Students speak out on tactics for this year's “Fleming issue”
Whether you're a new or returning student, it's time to get up-to-speed with this year's strategy for Fleming.
Project L.E.A.R.N. will be in effect from September 3 to October 3. For those of you who are unfamiliar with this program, Project L.E.A.R.N. stands for Liquor Enforcement and Noise Reduction and was developed by London Police Services to address incidents surrounding Fanshawe and the University of Western Ontario.
If there are two things you need to remember while getting wild with friends this back-to-school season, it's “no tolerance” — which is what the police will have for any stupidity.
“Students need to know they will be held accountable for their actions,” said Const. Amy Phillipo, media relations officer.
Students will often rent in that particular area with the idea that they'll be able to “party like nowhere else,” but they won't be treated any differently than a non-student, she said.
The police will be increasing their presence from last year and more officers have been assigned to the area.
But before there's a crackdown on shenanigans, both the college and the police will be reaching out to Fleming residents to let them know that they're also there to keep them safe.
“We're increasing relationship-building,” said Emily Marcoccia, director of marketing and communications at Fanshawe. “It's a difficult balancing act to say, ‘Welcome, you're valuable but don't mess up along the way.'”
This year Fanshawe College, London Police Services, and the Fanshawe Student Union will be using a more “collaborative team approach to mitigate out-of-control behaviour,” said Marcoccia. “Establishing a relationship does have a positive effect on some students.
Jabari Cooper, FSU president, is anticipating some problems this year but still hopes for the best, he said. The team effort approach with the police and the college is one that he supports, but emphasizes the FSU is still the students' voice.
“We always want to work together with everybody,” he said. But if something comes up that challenges the students' well-being, “we'll take a stand against that,” he said.
Residents will be receiving a message straight to their doors from the student union, the college and the police throughout the beginning of Project L.E.A.R.N.
It turns out that part of the reason for the amped up security and relationship-building actually comes from speaking with students, said Marcoccia. According to last year's focus groups, that also included students who had gotten into trouble with the police and the college, the general consensus was that it wasn't always students causing the ruckus.
Due to the neighbourhood's infamous reputation, it's attracted some of the wrong people who aren't even from the college, said Marcoccia. But sometimes students get dragged into it — from peer pressure, alcohol consumption and other factors. However, there has been some positive growth.
“The overall behaviour by a lot of students improved,” said Marcoccia.
Many students also reported feeling unsafe in their own homes — from cases where someone would wake up and a stranger would be in their room, to not being able to travel home for fear they'd return and their belongings would be gone.
“By mid-October (last year), people wanted out of their leases on Fleming,” said Marcoccia.
There's also the issue of Fanshawe's reputation at stake — but it's not just the name of the school that's in jeopardy, it's also the students' ability to get jobs.
“Last mid-Fall, a handful of employers…either chose not to interview Fanshawe students or told them it was unfortunate they came from Fanshawe, and the behaviour…last year was better than before,” explained Marcoccia.
Surviving this year's Fleming situations is not just about avoiding unfavourable headlines, it's about students' lives post-Fanshawe.
“Many think it is funny to have a reputation for excess partying and social irresponsibility. In fact this very reputation is damaging the academic standing of the school, the values of the diplomas achieved,” said Phillipo.
“The hard-working majority of serious students are feeling undervalued because of the actions of a minority.”
Here are some tips for getting through another season of debauchery:
1. The cops will be taking a zero tolerance approach, so as drunk as you may be, that's no excuse for being a jackass. Be reasonable, be calm.
2. Be part of the can movement. Try your best to bring little or no glass to the party as glass just creates tools for violence and injuries.
3. Watch out for your friends. People tend to do things they wouldn't normally do in a crowd, so keep an eye out that no one's getting naked or trying to kick a cop.
4. If you're hosting the party, keep the festivities in the backyard. It helps to keep other parties down the road from spilling into yours. Also, when crazies are all over your front lawn — it's a huge red flag to cops to stop in. Just think mullet — you want business in the front, party in the back.
5. Got stuff to start a fire — put it away. Self-explanatory.
6. Why not try to avoid the area? Being part of the ridiculousness is not necessarily the best idea — you could just end up adding fuel to the fire (no pun intended).
7. Remember it's your reputation at stake. How much would it suck if you graduate, go for your dream job interview and have them tell you no because of your school's past? Reputations can be changed but it starts with those involved.
