What's Up, Fire Safety?

It seems that some outrage is brewing over Fire Safety's decision to bring back the inspections which they had previously said would stop this semester. Fire safety is important and ok, yeah, you technically shouldn't be lighting candles and incense under the tapestry which shouldn't be hanging on your wall, but the manner in which they're going back on their decision is a bit strange.

And judging from this WSA reaction email, Fire Safety is now apparently back with a vengeance, ready to go rogue:

The WSA was recently informed that Fire Safety inspectors have decided to disregard the search stoppage that was outlined by the WSA and the Argus earlier this semester. Thus, the WSA strongly encourages students to double-check their rooms for total compliance with Fire Safety regulations and the Code of Non-Academic content. Students who are not prepared for additional Fire Safety inspections should expect no mercy from newly emboldened Fire Safety inspectors.

The ResLife email from Fran Koerting in which the new searches were announced claimed that the January decision not to conduct fire safety inspections was "incorrectly reported" in the Argus article, which is weird because that would also mean it was also "incorrectly reported" by the WSA, which has no clear interest in misconstruing the facts.

This is the WSA's side of the story, which seems reasonable:

After months of considerable pressure from the WSA on questionable Fire Safety inspection procedures, the administration did inform us that Fire Safety had completed their inspections for the year. The WSA was also told that problematic areas with past violations might be subject to reinspection. The Argus ran an article which correctly reported all of these facts.

Subsequently, the WSA learned that ResLife planned to warn staff of additional random inspections this year, despite the previous notification that inspections had been completed. There are two possible explanations for Fire Safety’s decision to impose an additional round of random inspections:

• The administration was initially disingenuous or misinformed in notifying the WSA and the Argus about the completion of searches.

• Fire Safety decided to capitalize on reduced vigilance of unsuspecting students following the publication of negative coverage in the Argus regarding the search stoppage.

So which is it, administrative negligence or Fire Safety disingenousness?

Again, not to minimize the obvious necessity of promoting fire safety, but why announce that last semester's inspections were sufficient, only to go back on the decision three weeks later? Are they deliberately trying to instill fear and mistrust in the student body, especially after certain incidents over the past two years?

Until some answers become apparent, you would do well to follow the WSA's recommendations:

Keeping the community safe is everyone's first priority. As your WSA representatives, we implore you not to engage in activity which could result in burning down your residence. Go here to learn more about Fire Safety and the appeals process for improper fines. The WSA will continue to work towards protecting student rights and ensuring that we are all treated with the respect and dignity we deserve.

And once again, go over ResLife's fire safety guidelines so as to keep Fire Safety from coming down on your ass hard.

Fire Safety Inspections Are Back

As it turns out, fire safety inspections have not, as previously reported, ended for the academic year. In fact, random checks will probably start later this week, so make haste in putting your fire-hazard contraband out of sight.

From a ResLife email to all RA's:

A few weeks ago, it was incorrectly reported in the Argus that fire safety inspections would not be conducted this semester. While we are thrilled that inspections were completed in all of our student residences in the fall, and that the number of violations was significantly less than previous years, we want to be sure students are continuing to abide by the fire safety guidelines, and that our residences are safe. Therefore, random checks will be conducted throughout this semester. In addition, rooms that had violations in the fall will be checked again this semester.

If you could please remind your residents to ...remove any prohibited items as soon as possible (as inspections will likely begin later this week), you will be doing them a service.

Here are ResLife's fire safety guidelines for you to review.

Shoo, Fire Safety, don't bother me

Put your tapestries back up, break out the candles and incense, and plug everything you own into ungrounded extension cords: Fire Safety has ended inspections for the academic year! Unless your violation-prone domicile is one of Fire Safety's "problematic areas" of campus, all students should be free from the risk of Fire Safety inspections for the remainder of the semester.

Fire Safety inspectors visited every room last semester and have no reason to do so again. They've also returned a whopping $3,650 of "inappropriate fines" that were billed to students, as a result of the WSA-created Fire Safety & Facilities Appeals Board. The WSA blog has details on these and other student-friendly Fire Safety developments.

Of course, Wesleying encourages neither starting fires nor pissing off Fire Safety. If you need a reminder of what can happen when you break Fire Safety guidelines, check out this important Wesleying PSA.

Hide your goods, freshmen!

From a recent email sent by Dean Rick Culliton:

Please remember that Residential Life and Campus Fire Safety conduct periodic room inspections. During these inspections fire safety violations are documented and if alcohol is found in plain view in student rooms where the residents are not 21 or older, it will be confiscated.

O'Rourke's Update (And How You Can Visit Mocon/Davenport Reincarnated)

Those of you who have been around Wesleyan long enough to remember and love O'Rourke's Diner: fear not. Although previous information proclaimed that the beloved diner would reopen February 4 (also known as this past Monday), sources on O'Rourke's official website forum are now citing next Monday (February 11) as the opening day.

