Spring Break
EDITORIAL: Poor organization turned Pachanga into chaos
Safety at risk
Editorial | 9/16/08
Posted online at 2:45 AM EST on 9/16/08
Observing the hundreds of people overrunning Levin Ballroom Saturday night, one would have assumed that this semester's Pachanga was a successful contrast to the otherwise empty on-campus events. But a serious lack of organization and forethought turned a potentially enjoyable evening into a dangerous situation, complete with a rowdy mob.
As advertised, students were able to buy tickets in the Shapiro Campus Center Atrium for $3 well in advance of the event. Students could also purchase tickets for $5 at the door the night of the function.
The popularity of past Pachangas alone drew students to the Atrium in droves. Roughly 600 tickets were sold before the doors even opened. This is precisely where the overcrowding problem began. Levin Ballroom, according to the sign posted in the venue, has a limited capacity -- 750 people maximum. Event organizers could have predicted that the dance would become oversold.
On the night of the party, there were originally two lines outside Levin, one for students who had purchased tickets in advance and one for those who were trying to buy tickets, at the door but these soon dissolved into a single mass of bodies.
Once the venue had reached -- and maybe even exceeded -- full capacity, the doors were shut for the evening. Students who had purchased tickets in advance as well as those who had arrived without tickets were barred from entry. Had event organizers chosen not to sell tickets at the door, there could have been a far smaller, far less belligerent crowd massed outside the ballroom.
Also, no matter how many students left the dance, those waiting in anticipation outside weren't allowed to enter. Once a student did exit, there was no way for him to re-enter the dance except by going to the back of the line.
A simple solution would have been to maintain the original two entry lines. Furthermore, the International Club, which ran the dance, would have had to fix another organizational flaw: In order to be able to admit as many waiting students as possible in addition to all the advance ticketholders, there should have been a running head count of students entering the venue, as well as those leaving. Metal detectors did keep a running count of those entering the dance. Had a reliable counting system for those leaving been in place, a new party guest could have been allowed to come in every time an admitted guest left, keeping the venue full even as the crowds outside shrunk.
As advertised, students were able to buy tickets in the Shapiro Campus Center Atrium for $3 well in advance of the event. Students could also purchase tickets for $5 at the door the night of the function.
The popularity of past Pachangas alone drew students to the Atrium in droves. Roughly 600 tickets were sold before the doors even opened. This is precisely where the overcrowding problem began. Levin Ballroom, according to the sign posted in the venue, has a limited capacity -- 750 people maximum. Event organizers could have predicted that the dance would become oversold.
On the night of the party, there were originally two lines outside Levin, one for students who had purchased tickets in advance and one for those who were trying to buy tickets, at the door but these soon dissolved into a single mass of bodies.
Once the venue had reached -- and maybe even exceeded -- full capacity, the doors were shut for the evening. Students who had purchased tickets in advance as well as those who had arrived without tickets were barred from entry. Had event organizers chosen not to sell tickets at the door, there could have been a far smaller, far less belligerent crowd massed outside the ballroom.
Also, no matter how many students left the dance, those waiting in anticipation outside weren't allowed to enter. Once a student did exit, there was no way for him to re-enter the dance except by going to the back of the line.
A simple solution would have been to maintain the original two entry lines. Furthermore, the International Club, which ran the dance, would have had to fix another organizational flaw: In order to be able to admit as many waiting students as possible in addition to all the advance ticketholders, there should have been a running head count of students entering the venue, as well as those leaving. Metal detectors did keep a running count of those entering the dance. Had a reliable counting system for those leaving been in place, a new party guest could have been allowed to come in every time an admitted guest left, keeping the venue full even as the crowds outside shrunk.
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trusten
Paul Trusten, R.Ph., '73
posted 9/17/08 @ 12:21 AM EST
The Levin Ballroom I remember was inaugurated in 1970 when it held a celebration called "Usdan Lives." I was there, as I was many times thereafter. Are we talking about the same room in Usdan? If so, Has it been expanded since then? If not, I can't see it having anywhere near a capacity of 750. (Continued…)
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