2011 Kegs & Eggs

[slickwilly]

This was just brought to my attention and I am embarrassed and disgusted by these videos. It's one thing to get drunk and have a good time. I did it when I was there. Destroying other people's property though is way, way, way over the line. What a disgrace. I hope these kids get what they deserve. I know it was probably only a few of the thousands of students that were just having a good time, but this really is a black eye for the University.

 

The number of Albany college students charged after weekend "kegs and eggs" parties turned riotous has topped 40...That's right, 40!!!!!!

 

 

http://blog.timesunion.com/crime/16-more-kegs-and-eggs-videos/6996/

[Clickclack]

Good, prosecute all of them. Freaking savages!

[Michigan_Dane]

What a mess. This looks bad for everyone. As an alum I feel like this hurts my degree. Throw them out!

[MRSGDG]

It's not like they were in the middle of no where. I haven't read anywhere, but how long did the riot go on for? How long did it take for someone to call the cops?

[danefan]

University responds:

 

No fountain day this year

Spring break will be moved next year to coincide with the parade - an effort to get students out of Albany during the traditional kegs and eggs

 

Smart move. I'm all for partying as hard as possible in college - I know I did it - but what happened this year is ridiculous. And whether it was truly all UAlbany students or not, the school is the biggest thing in town now and needed to respond.

 

Oh and BTW - I hope each of the idiots that were involved get arrested.

 

 

[Dane96]

For the record while I appreciate the University's response (and there is a great pic of a visibly disturbed President Philips helping with the cleanup), it was not only UA students. I have a friend who is APD and I was with him this Friday in NYC for a going away party for an Albany resident we are friends with. He stated St. Rose, Russell Sage and even Union students are among the alleged perpetrators. My guess...there were probably a couple of Siena students in the mix as well.

 

An interesting sidenote relates to the Daily News Ed Op on the subject. They rip into the students, school, etc. Turns out...one of the kids who turned himself in was the son of the Daily News Senior Editor! Whoops....

 

What I don't understand is what kids are thinking about nowadays with the looming presence of social media. Like Danefan, I perfected the art of partying my ass off (and got in the occasional stupid situation) at Albany. However, knowing I wanted a professional style career (lawyer, doctor, engineering, accountant, etc.), you'd better believe I would have thought twice about some of my antics if social media existed back then in a similar format as we have today.

 

Everything seems to make it on the internet these days...and being responsible would be to understand this simple concept.

[Clickclack]

What other students were involved is non of our concerns. Take my school/University out of the equation. I support the moves that the University is making.

 

Here we are trying to make academic strides as well as raise the profile of the school and this happens.

 

It's to bad that Fountain Day has been cancelled but it's to much work and to much negative press. Well done Pres. Philip.

 

Those that turned themselves in should be prosecuted to the full extent of the law and given a final warning by the school. Those that were caught should be prosecuted to the full extent of the law and expelled from school immediately.

 

Maybe in a couple of years they can revisit fountain day but for now, people need a time out.

[danefan]

What other students were involved is non of our concerns. Take my school/University out of the equation. I support the moves that the University is making.

 

Here we are trying to make academic strides as well as raise the profile of the school and this happens.

 

It's to bad that Fountain Day has been cancelled but it's to much work and to much negative press. Well done Pres. Philip.

 

Those that turned themselves in should be prosecuted to the full extent of the law and given a final warning by the school. Those that were caught should be prosecuted to the full extent of the law and expelled from school immediately.

 

 

The cancelling of Fountain Day is the perfect opportunity for the Athletic Department to fill the gap. Get the SA on-board and organize a BBQ/tailgate around the football spring game? Or even around a lax game in April.

 

Athletics is a much better central activity for students to enjoy then turning a fountain on. My 2-cents.

[Clickclack]

What other students were involved is non of our concerns. Take my school/University out of the equation. I support the moves that the University is making.

 

Here we are trying to make academic strides as well as raise the profile of the school and this happens.

 

It's to bad that Fountain Day has been cancelled but it's to much work and to much negative press. Well done Pres. Philip.

 

Those that turned themselves in should be prosecuted to the full extent of the law and given a final warning by the school. Those that were caught should be prosecuted to the full extent of the law and expelled from school immediately.

 

 

The cancelling of Fountain Day is the perfect opportunity for the Athletic Department to fill the gap. Get the SA on-board and organize a BBQ/tailgate around the football spring game? Or even around a lax game in April.

 

Athletics is a much better central activity for students to enjoy then turning a fountain on. My 2-cents.

 

Completely agree, float this idea to the Athletic Dept.

[Dane96]

And for the record...while I think what these kids did defies all forms of civility and they should be punished...you cannot, absolutely CANNOT kick them out of school.

 

There is this little thing called the U.S. Constitution. I could just smell the lawyer lining up for the nice legal battle for damages that would ensue if the school kicked them out. First off, you can cancel Fountain Day without any reprecussions; it is a school sponsored event that is a privilege (not a right) for students to attend.

 

Second, Kegs and Eggs is not a school sponsored event and therefore the school cannot punish the students for their actions that are unrelated to school grounds and property. It is likely that the kids will plead out to some lower crime such as criminal mischief/destruction of property/vandelism that will likely get them probation and/or hefty fines. You'd be hard pressed as a prosecutor to prove that each individual rose to a level of conspiracy, inciting a riot, and / or a level of total damage (i.e. a large proportional value of the total damage of the car) to substantiate a felony conviction.

 

Irrespective of all of that legal mumbo jumbo, about the only way a school can punish a kid for a non-school related/sponsored crime is if they can prove two things: the students crime/conviction was a level that would normally put the students and employees of the university in grave and imminent danger and; that the punishment indeed protects against such danger.

