 "Photo: Michael Rice")
Unlike most people who spend their weekend nights relaxing from work, a team of about eight members called the "Weekend Walkers" throw on a pair of sneakers and a blue windbreaker labeled "student affairs" to walk the streets of Durham.
A team of two members from the Division of Student and Academic Services and other UNH community members circle all the central hotspots on campus, for the first and last six weekends of school, to keep an eye on students. Most of the time the Weekend Walkers are simply there to give helpful reminders such as, "it's eleven o'clock you might want to turn down your music" or "an open container can get you arrested."
Programs such as the Weekend Walkers have been crucial in bridging the gap between the campus police department and UNH staff to the students. There was so much chaos in 2002, when the Red Sox won the World Series and the men's hockey team made it into the Frozen Four, UNH Deputy Police Chief, Paul Dean realized he could not rely only on the police force to control students. New and innovative ways were necessary to regulate the campus.
"The program has been absolutely effective. We only had 45 arrests last weekend compared to ten years ago when we would have had 150," said Dean, who worked on the grant that has helped fuel the program.
Director of the MUB, MaryAnne Lustgraaf, is one of the founders of Weekend Walkers. She has made a point to get invited into all of the Greek house meetings so that she knows many of the members on a first name basis. Walking past most fraternities last Saturday evening a friendly, "Hi MaryAnne!" could be heard by brothers drinking in lawn chairs.
"I started volunteering because I thought it would be an interesting way to get to know the students," said Lustgraaf.
Not only do Lustgraaf and the other Weekend Walkers get to know students outside of an academic setting, they are also able to educate other staff members on the reality of UNH weekend culture. This has helped shape policy and advocate in the students best interest. Last year the MUB hosted 4,000 open events during the academic school year, nearly double the totals from 2002.
None of the university's acknowledged fraternities have been allowed to host parties this fall because fire inspections have not taken place; therefore, larger than usual packs of party scouts have been roaming the streets of Durham looking for a place to crash.
Passing by fraternity Sigma Nu on Saturday evening, Derek Jamieson was found explaining to an aggressive group of 20 that there was nothing going on. Though Lustgraaf and Jessica Smestad, a fellow Weekend Walker, do not have police authority the majority of the crowd dispersed as they approached the fraternities' wrought iron gate.
"Thank you very much MaryAnne, your presence is always welcome," said Jamieson.
Walking up to Sigma Nu and seeing the crowds flock at the sight of an adult authority shows that the Weekend Walkers are an important scapegoat for the universities nightlife. Even though a Weekend Walker does not hold legal power, they will call for police assistance when they feel the situation is out of their control.
As the bars started closing early Sunday morning, Smestad and Lustgraaf walked over to a girl lying on the sidewalk throwing up on Main St. Though she had a sober friend helping her out and she was 21, the girl wasn't able to stand. Police assistance was called.
"I didn't want to walk away with that in the back of my mind," Lustgraaf explained.
As Saturday turned into Sunday, and the Weekend Walkers began seeing their own breath, they explained that police have to be more concerned with the law. The Weekend Walkers are around to make sure that UNH students are able to have fun in a safe way.
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