The Frances Willard Party, a 35-year tradition until it was canceled last fall, may return to campus this year, but only as a tamer shadow of its former self.
Willard Residential College President Sophie Huterstein said there have been ongoing discussions between Undergraduate Residential Life administrators and the Willard executive board, with safety as the main priority.
The modifications to the event would be extreme: Only Willard residents would be allowed, the hallway decoration competitions would take place only during the day and the party would be alcohol-free. Traditional party events, such as the decoration competition and dance, would be reinstated only if they fully complied with fire code regulations.
Huterstein, a Weinberg sophomore, said Residential Life cited concerns about fire code regulations as part of the reason for the party’s cancellation last year.
When Evanston Fire Department officials visited the dorm in 2003, they found it unfit to hold the hundreds of people who had attended the event in the past. The traditional hallway decorations also were deemed to be a fire hazard.
“It is very different than the party it once was, but the continuation of Willard resident unity will continue regardless of whether the atmosphere of the party changes,” Huterstein said.
She added that she hopes to balance a party atmosphere with the safety concerns of Residential Life and that she also hopes the traditional aspects of the party, like the hallway decorations and a dance, will continue.
Despite the sweeping changes, many Willard residents said they believe the party still would be beneficial as a community building event.
“I think it would be worthwhile even if it wasn’t the same as it was before,” said Julie Hoerl, a Weinberg freshman and Willard resident. “For the sake of tradition, it would be worth it to have. I think we have a great community in Willard and that event would just add to it, however it happens.”
Other residents believe the party is at risk of being so watered-down that the effort would not be worthwhile.
Weinberg sophomore and Willard resident Julie Bower said the Frances Willard Party would be nothing like it was before. She said the party — once rumored to be on Playboy Magazine’s Top 10 college parties list — could never be recreated under these conditions.
“If you removed all the traditional parts of the party, then there is not any point,” Bower said. “It would be better to have a new tradition to bring the dorm together. Part of (the purpose) was to bring the campus to Willard; now it would be just another dorm event.”
Closing the party to non-Willard residents also surprised Weinberg freshman Kevin Ringel, who said the party’s campuswide community-building element would cease to exist.
“I think Willardites already have enough unity, and they need to share it with other people,” said Ringel, a Willard resident. “This (party) would be a way for Willard to branch out to the rest of campus.”
Last year’s Willard president, Kevin Kearney, said NU needs more traditions, and administrators are making such efforts more difficult.
“One of the most important things about the party is that it is the one time of the year where Willard shows off and when the rest of the campus knows about it,” said Kearney, a Communication sophomore who no longer lives in the dorm.”If it is only for Willard residents, it is just like any other night.”
Reach Robert Stein at [email protected].
