By JAN LARSON McLAUGHLIN
BG Independent News
Mayor Mike Aspacher and BGSU President Rodney Rogers made a door-to-door delivery of a blunt message for off-campus students on Friday.
No more warnings. Students hosting large parties will be cited by the police and could face suspension and expulsion from the university.
“We don’t want to be Notre Dame. We don’t want to be Chapel Hill,” Rogers said, referring to two schools that went to all online classes after spikes in student COVID cases.
On Friday, rather than the typical visits to rental homes along East Wooster Street, Aspacher and Rogers headed to the area that has been a hot spot for parties – North Enterprise Street.
Most of the students were surprised to find the mayor and BGSU president at their front doors. There were no handshakes this year, just an occasional fist bump from the mayor.
Both men struck up friendly conversations with the students.
Benjamin Smith, of North Enterprise Street, told Rogers that this was his fifth year at BGSU. “Hopefully my final year,” he said with a smile.
When he mentioned that he is a history major, that gave Rogers a segway to the coronavirus message, by asking if the student was aware of the 1918 pandemic. The fate of in-person classes rests with the students, Rogers reminded.
“A lot of it will depend on what we do,” he said to Smith.
A few houses down, the men encountered Korrin Zollweg, who is majoring in aviation.
“Have fun, but be safe,” Aspacher said.
“I totally agree. I saw the email,” Zollweg said of the messages from the mayor and Rogers.
“We’re really counting on you guys,” Aspacher said.
Further down the street, no one answered the door, but the men left their letters – weighted down by a corkscrew left on the porch.
Assistant Municipal Administrator Joe Fawcett saw an opportunity during the door-to-door visits to clean up the neighborhood. At one North Enterprise house, Fawcett pointed out the trash in the front yard to renters who quickly grabbed a garbage bag to clean up the beer cans.
A few minutes later, Aspacher and Rogers appeared at their door.
“I was scared. I thought this was a letter and we were getting kicked out,” said Bryant Cruz.
But after the initial scare, the three students chatted with Rogers and Aspacher about the need for following safety measures of masks, social distancing and handwashing.
“We don’t want to do what we did in the spring,” of closing down all in-person classes, Rogers said.
The annual message conveyed by the BGSU president and the mayor usually focuses on being respectful of the community’s full-time residents. This year, thanks to COVID, there was more.
“Be good neighbors, but also be responsible in your behaviors,” Aspacher said. “So you can go to school and businesses can stay open.”
As Aspacher and Rogers walked the street, they tried to identify which houses were rented by students. “Oh yeah, this is,” Rogers said as he spotted beer glasses out on the porch.
The students joked with the mayor and president, with one saying he would limit the frequency of kissing.
“With your mask on,” Aspacher added.
“And make sure you know them well,” Rogers pitched in.
But before leaving the porch, Rogers made them promise to follow safety measures.
At one house, Aspacher and Rogers encountered workmen getting the home ready for renters. They were impressed to be getting a visit from the two bigwigs – though one worker was disappointed because he had heard the mayor was from Australia. That would be the city’s fire chief, Bill Moorman.
Aspacher tried his best effort at an Aussie accent.
Both the mayor and university president handed out letters to students, advising them of the no-nonsense approach being taken by BG and BGSU. The men recognized that typically the start of the year brings large parties as returning students reunite and new students seek out new friends.
“This fall must be different,” Rogers’ letter stated.
Rogers said he had already started hearing reactions from parents.
“Some parents are not happy. Some are overly happy,” he said. “We really are serious.”
Both the city and university police departments are increasing their efforts to respond to and monitor off-campus large gatherings and parties of more than 10 people. While warnings were issued over the past weekend to students hosting large parties, there will be no more warnings.
“Citations, not warnings, will be issued to those responsible for organizing and/or hosting these large gatherings and parties that violate city ordinances and/or university policies,” Rogers’ letter stated.
The penalties can be harsh.
“Those students and student groups such as student organizations, clubs and athletic teams, involved will be held accountable through the Student Code of Conduct process, potentially leading to suspension and expulsion from the university,” the letter explained.
“We all know that large indoor and outdoor gatherings, without face coverings, where physical distancing cannot be achieved, lead to significant community spread of COVID-19. Those participating are compromising the public health of our community and the education of all of our students,” the letter continued. “Your actions, both individually and collectively, will determine the course of this semester.”
The effort to lessen the density of students living on campus has been successful, Rogers said. Three-quarters of students on campus now have single occupancy rooms. The other one quarter share rooms with one other student.
In response to concerns that BGSU’s effort to de-densify campus is leading to more crowded off-campus housing, Rogers said the vast majority of those moving off campus chose all online learning, or decided to commute from home.