In related news, there was a significant piece in the New Haven Register this past Saturday regarding the story of the diner's rebuilding. It includes several interesting anecdotes. For one, as it turns out, those students who are feeling nostalgic for last year's dining will be able to go to O'Rourke's once it opens and feel a little bit closer to the twin legacies of Mocon and Davenport. The article explains:

"Wesleyan donated booths from the Davenport Student Center and about $30,000 in kitchen equipment from a dining hall being renovated, said Jeff Bianco, the architect who designed the rebuilt interior."

And in the context of Middletown nightlife, the article also notes,

"O’Rourke has big plans for the new O’Rourke’s that include opening for dinner three nights a week, late nights on Fridays and Saturdays and adding live Irish music sessions on Monday nights."

For the rest of the piece, go to http://www.nhregister.com and search for "O'Rourke's Diner." Or to get your news straight from the source, hit up www.orourkesdiner.com

Ask not what the WSA can do for you...

... because Robert Alvarez '11 has summed it up right here:

The truth is, most of us don't know what goes on inside that WSA meeting room, and (more importantly) what the WSA actually does around campus. So, here's a quick and easy way to stay updated without even leaving your computer:

This week's meeting (on Feb. 3) was a review of what the WSA has accomplished last semester, and here are a few of them:

Online Course Evaluation: Starting next semester (hopefully) we will be able to evaluate our teachers online, despite some faculty fears that some students might be extra harsh (especially if evaluating drunkenly at two in the morning).

New Fire Safety Inspection Policies: Weapons and drugs mean a phone call to PSafe, and probably an eventual phone call to MPD. Alcohol means a phone call to ResLIfe, only if in a dorm building where frosh live. Closets, drawers, etc. are off limits unless there is evidence of "an imminent life safety hazard" like extensions cords leading to a concealed space, a material covering a pile of stuff on a desk, a tin foil-covered meth lab, etc.

WestCo Downsize: Rumors were spreading that WestCo was to be totally thrown to the GRS (General Room Selection) dogs. Fear not, community-based living fanatics. The proposal was to just throw one building to the GRS dogs, and that's not happening any time soon. But, if demand for WestCo does not increase (over 25% less students applied this year), then the URLC may reevaluate the program.

Alcohol Policy: Remember fears that Wesleyan may adopt an alcohol policy that looked something like the Eighteenth Amendment? Bans on kegs, hard liquor, and open containers? Lucky for you, Student Affairs Committee of the WSA spoke out against these proposals and they were dropped.

The New York Times: Significant cutbacks due to budgeting issues and increased prices haven't led to much objection yet. A newspaper recycling program (finally we'll learn to reuse papers) will also be instituted in the next few weeks.

We didn't just sit around being nostalgic about last semester in this week's meeting, here are some things to expect in the near future: changes to Wesleyan's International Studies policies, hot items (like pasta and burritos) at the Usdan Café, and an Electronic Ride Board. Already in existence: a sweet game room in the basement of Usdan (pool tables and board games!)

For more detailed commentary go to Wes On Stack.

And just for fun, the WSA website.

What's new here?

It seems as if there are new smoke alarms... in the butts at least. Anonymous sources tell me they are, "more sensitive."


More to follow...
(It looks like they need to repaint, too.)

Reclaim your $100 Now!

Mike Pernick '10, the WSA Chair of the Student Affairs Commitee writes:

"The Student Affairs Committee of the WSA has been working very hard to improve the Fire Safety inspection and fines process. For the first time ever, we have an Appeals Board where any student can appeal a Fire Safety or Facilities fine. We have a new confiscation policy - all items in violation of Fire Safety regulations (except for candles and incense) will be returned at the end of the semester. We also have a new document list of consistent inspection policies (for example, inspectors will never go into closed drawers without cause). One of the coolest things we accomplished was the creation of Fire Safety Seminars. Students who have received a Fire Safety fine can attend one of the seminars and have $100 reduced from their fine.

The seminars are scheduled for Tuesday December 4th and Wednesday December 5th at 4:30 in Woodhead Lounge. If those times don't work, more seminars will be held next semester.

If you have any suggestions or comments regarding Fire Safety or Housing Fines issues that you'd like the WSA to work on, talk to the Chair of the Student Affairs Committee, Mike Pernick (mpernick@wesleyan.edu). "

It may not make up for the fact that you were charged per candle, but at least it banks. Thanks Mike!

Fire Safety Fun?

Barbara Spalding of Campus Fire Safety writes in:

Today from 10 am -2pm on the east side of Usdan, we will be doing fire extinguisher training for anyone interested. The Middletown Fire Department will also be there with their smoke trailer and maybe an engine company too. Get information about fire safety inspections, prohibited items, and other fire prevention ideas.

