Phil Luciano has another article today about the strained relations between Bradley frat houses and surrounding neighborhood associations, especially the Moss-Bradley Neighborhood Association. The story states that Moss-Bradley distributed pamphlets to student housing in the neighborhood, including Greek row, welcoming them to the neighborhood and letting them know what the expectations were from neighbors. Some of the statements in the pamphlet were a bit excessive:
For instance, there is this dart: “Red plastic cups or similar containers will be presumed to be disguising alcohol by underage drinkers. These activities will be reported to the Peoria Police Department.” Further, another line barks, “The presence of a beer keg at a student party indicates underage drinking and excessive consumption. We … Immediately will report such suspected activities to the Peoria Police Department and Bradley University officials.”
I think statements like these go too far. They’re paternalistic, not neighborly. It’s not the neighbors’ responsibility to ensure that underage college students are not drinking, anymore than it’s the neighbors’ responsibility to ensure that city council members are not drinking to excess at dinner parties. It’s fair to point out that excessive noise, littering, etc., will not be tolerated because these are the things that affect neighborhood quality of life. The presence of red plastic cups or kegs do not; calling the police over their mere presence is picking a fight.
However, I’m not buying the victim mentality of the students and their parents as presented in Luciano’s article, especially this idea that the neighborhood “fired the first volley” with this pamphlet. Pamphlets like these do not materialize in a vacuum. They were created because the student noise and littering problems came first. If we’re looking for a first cause here, it’s years of inconsiderate student behavior that has caused residents to organize and become more proactive. It reflects the frustration residents have with recurring problems they feel have not been adequately dealt with by the university and police enforcement.
Didn’t someone write this story once before? I remember it being more about a chicken and an egg, though…
I want to see this pamphlet.
The problem here is that the pamphlet was started due to PREVIOUS student actions, at least according to the home owners gang. Now, you have a brand NEW student in a frat house; paying a sizable chunk of money to Bradley; moving into their new home; and the “welcoming committee” from behind the block brings this crap over.
Bradley should go sit on this high-falootin’ homeowners group. They want quiet? Go buy an expensive condo in Morton. If your eyes were open on the way to the house you were scopin’, you should possibly figure out that there was a university nearby. If you can’t deal with students, both drunk and otherwise, then don’t buy the damned house. I have no sympathy for this group of snobs. Andy Rand and his multi-million dollar home, built on “not for profit” AMT dollars; and Barbie in her United Airlines outfit should find better things to do… like move.
prego, I liked to buy you a drink and if you don’t drink, then dinner or both.
Mahkno, the pamphlet doesn’t exist. Phil made it up just to piss you off.
end/sarcasm
I never alleged that it didn’t exist. Indeed I know for certain that it exists. I want to read it without the Luciano spin.
I will also add the creation of ‘a’ pamphlet was encouraged within the last year by the city and or Bradley’s administration. I honestly cant recall who originally suggested it. Creating a ‘welcome to the neighborhood’ pamphlet for our neighborhood has been discussed, based off such a recommendation.
It is rude behavior by the students. If I were the neighbors I plug my iPod into a Marshall stack, crank out some Italian opera at 6 am while I’m mowing the yard the morning after one of their “social gatherings”. Is it too much to ask to show some consideration? Maybe the students need to do some homework before coming to Bradley and realize they are going to be next to a neighborhood that frowns upon their merry ways.
It’s on the PJStar site.
you would think that Bradley students and their enablers would be tip-toeing on eggshells after all the front page news and dead bodies they left last year.
Chef Kevin:
1) I read your article on “spices” in the Peoria Area Dining and Foods Mag. I liked it…I never know what spices to buy and keep around.
2) How do you assume that the frat kids were rude? I realize they don’t have precedent or reputation on their side but you have to go into every NEW situation without bias…how do you know FOR SURE these kids were rude? Assuming they were rude would fall under the “sterotyping” category.
-JB-
P.S. In college, I hated the GREEK system…I am NOT defending it…just making an unbiased observation…
I read that pamphlet…
Wow they are hard core! I like the statement where they say could have “special neighborhood” teams video tape you in OR OUT of sight. WOW! And I thought Lynnhurst was a serious association!
JB
I see nothing wrong with that pamphlet. SIU, UofI, ISU all had documents like that years ago that they handed out to renters (80s 90s)… hopefully still do. Pretty straightforward stuff.
Mahkno — You stated earlier that they are adults and should act like it. I agree. I also think that, if we’re going to consider them adults (which they are), then we should treat them like it.
