College students who are caught at a party will be faced with a fine

As students have returned to campus for the 2019-2020 school year, they were being given the yearly warning by the Fargo Police Department about parties and the disruptions they cause to neighbors who live around campus. The Fargo Police Department has given out all the consequences that students who are caught at parties could face.

According to Valley News Live, police consider a party a gathering of more than one person between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m. Any student who is caught at a party can receive a $200 fine. If a student chooses not to leave a party, then they can face an additional fine of $500.

Fellow students had their opinions on whether the fines were fair punishments for students who are caught at a party. Karly Westra was unsure at first.” Yes and no. I feel like for drinking it can be a fair punishment because usually if someone is at a party there will be drinks involved. So for those who drink underage, it is a good punishment. But I feel as though partying and drinking are separate.” A minor that is found with alcohol can be fined up to $400, according to the Police. “I feel like the noise from partiers can also cause a distraction to the people who live around them and their actions can affect others, so in a way, the fines are fair for those who are caught,” Westra said. 

As far as how she views North Dakota State University as a college that throws a lot of parties, Westra doesn’t think NDSU competes with other campuses. “Compared to other colleges like The University of North Dakota (UND), I wouldn’t say that NDSU is a party school.” 

Westra feels as though college students don’t get misrepresented very often when it comes to whether college is portrayed as a time for throwing parties.  “I don’t think so. I think that college students validate binge drinking as being something to do while in college where as if they weren’t in college it wouldn’t be something that’s ok to do.” 

Another student who had some input on the matter was Abigail Henderson. “That’s a little steep for a student,” Henderson said when described the fines students can receive. Since being here for a week, Henderson believes that NDSU can be considered a party school. Henderson also believes that college students are often thought of a throwing parties. “I believe college students are often misrepresented for being loud and throwing parties, especially the boys.” She believes that both adults and the media tend to misrepresent college students when it comes to the topic of partying. 

Though it can be debated whether NDSU can be considered a party school or not compared to other colleges across the nation, the punishments students can face for being at a party are clear. Fargo Police want to make sure students know that there will be fines given out to those who are caught at parties as their actions will have consequences.