REBECA BAGDOCIMO / THE DEPAUW
Tis’ the season for Tiger tailgates. This weekend’s home football game called for students and parents alike to team up and show their DePauw spirit.
At the fraternity tailgate tents, students enjoyed many music sources, each organization responsible for their own entertainment, played artists such as Fetty Wap and Taylor Swift.
Last year the music atmosphere at tailgates was different. Junior DU rush chair Kyle Frohning spoke to this change from last season.
Frohning explained that last year DePauw implemented a central music system for tailgates because, in previous years, they have been upset with the “Ratchet” quality of music people would play.
For the first tailgate at least, there was no central music system in the tailgating area. According to an email sent out by Myrna Hernandez to all chapter presidents, risk managers and social chairs, this decision honored a request from the Interfraternity Council (IFC) to allow organizations to play their own music.
IFC president CJ Cazee confirmed the change. “The email was sent out as a change from last year. Last year IFC supplied a common source of music and chapters weren't permitted to bring their own speakers,” said Cazee. “This year however we wanted to give the chapters the opportunity to supply their own music.”
There is no saying as to whether the music culture could change over the course of the season. Cazee thought that the first tailgate was a success and there was not one chapter with control over the music but ultimately the policies in the future will come from Campus Living and Community Development (CLCD) and Student Life. “I will have consult with CLCD and Student Life as to whether or not we will continue with that moving forward,” said Cazee.
The DePauw athletics website outlines the standard tailgating regulations but also notes that exceptions may be made for special events such as Old Gold, Monon Bell and post-season play.
In conjunction to music, the tailgating policy on the website states, “Music should be played at a reasonable level; please be respectful of others around you.”
Frohning claims he enjoys personal music more. “[Choosing our own music] lets us dictate our own tailgate and play to the theme we’re going with,” said Frohning.
Sophomore Levi Hoffman had a different take on the tailgate rules. “[They] don’t seem to be enforced very effectively, because none of them are being followed right now, and the atmosphere is the same as last year,” said Hoffman.
While some believe there are new rules dictating the tailgates, Erin Mann, Public Relations officer for the DSG who claims there are no new rules, just greater lengths by campus to enforce previous ones such as turning down music and ending student tailgates in conjunction with the start of the game.
Student organizations were given a 10 minute warning before music needed to be shut off at 1pm. Student organizations participating in tailgates are required to pay a sustainability fee.
In the same email sent to all chapter presidents, risk managers and social chairs, Myrna Hernadez wrote, “The $100 is per tailgate & will be refunded or rolled over as long the organization cleans up their area completely. Any organization that that does not clean their spaces and surrounding area by the end of the game will forfeit the $100.”
According to the posted policy, tailgates are required to end at game time but can resume during half-time. While the administration looked to be successful in ending tailgates ran by student organizations, a number of tailgates put on by parents and alumni in the Blackstock parking lot continued past kick off.
Mann thought the tailgate went very smoothly. “[It] worked well, people turned their music down when the game started, students, families and fans made their ways into the sporting events, and it was a great weekend to be a tiger,” said Mann.