I don’t have a problem with about 95% of the pamphlet. But there are no laws against having a keg of beer at a party, and the neighbors cannot just assume that the presence of a keg indicates underage drinking. There’s also no law against you or your friends (assuming they’re 21 or older) drinking to excess at your residence. Like I said before, I think monitoring whether our neighbors are drinking to excess oversteps our bounds.
It’s also overstepping to assume that the presence of red plastic cups automatically indicates underage drinking. Those are the types of statements that I feel are paternalistic and don’t belong in a pamphlet.
I’m in no way suggesting we should tolerate inconsiderate, illegal, or destructive behavior by Bradley students. I’m only suggesting that we should deal with Bradley students the same way we would deal with inconsiderate, illegal, or destructive behavior by any other neighbor. They’re adults. They’re neighbors. Let’s treat them with respect, assume the best, and expect them to treat us with respect. If and when they don’t, take appropriate action.
Went to ISU..lived in the campus area for 3 years…no NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION pamphlets were passed out. There may have been stipulations passed out by the owner of the property.
And…none of them said a keg or plastic cups were assumed to be underaged drinking! Heck, I still will have a cocktail in an Solo plastic cup not to dirty dishes every once in a while and I am almost 30 now. Hope that doesn’t come off too “trailer-trashy!”
– JB –
Well CJ from my experience… if it looks like a college party… smells like a college party… sounds like a college party… yeah its a pretty good guess it is a party and someone is probably underage there. I wasn’t born under rock yesterday. Neither were the authors of those pamphlets years ago. Throw a bash and you can expect a possible visit from the PD. The underage drinkers don’t stick around.
Yes as neighbors we should be concerned about people drinking to excess. Young people are more likely to drink n drive. More likely to do dangerous stuff that endangers not just themselves but others around them. This does affect US. We have children here.
As far as laws governing drinking to excess, I am uncertain of Peoria’s rules on the matter but many communities have laws governing public drunkedness/intoxication. Generally that meant outdoors visible to the public.
I just read, the pamphlet and I have to say that this is a neighborhood association with some kahones. I like its aggressive tone. I agree that it is going to be offensive to some, but it clearly outlines expectations and consequences. There is no ambiguity and that is exactly what kids need. Because let’s face it when you are an undergrad you are pretty much still a kid and all kids need rules. Student teachers are advised never to smile before Christmas. In other words establish rules and strictly enforce them until a time there is no question that you have the attention and respect of your classroom and correct me if I am wrong, but these kids are here for an education?
Jazzbass… those sorts of pamphlets came from the housing office or student legal services. No neighborhood associations handed them out. Not that that is terribly relevant. The problem is the pamphlet… right? Or are people just bent cause it came from a neighborhood association? Would it have been better getting it from Bradley?
Then aren’t you concerned that Van Auken didn’t get cited for public intoxication? Maybe we should put a notice on Rand’s door warning him that we expect his party guests to stay inside, and that if we see BVA’s car in the driveway, we’ll assume that there’s drinking to excess going on and call the police. Let’s take some tough action, Mahkno. We have children here.
C.J. maybe I missed your explanation so bear with me here…..I am curious what you would do if you lived near a house or houses that had loud parties on a frequent basis and also had residents that were disrespectful and violated the peace of your neighborhood on a regular basis? Also, do you think that BVA’s leadership has been a net loss for the 2nd district or a net gain?
Yes,
It isn’t the end of the world or terribly that relevant but I would have felt a shade better about it had Bradley but the entity to pass that info out to its students instead of the neighborhood association.
The way I feel is that it is unfair to automatically assume the Bradley kids were causing issues. When I was that age, I never got arested or in trouble with the law but I always hated how OLDER people never thought the YOUNGER people could be telling the truth. Is it possible that BVA was out of line and the frat boys maybe aren’t in the wrong here????
RE
MP:
I can’t answer for CJ but I think the last thing I would do (drunk or in some sort of intoxicated state) is go over there and make a scene…even to the point of getting downright confontational with the police. And as an elected official????
JB
CJ: You are a sane and careful thinker. I really do respect your opinions and whether I like them or not, you are usually right and when you’re not, you will admit it. My point is: who is this mahkno. Is it really someone who trolls the blogs or is it BVA? I can’t figure it out.
Just throwing this out there…Bradley has been there since 1896. If anyone thinks they can ‘change the atmosphere’ in the neighborhoods around Bradley, think again. If you don’t like the occasional red plastic cup on the lawn or the loud stereo & voices out by the patio on a hot fall evening…you probably should live somewhere else.
Wow.
I have a kegerator in the garage, so I guess I must be a 40-something under-age drinker? I have it because it is cheaper than cans or bottles and “greener”. No cans or bottles to dispose of.
