Editorial: Implicit Policy Plans to implement Wesleyan’s new party policy are in place, and many of its effects have already been felt. Student hosts have been required to provide at least four pounds of food and 10 liters of non-alcoholic beverages for every one keg of beer. Starting next month students must attend a host training session in order to have a party with more than 75 people. Violations of the party policy are grounds for a party break-up at best, and possibly an appearance before the Student Judicial Board. Even now, before the full implementation of the plan, it is harder than ever to throw a party.

Students who have been attending weekend parties this semester have noticed an increased presence by Public Safety — and the Middletown Police. Many parties have ended prematurely due to intervention by these combined forces, and it is not clear what criteria has been used to determine what is broken up and what is passed over.

Public Safety has, and has always had, the jurisdiction to interfere with any party it wants to. This does not account for why students feel this semester that more parties are being broken up.

It is more than a coincidence that a new party policy is about to be implemented at the same time Public Safety takes a hard line on smaller parties. These smaller events are not addressed by the new party plan.

As the semester goes by, the University will assure that Public Safety continues to regulate student parties. Will this enforcement adhere to the new party policy, or will it continue to follow a greater, unarticulated plan?

Time will only tell whether recent closings of parties are unique and isolated, or are part of a University initiative directed at squelching student autonomy.