Madison's party-school reputation draws 80,000 people from across the country to State Street each October. This year, UW-Madison is attempting to impart a reality check by openly stating that out-of-town guests are unwelcome on campus during Halloween weekend.
University Communications has issued news releases to 'pretty much any place we can think of,' according to John Lucas, university relations specialist.
'In the past, we didn't really target places other than Minnesota. We're trying to do anything we can to assist the city in keeping the event local,' he said.
Limiting the crowd to Madison residents is a goal of both the city and the university, following the much-publicized arrest statistics showing most citations were written to out-of-state visitors in 2004.
'I've been down there till 4 a.m. and I talk to [Halloween partygoers],' UW-Madison Interim Dean of Students Lori Berquam said. 'I've met students from Arkansas and Washington, D.C. I have a hard time running into UW-Madison students. Most people on State Street don't even know anyone who goes here.'
While it is likely few people come to Madison intent on rioting and are instead just looking for a good party, the sheer numbers that arrive in that pursuit leads to an anonymous and potentially violent environment. According to Jesse Nation-Ames, a senior at the University of Montana'Missoula, Madison's reputation is irresistible.
'Friends who've been [to celebrate Halloween in Madison] say it is one of the best parties they've ever raged. I would come to Madison for Halloween because of State Street'its atmosphere, the bars and the pedestrian nature of the campus. The place just screams fun,' he said.
The impact of this reputation does not become a problem until effects on student safety, Berquam said.
'Our police are stretched to their limit,' Berquam said. 'Dane County is at a bare minimum. You'd better hope you don't have a heart attack on Halloween weekend.'
In addition to openly discouraging out-of-town visitors, UW-Madison has taken a drastic step and prohibited guests from university residence halls during the weekend.
The impact of a 75,000-plus crowd extends from the dorms to the entire city, costing everyone in taxpayer dollars. Students from other universities do not realize the long-term effects on the community.
'I feel really uninformed,' Marquette University junior Erin Mathews said, after learning about the Halloween security budget and the year-long debates over strategy. 'I consider myself well-read, but I didn't know any of that stuff.'
Matthews said she has not seen any news about UW-Madison discouraging guests at Marquette, but that the news about riots in recent years did not keep her or her out-of-state friends away until they experienced it first-hand.
UW-Stevens Point junior Jenni Collette also said she thought about the riots before coming to Madison, but was not deterred.
'I was told about the riots, but I didn't think it would be as bad as it was. It didn't influence my decision to go to Madison the first time. This year, though, I'm going to avoid State Street at all costs,' Collette said.
Regardless of UW-Madison's position, she'll still be making the trip for Halloween, just not to the 500 block of State Street.
