By Kathleen McDonough
Assistant News Editor

This year, administrators are requiring students who attend next week’s SUAB semiformal to either purchase a room at the Sheraton Hotel or take the school’s provided transportation back to campus.

Alcohol will be served at the dance to students over the age of 21, and according to Sharon Rivers, SILD program coordinator and SUAB advisor, this policy will “bring it in line with the current policy of the transportation for events that serve alcohol.”

According to Sharon Rivers, SILD program coordinator and SUAB advisor, any time the school provides transportation to an event, students must sign a waiver to take their own transportation. “This is the first year it is added in there that they agree that they are staying overnight at the Sheraton.”

Rivers said this decision came during a conversation she had with Dean of Students Melinda Stoops. Rivers added that the university requires students to take a shuttle bus to all other off-campus events where alcohol is served, such as Red Sox games and senior week events.

Stoops said, “We recognize that if you’re staying at the hotel, it’s just not practical [to take the bus.] …  But with that exception, we felt that everyone else should be following what we put into place for every other event.”

SUAB President Nikki Curley said, “The administration told us we had to do this to make sure everyone is safe and doing the right thing. All other off-campus events, you have to take the bus. So, now we are just following the same rules as everyone else.”

Stoops said, “The recent accident is a tragedy and makes us look at everything differently, but in this case … [previous procedures] just didn’t match up with policies and practices,” referring to the December death of FSU student Ashley Donahue after an alleged drunk driving accident.

When Rivers was asked whether transportation waivers would be available at the event for students who later decide to stay at the hotel after the dance, Rivers said she had not thought of it. “I’ll definitely talk to my supervisor about whether it’s appropriate to have transportation waivers there for people who are going to stay.”

Rivers said this will be the policy for all future events where acohol will be served.

Security will be provided by three Framingham Police officers and one Campus Police officer, hotel staff and security and two FSU staff chaperones, according to Rivers. She added that the cost of each town police officer is around $360, and each campus police officer around $260, “but depending on the position of each officer, that amount could go up or down.”

There will be two buses with 45-50 seats each, according to Rivers, shuttling students from campus to the Sheraton in a continuous loop from 6:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. and again from 10:00 p.m. until the end of the event at 12:00 a.m.

Students were frustrated by this change in policy.

Junior communication arts major Bassma Sayen said, “It’s not fair because there are people like me who don’t drink, so getting a hotel would be ridiculous when I could just drive. The bus is a pain, and you shouldn’t have to get a room unless the school is paying for it.”

Olivia Kahm, an undeclared sophomore, said, “I think it’s a good idea, but it puts people in a weird position if they don’t want to take the bus.”

Rebecca Smith, a junior early childhood education major, said she has driven herself to the semi the last two years by filling out a waiver relinquishing responsibility. “I have to take the bus this year, unfortunately, because we’re forced to,” since students must be 21 to check into a hotel room at the Sheraton.

Martin Chan, front office manager at the Framingham Sheraton, said that anyone can book a room, but to check in for that room, the person must be 21. Students are able to have someone who is 21 check into a room for them, though, he said.

Kayoua Lor, a freshman psychology major, said, “I would take the bus, because you would have to pay for a room, and I don’t have that kind of money.”

A room for one night at the Sheraton on the date of the semi ranges from $89-$159.

Freshman business major Jessica Nhongvongsouthy said if she were to go to the semi, she would “probably take the bus because it’s easier, and you’ll be with everyone else so it will be fun.”

Siobhan Curran, a junior communication arts major, said that she would “take the bus because if you don’t, you would have to find your own transportation, reserve a room and pay for it.”

SUAB has 245 tickets available for the semi-formal, and as of Wednesday morning, 170 had been sold. Seven students have signed the release form to stay at the Sheraton so far.

This year’s Las Vegas-themed semi-formal with a 21-plus cash bar will take place on Friday, Feb 3 at the Sheraton Hotel in Framingham from 7:00 p.m. to 12:00 a.m. Tickets are $15, which pays for dinner and the provided transportation.