This neighborhood is on a power trip.
This is like people that buy a house next to an airport and then complain about the noise. Bradley was there long before any of these people owned their house.
I kinda wish I had enough extra cash to buy a house there just to stay there for weekends and have my own own adult parties to piss them off.
Morton Pundit asked:
I would pretty much do what the Moss-Bradley folks are doing — call the police to complain, and work with my council rep and neighborhood association. I’ve really only criticized two things: (1) Van Auken confronting the frat party while allegedly drunk, and (2) paternalistic language in the neighborhood organization’s pamphlet. Outside of that, I haven’t really had a beef with what happened.
On what basis? I’m not sure what you want me to compare.
Jazz Bass –
What would you call a person or group of people that are disruptive to a neighbor(s) at 12:30 in the morning? While rude might have been the wrong word, polite and respectful don’t pop into my mind either.
And thanks for the kind words about the magazine article.
CJ, drinking on college campuses is EPIDEMIC. There is no reason for the binge drinking. It is promoted by the alcohol manufacturers as “typical college behavior” but it is not and shouldn’t be encouraged or allowed. It is killing these kids. Something like 70% of all the alcohol consumed in this country is by people between the ages of 16-24.
kcdad: I don’t disagree with you, but I would point out a couple of things.
(1) The student issue in this incident was noise, not drinking. The only drinking problem was on the part of BVA (allegedly).
(2) After the alcohol-related deaths of two students last year, the university instituted a new “comprehensive alcohol action plan.” I think the university is taking alcohol abuse problems on campus seriously, and I’m optimistic about their efforts to mitigate those problems through this new policy.
“who is this Mahkno?”
A man of mystery and mayhem!!… lol
“Then aren’t you concerned that Van Auken didn’t get cited for public intoxication?”
She was intoxicated?… was a breathalyzer test run? Can we please see the unedited video? I am sorry CJ… 2 beers and a few sips does not equal ‘lethargic’ or ‘slurred speach’. Maybe (I mean a very small maybe) if she slammed them in the hour before she showed up but I would deem that unlikely. I don’t add up.
Why aren’t we talking about the alcohol consumption of the students? Or are we ignoring the commentator witness who pointed out they had a ‘small’ gathering of 30 (is 30 small?) or so students drinking over the course of the night?
“Is it possible that BVA was out of line and the frat boys maybe aren’t in the wrong here????”
Here is the central problem I am seeing with a lot of the logic going on here and elsewhere. BVAs behavior is being substituted for the original conflict between the students and the neighbor. Because Van Auken behaved badly all these complaints that night and possibly before are all bogus. Hell its even being used to discredit Rand and the Moss Bradley Neighborhood and even the rest of the West Bluff. What a leap of logic. The whole central issue is being dismissed. It is looking more n more to me that the neighbor was being taunted after the first complaint. That BVA showed up was a surprise but the smug young punks manipulated it all quite nicely and continue to do so. Now they are farking heros… I think I can hear the laughter from Greek row now. They don’t need to release the video. You all are buying it hook line n sinker.
Yeah she lost control of the situation. I am betting that video shows what prompted it and is why the video is not already on youtube. I could be wrong…
If this video does surface and BVA really is shit faced, then yeah let the chips fall, I might throw a few too. But don’t be letting the noise issue be dismissed because of it.
*it don’t add up
Mahkno says: “She was intoxicated?… was a breathalyzer test run?”
Well, Mahkno, to paraphrase your earlier comment, from my experience… if she looks intoxicated to police… sounds intoxicated to police… acts intoxicated to police… yeah its a pretty good guess she was intoxicated. Are you suggesting the police are in collusion with the frat house?
Mahkno also says, “Because Van Auken behaved badly all these complaints that night and possibly before are all bogus.”
Nobody is saying that. The Bradley students should be (and are) held responsible for their own behavior. But BVA should be held responsible for hers as well. In fact, she’s held to a higher standard by virtue of her office. I don’t think anyone’s being unfair to BVA.
“Nobody is saying that.”
Yes that is the implication.
“Yes that is the implication.”
I can’t speak for anyone else, but I am not and have not implied any such thing. I did say that BVA’s account of the loudness of the party that particular night at that particular time would have had more credibility had her sobriety not been in question. I stand by that. That doesn’t mean the students weren’t in fact too loud. It only means that now, because of BVA’s actions, it’s a he-said she-said scenario. It would have been better for her to call the Peoria police and have them give an independent sober judgment on whether the frat was breaking the noise ordinance. BVA’s actions did nothing to help the situation, and have arguably made relations between the neighborhood and Bradley worse.