Project L.E.A.R.N. will be in effect from September 3 to October 3. For those of you who are unfamiliar with this program, Project L.E.A.R.N. stands for Liquor Enforcement and Noise Reduction and was developed by London Police Services to address incidents surrounding Fanshawe and the University of Western Ontario.
If there are two things you need to remember while getting wild with friends this back-to-school season, it's “no tolerance” — which is what the police will have for any stupidity.
“Students need to know they will be held accountable for their actions,” said Const. Amy Phillipo, media relations officer.
Students will often rent in that particular area with the idea that they'll be able to “party like nowhere else,” but they won't be treated any differently than a non-student, she said.
The police will be increasing their presence from last year and more officers have been assigned to the area.
But before there's a crackdown on shenanigans, both the college and the police will be reaching out to Fleming residents to let them know that they're also there to keep them safe.
“We're increasing relationship-building,” said Emily Marcoccia, director of marketing and communications at Fanshawe. “It's a difficult balancing act to say, ‘Welcome, you're valuable but don't mess up along the way.'”
This year Fanshawe College, London Police Services, and the Fanshawe Student Union will be using a more “collaborative team approach to mitigate out-of-control behaviour,” said Marcoccia. “Establishing a relationship does have a positive effect on some students.
Jabari Cooper, FSU president, is anticipating some problems this year but still hopes for the best, he said. The team effort approach with the police and the college is one that he supports, but emphasizes the FSU is still the students' voice.
“We always want to work together with everybody,” he said. But if something comes up that challenges the students' well-being, “we'll take a stand against that,” he said.
Residents will be receiving a message straight to their doors from the student union, the college and the police throughout the beginning of Project L.E.A.R.N.
It turns out that part of the reason for the amped up security and relationship-building actually comes from speaking with students, said Marcoccia. According to last year's focus groups, that also included students who had gotten into trouble with the police and the college, the general consensus was that it wasn't always students causing the ruckus.
Due to the neighbourhood's infamous reputation, it's attracted some of the wrong people who aren't even from the college, said Marcoccia. But sometimes students get dragged into it — from peer pressure, alcohol consumption and other factors. However, there has been some positive growth.
“The overall behaviour by a lot of students improved,” said Marcoccia.
Many students also reported feeling unsafe in their own homes — from cases where someone would wake up and a stranger would be in their room, to not being able to travel home for fear they'd return and their belongings would be gone.
“By mid-October (last year), people wanted out of their leases on Fleming,” said Marcoccia.
There's also the issue of Fanshawe's reputation at stake — but it's not just the name of the school that's in jeopardy, it's also the students' ability to get jobs.
“Last mid-Fall, a handful of employers…either chose not to interview Fanshawe students or told them it was unfortunate they came from Fanshawe, and the behaviour…last year was better than before,” explained Marcoccia.
Surviving this year's Fleming situations is not just about avoiding unfavourable headlines, it's about students' lives post-Fanshawe.
“Many think it is funny to have a reputation for excess partying and social irresponsibility. In fact this very reputation is damaging the academic standing of the school, the values of the diplomas achieved,” said Phillipo.
“The hard-working majority of serious students are feeling undervalued because of the actions of a minority.”
Here are some tips for getting through another season of debauchery:
1. The cops will be taking a zero tolerance approach, so as drunk as you may be, that's no excuse for being a jackass. Be reasonable, be calm.
2. Be part of the can movement. Try your best to bring little or no glass to the party as glass just creates tools for violence and injuries.
3. Watch out for your friends. People tend to do things they wouldn't normally do in a crowd, so keep an eye out that no one's getting naked or trying to kick a cop.
4. If you're hosting the party, keep the festivities in the backyard. It helps to keep other parties down the road from spilling into yours. Also, when crazies are all over your front lawn — it's a huge red flag to cops to stop in. Just think mullet — you want business in the front, party in the back.
5. Got stuff to start a fire — put it away. Self-explanatory.
6. Why not try to avoid the area? Being part of the ridiculousness is not necessarily the best idea — you could just end up adding fuel to the fire (no pun intended).
7. Remember it's your reputation at stake. How much would it suck if you graduate, go for your dream job interview and have them tell you no because of your school's past? Reputations can be changed but it starts with those involved.
