Dayglow “invaded” the Central Michigan University campus twice this year to the excitement of students and to the dismay of administration, who have now decided to not allow Dayglow back.

The February Dayglow, promoted as "the world's largest paint party," had more than twice the number of people in attendance compared to the fall event. It was also oversold by 300 tickets, said Tony Voisin, associate dean of students and director of student life.

According to the CMU police department, 15 people were sent to jail for various crimes and misdemeanors, and there were four misdemeanor citations (i.e. minors in possession, disorderly conduct). A total of seven people were transported to the hospital for medical treatment, and 35 people were treated on-site for medical issues. There were 49 ejected from the event for various policy violations and/or disruptive behavior.

“Finch is just not a good facility to host Dayglow,” said Stan Shingles, assistant vice president of University Recreation and Events and Conferences. “We can’t manage it safely or effectively, and that’s based on the fact that we’ve done it twice. Plus, when we talk about the welfare of students, we realize that the type of venue we have is not conducive to that type of event.”

Shingles compared Dayglow to that of the changed rules of tailgate.

“Once we realized that tailgate had become something we couldn’t manage, then we had to make different decisions," he said. "This is very similar in that regard."

But Dayglow isn’t the only event that has not been allowed on campus.

“An outside group was trying to get a student organization to broker the event due to discounts enjoyed by RSOs,” Shingles said, referring to a foam party that was trying to use Finch Fieldhouse. “This promoter had one interest; to make money. We said no, because the dynamics were very similar to that of Dayglow, and then there were a lot of logistical disconnects.”

Voisin said there are often requests from non-student organizations to hold various events like cage fighting and mixed martial arts, which are not approved. Many approved campus events are put on by Program Board, which receives approximately $290,000 to $300,000 each year to put toward events, Voisin said.

“Program Board’s charge is to bring a variety of entertainment to campus; to give students options,” Voisin said. “Most shows don’t sell out, but Program Board is not in it to make money.”

There’s a lot that goes into evaluating the types of events permitted on campus.

“We ask, 'Do we have the proper venue, and does that particular event fit philosophically with the university mission?' Especially as to how does it relate to healthy lifestyles and good citizenship and all those things that are inherent in our mission statement,” Shingles said. "We’re interested in having events that can be managed, that students and others can enjoy.”

Shingles, Voisin and others are currently working to restructure the protocol for approving campus events. The new protocol will be finished by the end of the semester and posted online.

“We are committed to having a model of decision-making that supports our students to have great events on this campus,” Shingles said. “That when they walk in the door, they know it is going to be organized and safe. More importantly, they are going to walk away from the event saying 'It (was) one of the best moments of my life.'”

Shingles said he wants every student to have a memorable and special experience at CMU.

“The people who are making the decisions and develop this protocol are all very student-centered,” he said. “We want activity on this campus. We understand how activity enhances a student's experience on this campus.”