As one of Dartmouth's biggest weekend celebrations, Homecoming is known by students as a time for partying, especially at Coed Fraternity and Sorority sponsored events.
And although College rules prohibit first-year students from attending CFS parties during the Fall term, this does not seem to stop many freshmen from frequenting them.
According to most first-year students surveyed by The Dartmouth, the Fall term ban on Greek houses has not affected their decision to attend parties, and it will not deter them from partying on Homecoming weekend either.
"Homecoming is a big party with the sweep, the bonfire, the frat parties and the alums coming back," said Mike Engle '04 of Wisconsin.
Although he said he doesn't plan on attending any CFS parties this weekend, Engle said he does know a fair number of other first-year students who will.
"Unless you are incredibly obvious, [upper-class students] usually don't mind," he said.
While it is the job of Safety and Security to monitor registered parties, it is the responsibility of Greek houses themselves to enforce their Fall term ban on first-year students.
Officers in most CFS houses said that they were going to take the same precautions over this weekend that they do every weekend.
"I don't expect any problems," Sigma Nu fraternity President Eric Shoemaker said. "We check IDs at the door and inside it is pretty easy to tell who is a '04."
However, according to Alpha Chi Alpha fraternity President Eric Sirianni '01, "The ban has been hard to enforce this term. There have been large groups trying to get in and we've had to designate more brothers to keeping freshmen out."
In fact, Alpha Chi decided not to have a party this weekend.
"The officers decided that we' d rather enjoy ourselves than worrying about the logistics of a party -- keeping freshmen out and keeping everything under control," he said.
"For big weekends, we always have additional staff," said College Proctor Robert McEwen of S&S. "But we won't have additional officers doing patrol of CFS houses."
Indeed, most members of the Class of 2004 told The Dartmouth that they don't anticipate problems attending Greek sponsored events.
"I know freshmen who have gone almost every night," said Ben Flickinger '04, from Omaha, Nebraska.
"It really hasn't been a problem getting in," concurred Sara Glazer '04.
Flickinger said he will decide whether to attend CFS-sponsored parties this weekend after seeing who else is going and how many Safety and Security officers are around.
The first-year students surveyed said they were also looking forward to other Homecoming festivities.
"I hope it will be a lot of fun with lots of school spirit, bonfire, football game," Flickinger said.
"I expect it will be a big event on campus," said Sophina Manheimer '04 from Tuba City, Arizona.
