Instead of calling to complain about Duke students hosting loud parties, this year, Trinity Park neighbors are socializing with them.
At the beginning of the semester, senior Max Milliken and his housemates hosted a barbeque to meet their Trinity Park neighbors.
Milliken lives in one of the 12 houses purchased for $3.7 million by the University last February. According to an official statement released last year, the properties were bought in order to curb off-campus partying and improve relations between students and Trinity Park residents.
"The complaints for off campus have gone down dramatically," said Sara-Jane Raines, Duke University Police Department administrative services executive officer.
In addition to purchasing the notorious party houses, the University has done more educational programming with students living off-campus, Raines said.
Administrators have also heard fewer complaints from neighbors who call or e-mail various offices, said John Burness, senior vice president for public affairs and government relations.
"Especially in light of last year's issues, students have gone out of their way to be nicer to neighbors," Burness said.
Of the 12 properties, four are still being rented by students who had signed leases before the purchase, said Jeff Potter, Trinity '76 and Law '79, the University's director of real estate administration. Although the house formerly owned by members of the 2005-2006 men's lacrosse team is not up for sale, three houses have been sold, two are under contract and two are still on the market.
The purchase of the houses has contributed to the decrease in off-campus partying, but the biggest factor for the smaller number of off-campus citations has been students' fears of being cited by Alcohol Law Enforcement, said Stephen Bryan, associate dean of students and director of judicial affairs.
"In essence, I think that students are being more responsible in their actions off-campus, staying on campus more or engaging in other activities," he said. "Last year's 194 citations by ALE really chilled them and put the fear of God in them."
Milliken and Adam Rothenberg, a senior who also lives in one of the Trinity Park properties, both signed their leases during their sophomore year. Although they were worried about tense student-neighbor relations, both said they have had positive experiences.
"The neighbors on our street have been very cooperative," Milliken said. "Whenever we are planning to have people over, we tell them, so none of them have ever called the police. The last thing you want as a senior is to have charges pressed against you."
Rothenberg said his house has not received any complaints this year.
"There has been a limited amount of interaction, but they're cordial and we are the same," he said. "We've tried to be respectful by not letting people outside making noise."
Some Trinity Park residents said they have noticed a decrease in student partying since last year.
Lisa Rist, whose home is in front of three of the purchased houses, said students have been much quieter this year.
"[Partying] used to be sporadically very loud and disruptive," she said. "I certainly would not say it was all the time, but when it was really loud, it was often on a weeknight at 2 o'clock or 2:30 in the morning."
Lee Ann Tilley also said she and other Trinity Park residents have been pleased by the difference in partying this year.
"It's so quiet this year," she said. "The guys that have moved around the corner from me are so nice. We just haven't heard a peep out of them."
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