Fire Safety on the Prowl!

Last night I was heading back to 'da butts' around 8 or so and apparently fire safety was fire drillin’ us. Recently fire safety has been going into student’s rooms while they're huddled in the chilly weather outside. The bad news is this has led to two arrests of students (at least one of which was for the good ol' green contraband). Last night the fire safety lady told everyone that she found some "really interesting stuff" in our rooms and to watch out since "the middletown police are not joking around anymore."

Now I find this whole thing a little backwards since fire safety is supposedly there to protect us, not send wesleyan's beloved counterculture iconoclastic student body to prison! They are already forcing a gross invasion of privacy upon us to find dangerous items like candles… you’d think the last thing they’d want to do is get us in trouble with the law. Also, I don't really understand why the “middletown police getting serious” has anything to do with fire safety inspections and or arrests since it's essentially fire safety that calls the cops on you. The whole thing really irks me out.

A word to the wise: keep all of your illicit things in your drawers and out of site. The good news is that they can only look through your room. They are not allowed to open your drawers. Be safe and don't get your ass arrested (or fined)!
Also for those under 21 years of age: If you have bottles of liquor/beer that is left out and still full they will also call the cops on you and your ass will be really sorry. Empty bottles, however, are absolutely legal! Go figure...

Dumbest Idea Wesleyan has Ever Had

I'm writing about this on the blog in the hopes that some mainstream media source will pick it up and thus reiterate over and over again to the administration how unbelievably stupid this sounds.

Ezra Silk '10 wrote this pretty awesome piece in today's Argus about the amplification of fire inspections that have been going on over winter break. By inspecting every room, Campus Fire Safety collected a staggering $40,700 by fining around $100 for every banned item they find in a dorm room.

The dumbest part of this is where that money is going toward:

While Fire Safety has already planned a $5,000 fire extinguisher module that will allow students to practice putting out fires, the bulk of the programs are still in the planning stage.

One idea is a "dorm burn" in the middle of campus.

"We want to set fire to a model dorm to show how the fine-able items such as candles, cigarettes, and tapestries make a fire react or how they start fires," Cruz said.

Some students expressed distaste when they heard about the idea.

"I think that's really stupid and ridiculous," said Hunter Craighill '09. "Obviously people understand that tapestries can burn."

Ok. You know you have abused your power when you literally burn $40,700 in showing a bunch of college kids how fire works.

Fuck, give me $10 and a bic lighter and I'll show you how fire works...and hell, I'll even throw in the fire extinguisher lesson. I'll even put it on youtube for free.

Savings to the university: $40,690.

Knowing that student money isn't being squandered by idiots: priceless.

Watch your back...

Some of you have already heard of this, but I was requested by the author to post a heads-up and received permission to paste the e-mail (with names removed).

Basically someone got royally fucked over because of fire safety inspections.

as some of you may know, fire safety has been doing fire re-inspections for the past week. last week sometime two womyn came to my door and asked me to take down the tapestry on my ceiling. i complied, and when they came back at around two p.m. today i felt pretty secure that i had nothing to worry about. my first fatal flaw came when the fire inspectors (a womyn with short dark hair and a taller womyn with blonde hair) asked if they could come in to make sure that the tapestry was really down, implying that if i did not visually prove to them that i took it down that i would get fined again. i let them in, and the second they entered my room they knocked several items off my desk and table in their haste to snatch every single candle, stick of incense, and any other thing they deemed to be a fire hazard. these things are banned on the fire code, fair enough, but i felt pretty violated. i politely asked them to leave, and on their way out they told me that the tapestry on my wall, which they had never complained about before, was too big and needed to be taken down.

i left for a 2:40 class, and unbeknownst to me the fire safety returned to my room to photograph the wall tapestry in question. in doing so, they moved a chair backed against the tapestry, revealing about an 8th of weed that a friend of mine had lost in my room last night. fire safety then called public safety AS WELL AS the middletown police and used this bag as probable cause to search the rest of my room (though fire safety is not allowed to open drawers or move coverings, apparently the police can). in said drawers the police found about half an ounce, a bong, and a pipe.

so there i was, walking back from my class at four. i walked into the lounge, and somebody said to me, "you know what's happening, right? there's about four police officers in your room right now." horrified, i looked over his shoulder and saw all four officers walking towards me, bong and sacks in hand. (phallic imagery intended). they led me back to my room, shut the door, and said "you're under arrest." they handcuffed me to the bars of the window in the backseat of a cop car, drove me to the police station, totally booked me. i sported bared teeth in my mug shot. i got charged with posession of marijuana and paraphernalia.

Take-home lesson: HIDE YOUR SHIT, especially if you live in a dorm. If you haven't noticed, fire safety is foaming at the mouth this year, and this was an example of what happens when things snowball out of hand.