At an open forum Monday night, approximately 15 students voiced concerns to newly appointed Head Line Monitor Lauren Troyer, a junior, about Krzyzewskiville and next year’s tenting policy. Troyer is currently in the process of evaluating the tenting system to create an improved policy for next season.
This year’s Head Line Monitor Steve Rawson, a senior, and newly elected Duke Student Government President Jesse Longoria, a junior, were also present to help guide the discussion to improve Krzyzewskiville. In particular, students addressed the proposal to shorten the length of the tenting period, which has increased drastically in the last few years.
With student input, Troyer will attempt to refocus the purpose of tenting to assist Duke basketball rather than promote a commercial fan image.
“When it becomes a pride issue rather than support for the basketball team we’ve crossed the line,” Rawson explained. “People are just out there to prove that we are the iron men or women, and we are the most hardcore Duke fans—that’s not what it’s about and we are very close to that threshold right now.”
A major overhaul of the current line system that would convert it to a type of point or lottery system was one possible change Troyer suggested.
An alternative system would shorten the time length of the tenting period and therefore hopefully decrease student health and safety risks.
The diverse reactions to this idea were exactly what Troyer was looking for.
“It’s great that people showed up tonight,” Troyer said. “But there are tons more ideas out there that need to be taken into consideration before anything can be decided upon.”
Troyer will begin to draft next year’s tenting policy over the summer.
DSG will then read over the policy in the fall and offer suggestions, after which it may be amended and then finally voted upon. The policy will be finalized by the third DSG meeting and then become a statute of DSG.
K-ville sponsorship was another new idea students discussed during the forum. The idea was inspired by the actions of this year’s tent number one, which was sponsored by Dick’s Sporting Goods.
Although Troyer and Rawson did not support advertising company names on tents, they did say a form of discounting, such as a discounted sale of quality sleeping bags, may be considered to combat health and safety concerns.
“I hear what you’re saying,” Rawson said to one student who was worried this idea would take away from K-ville’s spontaneity. “But I baby-sat 1,200 people, and they just don’t take care of themselves.”
Longoria suggested DSG might be able to work out a way to sell these types of products in Duke University Stores if students were interested. Longoria said parents may be reassured to know their children’s well-being would be more easily taken care of.
Students also commented about policy changes to grace, walk-up lines, wristband distribution, trash in the tenting area, cheer sheets, bonfires and Krzyzewskiville-wide event programming. Suggestions in these areas were in agreement with Troyer’s objective to create a policy that would improve conditions rather than change the tenting system completely.
“It is my goal to take into account the concerns regarding the policy while maintaining the spirit that is K-ville—just helping to foster that spirit rather than break it down,” Troyer said. “I feel some of the policies that have been suggested could [break it down], and I plan to find one that will not—one that will encourage the community and the social scene that is K-ville.”
Get The Chronicle straight to your inbox
Signup for our weekly newsletter. Cancel at any time.