UNH and town officials outline expectations for Super Bowl Sunday

By Kim Billings, Media Relations

UNH officials have met with representatives from the town of Durham to jointly outline expectations for activities on Super Bowl Sunday, Feb. 1.

“We’re excited the New England Patriots again are in the running for the Super Bowl title, and we know the vast majority of our students will cheer on the team and celebrate responsibly,” said Mark Rubinstein, vice president for student and academic services. “The meeting with town officials is something we now do in anticipation of significant events like this.” Rubinstein noted students also have been consulted as part of the planning process.

The group included town councilors, UNH administrators, representatives from UNH Police, the Durham Police Department and the Fire Department. While there are no UNH-sanctioned events scheduled for Sunday, Rubinstein said residence hall staff will communicate to students through floor meetings and fliers the expectation for responsible celebratory behavior. In addition, a full-page ad will run in Friday’s student newspaper, The New Hampshire, congratulating the Patriots and outlining expectations and consequences.

“One of the main recurring conversations we have with students is around safety,” Rubinstein explained. “We stress that crowds are inherently more volatile and dangerous than individuals or small groups. And people sometimes do things under the perceived protection of a crowd that they wouldn’t otherwise do alone.”

While there will be a visible police presence, both Durham Chief David Kurz and UNH Police Chief Nicholas Halias emphasized the increased presence is not unusual. If any students are arrested Sunday, Rubinstein said staff from student and academic services will be at the Durham Police Department that night to begin the student judicial process. He said, “We sincerely hope to find that our presence will be unnecessary, but it is possible that if students are arrested that evening, they will be suspended on an interim basis that night, pending the outcome of the formal student conduct hearing.

“Students, faculty and administrators – not to mention town of Durham officials and citizens, USNH trustees and the legislature – have made and continue to make important progress in the areas of policy changes and working together toward solutions.” Rubinstein said. “It is through all of us working together that we will achieve our collective goal of civic responsibility.”

“We have made progress over the past year, and we will continue to,” he added. “Shifting the culture is not easy, but with everyone invested in this effort, we will succeed.”