Senate: Residential Life staff discuss new on-campus party policy

Photo by Genevieve Zahner ’26

At the October 9 Senate, Residental Life staff explained the new campus party policy, which allows for some kinds of alcohol at registered parties.

Coco Athas ’26 opened with the Mount Holyoke land acknowledgment, then noted the events of the week, which included “Honoring the Ancestor, Gloria Anzaldúa: Todo Viene del Corazón/All Comes from the Heart” on Wednesday Oct. 8 at 12 p.m. in the Unity Center, the Smith College job and internship fair on Thursday Oct. 9 at 3:30 p.m. Transportation was provided to this event by the College. As well as a public library card sign up on Thursday Oct. 9 at 2 p.m. in the Williston Memorial Library Atrium.

The new party policy instated by Student Engagement in the Division of Student Life requires students to register parties with the area coordinator and on the Event Management System, as well as complete a responsible host training prior to registering. Previous party policies state that alcohol is not permitted, unless working with student involvement to employ trained bartenders, but these new rules attempt to allow students to gather and drink together in a responsible manner, as will be discussed below. Hosts cannot charge for any aspect of the event, and events cannot exceed the 50 person maximum. All guests must have received invitations, and outside guests must be accompanied by a Mount Holyoke Student in accordance with the existing guest policy.

The representatives noted that “unsanctioned, large scale-gatherings happen regularly” in the same locations, impacting specific members of the community. Mandelle Hall was mentioned as being a popular party space. Concerns included alcohol and substance misuse, medical emergencies, fire safety, impact to the community, and inconsistency and inequities in enforcement. Enforcement of the College’s previous policy included shutting down all unsanctioned gatherings that occurring in residence halls and common spaces. To avoid this, they created a new policy that will allow for sanctioned gatherings that “align with expressed students' needs and wants.” The ResLife staff looked at other schools such as Smith College and Amherst College for what policies they are enforcing to create the new Mount Holyoke policy.

Their goals for the new policy are to provide clear expectations and guidelines — especially in regards to alcohol and enforcement — through education to center student autonomy and agency with minimal professional staff intervention. These policies aim to “promote values of accountability, responsibility, and respect for one another and our physical spaces” and additionally ground the expectations in community care and well-being. Creating interstudent dialogue in regards to solving problems and taking care of the resident hall spaces was also an important aspect of this new policy.

Key changes include requiring hosts to undergo safe party host training, implementing a formal registration process through EMS, establishing norms and regulations for hosts regarding cleanup, check-ins from public safety at the beginning of parties, the normalization of calling for help if needed, and the permitting of alcohol in accordance with guidelines.

Hosts will be held accountable if damages or violations to policy occur. Hosts must also be responsive to community concern, including calling for help, upholding capacity, being in communication with residents to manage concerns and ending parties at the start of quiet hours at 1:30 a.m.

Further, according to the alcohol guidelines, “alcohol can be present but cannot exceed certain quantities.” There may not be hard alcohol or mixed drinks, guests under 21 years old cannot possess or consume alcohol, non-alcoholic beverages and snacks must be provided, and there may be no sale of drinks. The representatives noted that what students drink before parties is not part of the policy. Additionally, no open containers are permitted outside of the party space.

Senate was then opened for questions. Attendees voiced concerns about the party policy. These questions allowed for ResLife staff to provide more information, such as the role of party hosts and how communication between residents and party hosts will be possible, which is still being determined by ResLife staff.

Age restrictions will be enforced by the Public Safety and Service department, and if underage students choose to drink before the parties that choice is not to be blamed on the hosts under the new policy. There is a medical amnesty policy in place for those who are underage and need medical attention due to drinking. Different types of violations to the policy will be handled based on circumstance, but the goal is community understanding of why the policy is in place, and emphasizing community safety and wellbeing.

The new policy will go into effect on Monday, Oct. 20, and all events must be registered starting on Oct. 24. All unregistered events after this date will be shut down.

Senate ended with announcements, which were about events held by clubs and student organizations.

Bellatrix is hosting “Get Your Geek On” on Oct. 31 at 10 p.m. and the International Relations club is hosting a “Brown Bag Lunch” on Oct. 16, where Associate Professor of International Relations and Politics Christopher Mitchell will talk about his research with catered lunch from 12-1:30 p.m. in Skinner Hall, room 202.

