Tailgating procedures could decrease attendance

There is some concern over how the new tailgating policy will affect attendance at football games this fall.

Central Michigan Police Chief Bill Yeagley discussed tailgating policies with Student Government Association members Monday and said he was concerned they would affect attendance.

“When people make change, I usually fear the worst,” he said. “The majority of change in my life, I thought would be terrible. I encourage students to try it first.”

SGA had the opportunity to question Athletics Director Dave Heeke and Yeagley about the new tailgating policy in a question-and-answer format.

“They were a little worried about attendance, but they stressed that safety is more important,” said SGA Vice President Brittany Mouzourakis, a Garden City senior.

Heeke said he hopes students will give the new policies a chance before they give negative feedback.

“We’re all in this together,” Heeke said. “We encourage you to be open-minded. We have a great football team to watch.”

Some SGA members were curious exactly how much the security would be increased and what would happen to students who are caught with too much alcohol.

“The total amount of security has been doubled,” Yeagley said. “We have rules and, if you’re willing to follow them, you’re welcome to stay. People probably will get caught. We will ask you to leave.”

Mouzourakis said she felt the administration did a good job of clarifying the new procedures, but students were still left unclear how they would enforce the rules.

Students asked about the alcohol quota in multiple ways, but were still left asking how it would be enforced, she said.

Heeke also talked about the addition of five food stations. Some SGA members were concerned the food would be too expensive, but Heeke said the prices would be reasonable.

“We’re not looking to make a profit here,” Heeke said. “We’ve already allocated the dollars. We thought it was the right thing to do for the students.”

Security concerns

With the increased focus on the tailgating area, SGA members wondered if Main Street would see an increase in crime.

“I don’t anticipate any increase in crime,” Yeagley said.

However, action can be taken if needed to increase protection of Main Street, he said.

“We’re not shorting the city staff. They will still be enforcing Main (Street),” he said.

Some were concerned sharing coolers could make it look like students had more than the allotted limit of alcohol.

“We’re going to use discretion out there,” Yeagley said. “At the same time, we know people will try to deceive us.”

Mouzourakis said SGA members were told if students are sharing coolers, they should not wander away from it leaving one student with a lot of alcohol in it.

Students should stay with their group.

“If you have your five or six friends around, you should be golden,” Heeke said.

Bag searches was another concern.

Student give up their right to say no to a bag search when they enter the tailgating area, Yeagley said.