Members of the student body:
As you know, student government has been working extremely hard to represent the best interests of the student body in relation to the party permit ordinance proposed by the South Bend Common Council. We have made significant progress over the past month. The third public hearing on the ordinance is delayed until Sept. 17, and the Mayor's office recently introduced an updated version of the ordinance. I consider both of these developments to be positive and initial steps in the right direction.
That being said, continued progress is absolutely contingent on the state of student behavior off campus in the coming weeks and throughout the school year.
Do not perceive my statements as supportive of a cessation of student parties. I enjoy going out with my friends, but I am also a strong advocate for students behaving as responsible members of the South Bend community. If you live off campus, be a respectful neighbor. Introduce yourself to those living around you, and encourage your neighbors to contact you directly with any complaints they may have. Be mindful of their schedules and try to avoid holding late night parties outside. If you live on campus and attend parties off campus, you have an equal responsibility to be respectful toward South Bend residents.
We are all intelligent college students who are more than capable of controlling our own actions. Have a blast celebrating our first home football game, but be respectful of those living in the surrounding community. We will continue to work our hardest to represent the students' interests, but we can not be successful unless the student body contributes to our efforts in a positive way.
Go Irish,
Liz Brown
student body president
August 30