Asexual Awareness Week is Oct. 19-25. The Coalition for Asexual/Aromantic Awareness is hosting a zine workshop Saturday, Oct. 18 from 4-5 p.m. in the Jeannette Marks House. They will be tabling Thurs. Oct. 23 from 5-7 p.m. about the history of asexual awareness.

Active Minds is hosting a “run club” every Sunday at 10 a.m. Running and walking is welcomed, and those interested should meet outside Kendall Sports and Dance Complex to do an Upper Lake loop. The Student Government Association Springie Committee is seeking springies of all classes who are interested in participating in a Big/Little program for incoming spring admits. The club squash team is hosting a “sugar and screams” fundraiser and will be tabling Monday and Friday evenings.

There was no Senate on Tuesday, 10/14 due to Fall Break.

Quill Nishi-Leonard ’27 contributed fact-checking.

Dean Marcella Runell welcomes students at the first Senate of the Year

Photo by Sarah Ann Figueroa ’28

Cordelia Athas ’26 sits on stage with Dean Marcella Runnell at this autumn’s first Senate meeting.

By Sarah Ann Figueroa ’28

Staff Writer

On Sept. 23, at the first Mount Holyoke senate meeting of the 2025-2026 academic year, Dr. Marcella Runell, vice president of Student Life and dean of students, came to talk about her work and spark excitement for what is to come this semester at the Division of Student Life.

The meeting began with a welcome from Cordelia “Coco” Athas ’26, the chair of Senate, who gave the new and returning senators an amiable welcome to the first senate of the year. The group went over the standard flow of Senate gatherings, and it was announced that President Danielle Holley will be next week’s guest speaker for the Senate’s Town Hall. Athas also shared that Town Halls will be more condensed going forward, with emphasis on only asking “relevant and respectful questions” to keep time from going over. Then, Runell was introduced to speak in a sort of mini-town hall, where she was asked to share what she does at Mount Holyoke College’s Division of Student Life, and answer questions.

Athas started by asking Runell, “What is your role at Mount Holyoke College?”

Runell brought up the weekly “Dean’s Corner" emails which are sent out to the student body every Friday, as she felt that they “really encapsulates” what her job is.

As a leader in Student Life at Mount Holyoke, Runell plays a key role in facilitating the day to day experience of students, and creating a more positive and inclusive community. The Dean’s Corner Newsletter provides direct links to various resources and upcoming calendar events, along with highlighting moments in the community via photo collages. In her own words, Runell described her role as being about “communicating between and among all the different stakeholders on campus that are responsible for the student experience,” as well as community building with students directly.

Later, Athas asked what Runell feels students should know about the College’s MHC Forward Strategic Plan. Starting by providing context on this plan’s importance, Runell commented, “There are so many things that were in the last strategic plan that have radically changed Mount Holyoke.” She specifically highlighted the expansion of Blanchard Hall’s Community Center and its centralized dining in 2018, saying that, “It’s hard to imagine where we would be if that hadn’t been the vision in that last plan,” and, “There was no space for students to all be together except for the library.”

Runell then listed some of the College’s divisions that will undergo changes with the current strategic plan, adding that many of these decisions came directly from student feedback about what they wanted to see in the future. The three major areas that Runell mentions will be touched upon in the current Strategic Plan are supporting students’ career development, providing better “residential education” for students, and the new Mount Holyoke Commitment to financial affordability.

During the Q&A portion of the Town Hall, one student asked about the decision to move Disability Services from the Office of Academic Deans to the Division of Student Life. Runell first stated that it is standard among most higher-ed institutions to have such services “report into Student Affairs or Student Life, because accommodations are not just academic.”

She further explained, “In an ideal scenario, we would really be thinking about the whole student experience in terms of accommodations … That’s one of the reasons [Disability Services] sit in Student Affairs, because it is meant to be broad and encompassing.”

Runnell also addressed the aspect of the physical space where Disability Services is currently located, asking herself aloud, “Can we find a better space than the third floor of Mary Lyon Hall, which is not one of the most accessible places on campus.” She immediately answered her own question, stating,, “We have Student Life spaces all over campus,” solidifying the advantages of rehoming Disability Services to reside under the Division of Student Life.

To wrap up, Athas asked Runell, “In your opinion, is Bigfoot real?”

Runell’s response was, “I’m gonna say there’s a good chance.” Ending with casual chat amongst the two on stage, and plenty of laughter from the senators in the crowd, the first Senate of the year concluded at just under 40 minutes.

Fact checked by Madeleine Diesl.