Parade Day Information

 Residence Hall Information

All campus undergraduate residence halls will close at 8:00 p.m. on Friday, March 9th for Spring Break. Housing will reopen on Sunday, March 18 at noon. The only students permitted to remain on campus will be current seniors that have signed up to attend Shamrockin’ Eve. University Advancement will provide a list of registered students to Residence Life.

Graduate student housing in the Quincy Avenue Apartments will remain open through Spring Break. Students living in this facility do not need to seek permission to remain on campus.

Guest Restrictions

Seniors with permission to remain in the residence halls to attend Shamrockin’ Eve will not be permitted to host guests during Spring Break. 

Social Hosting Off-Campus:

How to reduce your risk: Do not host. If you do decide to host, be very aware of the risks you’re taking relative to guests’ behavior and consumption of alcohol or other drugs. Carry out as many risk-reduction strategies as you can, but recognize that your party can spiral out of hand very quickly.

One bad decision could result in several types of consequences:

• Criminal Charges (i.e. underage, furnishing alcohol to minors, disorderly conduct, public drunkenness—being over 21 does not preclude you from most of these!)
• Liquor Control Enforcement Violations (i.e. selling alcohol without a license)
• University of Scranton Student Code of Conduct Violations (i.e. Off Campus Behavior Policy, Social Hosting, Guest policy)
• City Code Violations/ The Department of Licensing, Inspections and Permits (LIPS) (i.e. fire code violation, noise ordinance violation)
• Civil Action (i.e. a lawsuit filed against you for negligence)

Rental Lease Liability:

“Joint and Several” is a clause included in most off campus leases. This clause means that you can be held both criminally and civilly liable for something that happens on your property, both as a group and as an individual, even if you’re not there.

How to reduce your risk: Have very honest and candid conversations with your housemates regarding your plans for Parade Weekend. Decide if you’re allowing guests to be at your house, if you’re allowing guests to stay over, and what expectations you have for behavior of all individuals on your property.

Risk Reduction Strategies:

Risk-reduction strategies are not a fail-safe. However, only you and your housemates can decide what level of risk you are willing to assume relative to hosting. If you’re electing to assume any risk, minimally implement these strategies:

• Check for IDs! Checking for government-issued photo IDs will allow you to prevent underage guests from consuming alcohol on your property.
• Check for University of Scranton IDs! Parade Weekend attracts large numbers of people unaffiliated with The University, including local junior and senior high school students. Keeping rowdy adult guests and local secondary school students away from your property should be a priority.
• Have water and snacks available.
• Do not charge for alcohol, for cups, or for tickets/t-shirts/admission. You are selling alcohol without a license and to do so is known in PA as a “speakeasy.” Pennsylvania Liquor Control Enforcement specifically cites entrance fees and admission fees as a clear violation. For more information, click here.
• Do not allow guests to stay overnight at your house.
• Lock your house - including windows - when you are not present. Lock your bedrooms, even if you are present!
• Remove or secure valuable items (i.e. televisions, computers, jewelry, personal documents). Record the serial numbers of valuable items and keep the list in a secure location. This can be helpful to law enforcement if you become a victim of theft.
• Keep people off roofs and balconies. Not only is this a code violation, but it is very dangerous.
• Keep guests off of sidewalks and out of streets. These are public areas where open container laws apply. Plus, if your group has gotten this large, it is already unmanageable.
• Ensure your property is cleaned and trash free.
• Keep your noise levels down. Contrary to popular belief, there are no “acceptable hours” for noise. In the City of Scranton, noise cannot cross “real property boundaries,” be heard from 40 feet away, or disturb any person any time of day. Fines for noise alone can be as high as $600!
• You can be held responsible for something that happens to someone after they leave your house. Minimizing the amount of alcohol people consume may lessen this risk, though it is a particularly challenging one to mitigate, especially when you do not know how much the person has already consumed.
• Be a responsible host by remaining sober. Limiting your own alcohol intake will allow you to better ensure the safety of your guests and determine if you need to call for help should a dangerous situation arise.
• Familiarize yourself with University and off-campus emergency resources and be prepared to use them should a dangerous situation arise. 

Dear Parent or Guardian:

Because you are a valued partner in your student’s education at The University of Scranton, I write to share important information about the City of Scranton’s St. Patrick’s Day Parade and information regarding the University’s Spring Break closing schedule.

Scranton’s St. Patrick’s Day Parade is steeped in tradition dating back to 1962. The parade, a family event that involves more than 10,000 participants and 100,000 spectators, occurs downtown and draws national attention. There are many positive aspects about this annual celebration, including the University’s Shamrockin’ Eve reception for seniors and recent graduates that takes place the night before.

Unfortunately, some activities that surround Parade Day, especially in the Hill Section, reflect a culture in which many who participate, including University students and their guests, engage in high-risk behaviors. These behaviors include dangerous alcohol consumption, physical assault, vandalism, and hosting large and unruly parties where alcohol is often furnished to minors and intoxicated persons. Given the serious risks associated with all of these behaviors, the City of Scranton, law enforcement and the University have agreed to act jointly and proactively to ensure that the entire Parade Day celebration is as safe as possible.

The University’s deep concern for students’ safety is rooted in our Catholic and Jesuit values, which place concern for each person at the center of all that we do. For this reason, the University is taking the following steps to assist in curbing some of these behaviors. The same information was recently shared with your student.

