Shortly after midnight, leading into Sunday morning, August 31, during Labor Day weekend, approximately 40-50 male students pranked Steg Hall by running and throwing large amounts of flour across the dorm and onto residents while dressed in all black with their faces covered. This prank was a continuation of a developing “tradition” Smith Hall has with Steg. Pranks prior to the flour prank were described as harmless or even comical. There have been many comments on the lasting and detrimental effects that set this prank apart from those coming from the residents of Steg, their parents, the Student Life Office as well as the maintenance staff.
The impact of the prank was overseen and continues to be felt. Julie Elliott, Vice President for Student Life, reflecting on the situation, said, “The first thing that the people who planned this event didn’t really think about is that 50 guys, dressed in black from head to toe, faces covered, running through a women’s hall close to midnight, was going to create a terrifying experience for at least some of the women living there, and certainly for many of their parents.” Many of the residents are first-year students just beginning to adjust to life on campus. For them, the experience created a strong sense of unease and disruption in what should have been a safe, welcoming environment. Many of the students who were affected have claimed that they were shocked and felt severely disrespected. According to Residence Life staff, concerned calls flooded in the next day, questioning campus security and how such an incident could occur.
Elliott noted that the prank was particularly dangerous for some residents, saying, “For students with severe gluten allergies or celiac disease, being doused in a substance that even in trace amounts can make them very sick was a pretty awful experience.” Flour, in this case, was an extremely dangerous choice because many residents within Steg’s walls have gluten allergies or celiac disease. The flour made its way into the HVAC system that night and was on nearly every surface. Those residents had to quickly exit the building after midnight and find alternative places to stay till the hall was cleaned.
This prank caused maintenance and Resident Life staff to be called in at midnight to begin the cleaning process, which was during their Labor Day weekend, their time to have a break. Elliot remarks again, “This was the first weekend that members of the Resident Life team and maintenance staff had to spend with their families, finding some rest after the craziness of a wild summer maintenance project schedule, August pre-season duties, orientation, and beginning of the year responsibilities.” This led to a loss of valuable time with family. Mere Reyes, Supervisor for environmental services of the maintenance department, says, “While we appreciate that students want to have fun and create lasting memories, it’s important for them to think about the consequences of their pranks. For instance, the flour prank resulted in over twenty-five hours of vacuuming and scrubbing walls and still trace amounts of flour remained. The maintenance team is constantly working around campus, and events like this push their schedules back and cut into their time off.
Elliott and Reyes reflect similar positions on the line between fun and harm when it comes to traditions. They both want students to have fun and enjoy their college experience, but we must consider how many people or places we are affecting through a seemingly “harmless” prank.