 

I can't see how these actions would rise to such a level...and thus any punishment of the students would be way outside of any Constitutional rights afforded to the students. The right of getting an education vs. the privilege of getting an education argument has been long-debated. That said, this doesn't even get in the vicinity of that argument.

[McFan]

And for the record...while I think what these kids did defies all forms of civility and they should be punished...you cannot, absolutely CANNOT kick them out of school.

 

There is this little thing called the U.S. Constitution. I could just smell the lawyer lining up for the nice legal battle for damages that would ensue if the school kicked them out. First off, you can cancel Fountain Day without any reprecussions; it is a school sponsored event that is a privilege (not a right) for students to attend.

 

Second, Kegs and Eggs is not a school sponsored event and therefore the school cannot punish the students for their actions that are unrelated to school grounds and property. It is likely that the kids will plead out to some lower crime such as criminal mischief/destruction of property/vandelism that will likely get them probation and/or hefty fines. You'd be hard pressed as a prosecutor to prove that each individual rose to a level of conspiracy, inciting a riot, and / or a level of total damage (i.e. a large proportional value of the total damage of the car) to substantiate a felony conviction.

 

Irrespective of all of that legal mumbo jumbo, about the only way a school can punish a kid for a non-school related/sponsored crime is if they can prove two things: the students crime/conviction was a level that would normally put the students and employees of the university in grave and imminent danger and; that the punishment indeed protects against such danger.

 

I can't see how these actions would rise to such a level...and thus any punishment of the students would be way outside of any Constitutional rights afforded to the students. The right of getting an education vs. the privilege of getting an education argument has been long-debated. That said, this doesn't even get in the vicinity of that argument.

 

Not an expert on constitutional law, but we (UA) must have a student code of conduct. BYU does. The Bing. Lacrosse artical mentions a student code of conduct. I'm guessing UA has one and that behavior of a certain level (ie assaulting a police officer, inciting a riot) may call for suspension from the University. I certainly hope so.

[Clickclack]

The University definitely has a code of conduct. Quickly looking at it, there are consequences spelled out in the code of conduct up to and including dismissal from school.

 

Like you, I'm not a Constitutional scholar but I'm pretty sure the US Constitution argument being invoked here is pretty silly.

 

http://www.albany.edu/studentconduct/prohibited_conduct.shtml

[Clickclack]

Again, IMO those that showed some intestinal fortitude and owned up to their drunken mistake by coming forward should be allowed to remain a part of the UA family/community.

 

Those that simply got caught, the school should seriously consider throwing out of school pending legal action by the City of Albany.

[Dane96]

Gents...it's not a silly argument. I've personally worked on such cases.

 

School's codes of conduct can go only go so far....

 

"The provisions of Community Rights and Responsibilities shall apply both to conduct which occurs on campus or at University sponsored events and to conduct occurring off campus if such off campus conduct is deemed adverse to the interests of the University community"

 

"Property Damage

a. Removing, destroying or damaging University property, or property under University administration or supervision.

b. Destroying or damaging the property of others."

 

Disruptive Conduct

Acting to impair, interfere with or obstruct the orderly conduct, processes and functions of the University or surrounding community. This behavior includes, but is not limited to, excessive noise, abusive or obscene language in a public place, obstructing vehicular or pedestrian traffic and boisterous or threatening conduct which is unreasonable in the area, time or manner in which it occurs.

 

 

 

Good luck with the school using the first bold to enforce the second bold. Like I said, the lawyers will likely plea this thing down. Couple that with the off-site nature of the crime...I would be shocked if the school dumped the kids. The language is vague and haphazard (e.g. "may

result in referral to the judicial system (University Judicial System)" Now, if any student is convicted of a felony...the school has a much better argument. However, short of that type of conviction, the student would likely claim that the vagueness of the language coupled with the fact that the university does not throw out every kid that perpetrates a crime, misdemeanor or otherwise, rises to a level of subjectivity that cannot be allowed. Lawyers would have a field day with this.

 

Again, this is not a straight constiutional right to public education, however there is much debate on the reach of a variety of enumerated rights and their ancillary effect on areas such as education which are not enumerated. Clearly, Brown vs. the Board of Education and Williams vs. the State of California (among many lawsuits) have paved some novel approaches to effectuating the right to a public education.

 

That said...what they did was horrendous.

[McFan]

Looks like 13 and 24 apply to a few individuals in the vidoes.

 

13. Property Damage

a. Removing, destroying or damaging University property, or property under University administration or supervision.

b. Destroying or damaging the property of others.

 

 

24. Disruptive Conduct

Acting to impair, interfere with or obstruct the orderly conduct, processes and functions of the University or surrounding community. This behavior includes, but is not limited to, excessive noise, abusive or obscene language in a public place, obstructing vehicular or pedestrian traffic and boisterous or threatening conduct which is unreasonable in the area, time or manner in which it occurs.

 

And the intro leaves some judgement to the University:

 

The conduct listed in this section is in violation of Community Rights and Responsibilities. Such conduct is expressly prohibited. This list is not exhaustive, but is intended to place students on notice of the types of conduct that may result in disciplinary action. The provisions of Community Rights and Responsibilities shall apply both to conduct which occurs on campus or at University sponsored events and to conduct occurring off campus if such off campus conduct is deemed adverse to the interests of the University community.

 

Each case to be viewed individually of course, and let the punishment fit the crime. I saw crimes that would lead me to dimsiss more than a few.

 

And the first to hire big name criminal defense attorney's should be the first to go.