Prioritizing student safety over profit

By: Anonymous Contributor

CW: Sexual Assault

Music is blaring and the thumping of the bass can be felt in the deepest of bones. Strobe lights flash neon pink, green and blue.

It is 7:00 p.m. and the line-up for the most anticipated event of Welcome Week has stretched far beyond anyone had anticipated.

8,000 people, 2,000 upper-year students approximately 200 Welcome Week representatives on patrol.

Although seemingly well planned, many reps, at least those present, could attest that the night of the Post Malone concert on Sept. 1 was an absolute mess to say the least. If we take a closer look, the math tells us that this night held a rep to student ratio of approximately 1 to 400. However, this number underestimates the challenge of fulfilling student interaction while maintaining safety and security at the event.

Many reps came into the evening clearly unprepared for a night that would lead to circumstances extending well beyond their training. While our role as reps is meant to help first-year students in their transition into residence and university life, the hidden agenda includes security patrolling and taking on the role of law enforcer.

While the McMaster Rep Network boasted a large number of reps, many of them were only present during the night as concert attendees, not as reps. Though Engineering and Nursing took the initiative to assist during the concert, it simply was not enough.

With the little control that was maintained by the [group], students were still able to easily bypass security and pass drugs and alcohol to their friends who were cleared.

Campus Events Staff and the McMaster Students Union Maroons had their hands tied, clearly under pressure to maintain the little structure and organization the night had.

And that was just outside the concert space.

Did students actually get to hear Post Malone perform?

If you believe interspersed “ohs” and “yeahs” to be a performance, then by all means, believe it to be so. But in my opinion, that is not a performance. With a drunk Post Malone who was barely able to speak, I can say that the quality of the concert was highly debatable. To say that Post Malone was problematic is surely an understatement.

While we are on the topic of understatements, the MSU’s apparent firm stance for sexual violence prevention should be up for discussion, because that night highlighted an inconsistency with this “value”.

Why did the MSU not take any precautions to have some sort of response, in the case survivors needed support? Thankfully, one of the Women and Gender Equity Network’s members volunteered their time to provide support to both survivors and witnesses of the cases of sexual assault that happened that night. But this simply was not enough.

The Emergency First Response Team also had their hands full, to such the extent that EFRT alumni were called to respond to the demand of intoxicated students.

While I can go on and on about the night, I ask that the MSU take a step back. I ask that the Board of Directors look beyond the big name that they are trying to create for the MSU and to focus on its constituents, us — the students. While enjoyment is a priority, it must be overpowered by a concern for our safety.

With Homecoming around the corner, this is something important to take into consideration for the wellbeing of McMaster students. We need to reassess our priorities and maintain the balance between security and being able to bring valuable and enjoyable university experiences to campus.

Yes, the MSU brought Post Malone to McMaster, but it was at the expense of the wellbeing of MSU members. To say that Post Malone was a success undermines the very people who maintained the little structure that was there, so no, it is not the time to say “Congratulations”.

[thesil_related_posts_sc]Related Posts[/thesil_related_posts_sc]