The use of lights, blocked streets and increased arrests will characterize this year's Halloween celebration, according to city officials who met Thursday at a Halloween forum sponsored by ASM.
No out-of-town guests will be allowed in the dorms, but UW-Madison housing residents will be able to stay in halls that are not their own, said Director of University Housing Paul Evans.
According to Madison Police Captain Mary Schauf, the police will change several aspects of police enforcement of the event, specifically the management of crowd density and safety on State Street and surrounding areas. The lights used to end the event last year will be used again, only this year they will be used throughout the night instead of simply to signal the end of the event.
In addition, entry to State Street will be blocked from Frances Street in order to decrease congestion at that location.
Police also made it clear they have increased their ability to arrest people. \We're going to be looking mainly for aggressive disorderly behavior and people throwing objects,"" Schauf said.
A sparsely attended rally took place prior to the event at which ASM Shared Governance Chair Eyal Halamish spoke about plans to walk out of the meeting over the perceived lack of student input into the planning of this year's event.
""When it comes to safety I'm not sure that's what shared governance was intended for, and our plan is really about safety. We're focusing on reducing disruptive and destructive behavior during Halloween weekend,"" said interim Dean of Students Lori Berquam.
Although this walkout failed to occur, students voiced their concerns over several additional issues ranging from the prohibition of guests in university housing to safety concerns.
Officially, UW-Madison does not support the event in any way, but still plans to increase its focus on safety and security. ""As far as input from students, we need people concerned about safety and not about how to make the party a better party,"" said Elton Crim, Interim Associate Dean of Students.
Overall, city officials were optimistic about the prospects for an orderly Halloween, but expressed concerns over the types of behavior that have dampened the party in the past.
""It's really a small percentage of citations that come from students, and I think that's something we should be proud of. I urge students to do everything they can to convince visiting friends to do the right thing and respect our community,"" said Ald. Mike Verveer, District 4.
