Julie Conlon
Student Life Editor
The thrill of beer pong is old news to most Keene State College students. But playing water pong on the L.P. Young Student Center lawn with Interim President Jay Kahn standing by? That’s something different.
On Thursday, Sept. 27, 2012, KSC Greek Life, Campus Safety, and the Center for Health and Wellness hosted the second annual Day of Clarity to promote alcohol, drug, and safety awareness.
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Amanda Warman, director of Campus Safety, said September is National Campus Crime Awareness month and National Campus Fire Safety month.
She said she wanted to hold the event at a location where students could see the event on their way to class, bringing the idea of safety awareness to the campus.
“It’s not just a campus safety issue, it’s a campus issue,” Warman stated in regards to the promotion of safety on the KSC campus.
In an address given by KSC Interim President Jay Khan, Khan stated the college would commit to providing “information and support for students surrounding safety issues.”
He continued, “We commit to support victims of crime and hold their offenders accountable. We honor September as national crime awareness and campus fire safety awareness and commit to programs that will raise awareness of crucial safety topics.”
Warman said Greek Life’s role included the water pong stations.
Warman said that for every drink of water taken by a student, his or her blood alcohol content would be calculated. Warman said after a game, students could “test their motor skills.”
When they put on beer goggles it helps students realize how intoxication changes an individual’s vision. Warman said the exercise brings an “awareness of what you see when your vision is impaired and your awareness is impaired to that level.”
Warman continued, “People don’t realize because they get intoxicated over a period of time, and this kind of underscores it.”
Kristine O’Brien, senior and member of Phi Sigma Sigma, explained the water pong stations she and her sisters set up.
O’Brien said, “The reason they’re having these water pong tables here is because they know we’re going to go out and party, and they know we’re going to drink, and they want us to be safe.”
Kristen Shea, junior and also a Phi Sigma Sigma member, similarly commented, “We don’t expect by having this for people to stop drinking. But just to kind of notice how much you’re drinking, and how intoxicated you’re getting, and to never drive.”
O’Brien described the Greek presence at the event and said she hopes to break the assumptions students make about Greek life.
“As a Greek community we know the stereotypes of Greek organizations-drinking and partying-so we want to be apart of this and support the day of clarity and the month of safety and crime awareness,” O’Brien said.
Shea said the message the Greek community hoped to send with its presence at the event was, again, to break a stereotype and prove that their communities were not consumed with ideas of drinking.
“It’s not all about partying. There’s more to it. I think it’s such an easy stereotype to make that fraternities and sororities party all of the time. We just want to make it aware that we too believe in the safety of drinking and all of it,” Shea said.
Aside from pong and a small driving course, the lawn had informational tables with everything from bike registration, information on fire safety, and the promotion of the “Big 3.”
The “Big 3,” sponsored by the Office of Student and Community Relations, keeps students aware of three things when venturing off-campus: group size, noise levels, and responsibility for trash.
The KSC Center for Health and Wellness attracted students on the lawn with their information on smoking and drinking.
According to Warman, “Wellness promotion because safety is really a multi-dimensional issue. Wellness is about everything.”
Mallorie Lyford, a senior working with Tiffany Mathews, health and wellness coordinator, covered a variety of health related areas with her table on the lawn. Lyford handed out information on alcohol statistics and tips to help students quit smoking.
Lyford stated the message as making healthy choices at college.
Lyford continued, “Drinking and smoking isn’t everything. It will impact your future if you continue to do it. The Day of Clarity is being alcohol and drug free, and it’s important to realize that you can take a day off of drinking and smoking, and it is not your life.”
In addition to promoting a sense of awareness and support, Warman had another message she said she hoped to send the campus.
Warman said her aim also remained to further a positive image of her team of Campus Safety officers. Warman said she did not want students to have an image of Campus Safety that solely reflected getting in trouble.
Warman said, “We wanted to bring it out and let people know that Campus Safety isn’t always about being serious and getting people in trouble…There is an atmosphere of we love what we do and we love education people, and this is a great way to do it.”
Julie Conlon can be contacted at
jconlon@keene-equinox.com