A new policy for this year’s Ivies limits the number of guests that each student can register to two, down from last year’s three, and raises the price of their entry to $30, an increase from the $20 charged in the past two years. 

Students are held accountable for any problems that occur with their guests.

“Pick wisely who you decide to bring along. Every year pretty much guaranteed, we’ll have situations where guests misbehave and we’ll have to remove them from campus,” said Director of Safety and Security Randy Nichols, who will be helping supervise his ninth Ivies this year.
Security will begin to increase its staffing on Wednesday to account for raised levels of student activity.

“An increased volume of alcohol certainly lends towards a higher-risk environment for us to deal with,” said Nichols.

“It takes probably twice as many or maybe three times as many scheduled officers to get the job done. I would say that for the day of the concert, every single officer is working at least one and often two shifts.” 

Security currently employs 16 patrol officers. 

The rain location for the Saturday concert is inside Farley Field House, although due to space concerns, guests would not be allowed entrance in the event of rain. Student Activities will notify students on the Friday of Ivies if the location is changed.

“Having the concert in [Farley Field House] just isn’t the same as having it outside on Whittier Field,” said Nichols. “The rain plan will only be instituted if we have no option other than to go inside.”

Security is adding extra lighting at the Whittier Field pathway so that students can attend Pinestock on Saturday night through the field, without the need to walk through Bowker Street or other town residential areas.

Although alcohol-related transports are not usually numerous at Ivies, injuries requiring hospitalization do occur. 

“People have stepped on glass and received some pretty bad cuts and have had to go to the hospital. We encourage students not to use glass, that would be helpful,” said Nichols.

The planning of Ivies involves careful coordination between Security, Student Activities, Dining Services, Facilities Management, Bowdoin Student Government, and the Department of Athletics, and these bodies have been meeting regularly. Nichols said that it is important that students themselves cooperate with the plans and behave in safe ways.

Security will send out a notice to the College Neighbors Association explaining the schedule of Ivies, and Student Activities will send out flyers to all residents near Whittier Field. Security also coordinates with the Brunswick Police Department (BPD) and students can expect that more BPD officers will be on patrol on the streets near campus during Ivies. 

“Students are accountable for their conduct throughout Ivies just like they always are at Bowdoin. I want Ivies to be a good memory for every student,” said Nichols.

More information from Security and general information will be emailed to students on Friday and Monday. 

Correction, April 18: An earlier version of this article stated that the "Survivies" email will be sent out a week from Friday. The article has been corrected to indicate that the email will be sent out today (Friday) and Monday.