'Party Policy.' Apparently open social functions of serious crowd control problems that threaten property, life and public order are subject to university disciplinary action. I understand the university's worry about property and public order. Breaking of bottles for fun and damaging other people's property does get old on this campus. But the last time a social function threatened the lives of those involved, well, I guess I wasn't invited.

The other thing I take as upsetting is it is cited that the risk to university learning/living community standards allows the University to amend predetermined appropriate standard sanctions (PASS) for violations of regulations. The university also has the ability to arbitrarily raise our fines when they feel its necessary, yet as students we can't decide to pay less if something isn't up to our standards (say for instance food at KU is terrible one day'no offense to those @ KU). Something I find as a risk to university learning/living community is what is happening at UD. Promoting UD as a community is truly becoming a lie.

Dividing the student body from their university doesn't strike me as the continuance of community. Apparently having 13 people at a social gathering is too much of a community to accept. Hasn't anyone learned from other instances throughout this country that when someone is told not to do something, it increases the curiosity and devilishness to attempt to supersede that order?

There is a very divisive line being drawn among UD students and the 'policy' makers and administration. That is NOT a good thing. Usually people are proud to be alumni of their university. And that's not to say many people aren't proud of a lot of things about UD. But as the community and openness of our university seems to slowly disintegrate, numerous people I've talked to have said they would refuse to give money to UD as an alumni because of many of the policy decisions being made.

UD isn't the NFL. It is fun. It has many great things about it, but some growing bad things about it. It is as if the university is challenging its students to disobey its proclamations. I don't think anyone wants a battle. But it seems as if a battle is inevitable if issues continue to be presented in these challenging manors. I want nothing more than to be proud of all aspects of UD and its community. Some issues need to be discussed and fixed. Otherwise right now, I'm calling a penalty.

Christopher Phelan

Junior

Communications