• Friday Spring Break Closing (after classes finish for the day): At 8:00 p.m. on Friday, March 9, 2018, on-campus housing will close for Spring Break. On-campus housing will re-open on Sunday, March 18 at noon.
• Policy Enforcement: All students are strongly encouraged to review the University’s Student Code of Conduct and most notably the University’s Alcohol Policy and Off-Campus Behavior Policy. We are always concerned about violations of these policies. Students must be aware that violations of the law or the University’s Standards of Conduct may have significant and lasting consequences. 
• Limited Exceptions to Residence Hall Closure: Seniors and graduate students who are attending the Shamrockin’ Eve Celebration (a philanthropic event for seniors and recent graduates), international students, and students who are actively participating in varsity athletics or alternative spring break service activities can request permission to remain in residence halls. In the near future, the Office of Residence Life will communicate the process by which these students can request permission.
• No Guests on Campus: Because guests have posed significant challenges on this weekend, students who are approved to remain on-campus for Shamrockin’ Eve are not allowed to host guests under any circumstances. Guests include other University students as well as non-University visitors.
• Cooperation with the City, County and State: Representatives of the Scranton Police, the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board, and the Lackawanna County District Attorney’s Office are equally concerned about high-risk behaviors that violate local, state and federal law. Individuals in violation of the law will be cited and/or arrested as appropriate.

Please note that some residential students may ask off-campus and commuting students to stay overnight locally from Friday, March 9 – Sunday, March 11. Hosting guests during this weekend carries significant increased safety concerns and legal liabilities, particularly when alcohol is involved. We strongly encourage parents and caregivers of off-campus and commuting students to discuss these concerns and liabilities with their students, to discourage aforementioned high-risk behaviors, and to encourage their students to return home for the start of Spring Break. Likewise, we strongly encourage parents of residential students to ensure their students return home on Friday, March 9 when residence halls close. Please discuss this with your student and partner with us to ensure they are where they are supposed to be.

In closing, please know that these decisions reflect The University of Scranton’s commitment to a culture of excellence that ensures student safety and accountability. We deeply care about our students’ well-being and success. The University appreciates your willingness to engage in conversations with your student regarding their Spring Break plans and departure from campus and the City as appropriate.

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact one of the following offices:

Dean of Students 570-941-7680

Office of Residence Life 570-941-6226

Office of Off Campus and Commuter Student Life 570-941-6292

Center for Health Education and Wellness 570-941-4253

Most sincerely,

Anitra M. McShea, Ph.D.

Vice Provost for Student Formation & Campus

University Fitness Center 

Friday, March 9 –  6am-6pm

Saturday, March 10 –  Closed 

Sunday, March 11 –   Closed

Byron/Long Recreation Complex

Friday, March 9 –   7:30am-6pm

Saturday, March 10–   Closed 

Sunday, March 11 -  Closed

University Bookstore

Saturday, March 10–  Closed 

Sunday, March 11 -  Closed 

Food Facilities: Please note that the 2nd floor of TDC will be closed on Saturday and Sunday. Please access food facilites through first floor building entrances (Dionne Green Patio and Main First Floor Entrance). 

Saturday, March 10- 

Fresh Food Company, Starbucks, Mulberry POD, Bleeker & Einstein Bagles: Closed

Food Court, 1st Floor DeNaples: 7:00am-8:00pm

Convenience Store, 1st Floor DeNaples: 12:00pm-6:00pm

Sunday, March 11- 

Food Court, 1st Floor DeNaples: 9:00am-1:30pm

Weinberg Memorial Library

Closes at 4:30 pm Friday March 9th and reopens at 8:00 am Monday, March 12th

The 24-hour spaces close at 4:30 pm  Friday, March 9th and re-open at noon Sunday, March 11th

Alcoholic Beverages (Chapter 158,City of Scranton Code)


Consumption 

• No person shall drink or consume liquor, wine, beer or other alcoholic beverages in or upon any public sidewalk, street, lane, parking lot, park or recreation area or other public property within the City of Scranton or in any vehicle upon such area within the City of Scranton except as hereinafter provided.
  
  

Possession

• No person shall have, possess, carry or transport liquor, wine, beer or other alcoholic beverage in an open bottle or other open container upon any of the aforesaid public areas or in any vehicle upon such area within the City of Scranton except as hereinafter provided.
  
  

Discarding Containers

• No person shall discard alcoholic or other beverage containers upon any public sidewalk, street, lane, parking lot, park or recreation area or other public property within the City of Scranton, except in approved receptacles or containers for said purpose.
  
  

Violations & Penalties

• Upon conviction for violation of the provisions of this chapter, any such person shall be subject to a fine, the maximum of which shall be three hundred dollars ($300), or by imprisonment not to exceed thirty (30) days, or both such fine and imprisonment. Each day any violation shall continue shall constitute a separate violation.

More information on the City of Scranton ordinances concerning alcoholic beverages can be found here.

Additional information regarding City of Scranton ordinances can be found on the City of Scranton Website.

Alcohol and Drug Prevention Resources

At The University of Scranton, services and resources are provided for students directly and indirectly affected by alcohol and/or drug use. Students are encouraged to contact the Center for Health Education and Wellness (CHEW) if they need assistance in identifying or accessing resources. Please familiarize yourself with these resources as well as those in the local community.

Alcohol and Drug Resources

Additional Campus and External Resources