BROCKPORT — College at Brockport officials tell the Suburban News/The Herald they will move ahead with plans to form a new village/college committee to promote relations between the two entities at a “higher level,” following the incident early Sunday morning, September 21, when students filled the streets of downtown following a homecoming weekend football bowl game.
David Mihalyov, chief communications officer at the college, said the committee would include college administrators as well as village leaders to focus on “larger issues regarding how the village and the college can better live together.”
There already is an existing committee comprised of college and community members including Brockport Mayor Margay Blackman and Police Chief Daniel Varrenti, Mihalyov explained, which focuses on off-campus relations/residential life. The new committee would be different in focus and high-ranking college administrators would be involved.
Brockport Mayor Margaret Blackman has stated she would like to create such a committee to explore partnership between the village and the college at the highest level.
Hundreds of college students ended up in the streets on the 21st after bars overflowed and Brockport police ordered them to close around 1 a.m.
Brockport Student Government President Will Mitchell and Dr. Katy Wilson, Vice President of Enrollment Management & Student Affairs, sent a letter to students via email on Monday, September 22. The letter called the incident, “overcrowding on Main Street in the Village,” and stated that, “The college is a major part of the Village of Brockport and it is important for all of us to respect our neighbors, our small business owners, and our fellow students. We realize that the overwhelming majority of our students are both good students and good citizens and do not want their reputation tarnished.”
The letter also stated inappropriate or illegal activities are not condoned and the few (students) criminally charged will also be held accountable through the student conduct system.
Mihalyov said students likely were confused during the September 21 incident. “They were told to leave, but not told why,” he noted, and added many students were not clear as to what exactly was going on.
“No one was hurt, no property was damaged,” Mihalyov said. He explained that regarding law enforcement, the college makes it clear, “ … students need to listen and comply. We’re trying to drive that message home.
“The overwhelming majority of students are good kids,” Mihalyov continued, “Don’t paint everybody with the same brush.” He noted that the College at Brockport is one of the few local schools which requires off-campus students to go through the code of conduct.
He said he spoke with village officials, police and bar owners in advance of the Homecoming Weekend football bowl game which drew a crowd of nearly 10,000 to the community – explaining that there would be a lot of people in attendance.
This was the first time Brockport has hosted the Courage Bowl game against St. John Fisher College. Mihalyov said the game would alternately be hosted annually by the two schools – meaning next year the game would be at Fisher.
