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Interesting articles in this morning's Hartford Courant about the tradition of "naked parties" at Yale. Here are the links:

http://www.ctnow.com/news/local/hc-bushside1007.artoct07,1,575049.story?coll=hc-headlines-local (feature)

http://www.ctnow.com/news/local/hc-yale1007.artoct07,1,2374282.story?coll=hc-headlines-local (news story)

Sadly, a freshman girl who became disoriented at one party was sexually assaulted by an RA, after having a drink that was probably doctored. According to the story, Barbara Bush was present at the party, with about 50 others, sans clothing. No mention made of where her Secret Service protection was during the party, nor of their state of dress/undress. (What a nightmare job.)

Not to worry - this is not your typical party with alcohol and college kids who happen to be naked. It's a "salon," see - you know, one of those gathering points for intellectuals? The attendees are A-list, by invitation only. The lack of clothing apparently fosters more "eye contact," and makes everyone more, you know, "vulnerable." No kidding.

After reading about the flat-out brilliant kids who are rejected at Yale each year, I can't understand why this young woman, one of our nation's best and brightest, would have accepted a foul-tasting drink at a party with 50 other naked young adults. I don't believe in blaming the victim - the RA absolutely deserved more than the year's probation he received - but am I the only one lowbrow enough to think that a naked party is not a good place for a woman to be intoxicated? Wouldn't we all like our daughters to go off to college holding that thought?

Thinking that maybe I'll feel a tad less sticker envy next time I'm stuck in traffic behind someone with a kid at Yale.

By Marite (Marite) on Thursday, October 07, 2004 - 08:12 am: Edit

>>the RA absolutely deserved more than the year's probation he received >>

It always baffles me that students caught plagiarizing earn expulsion, but students involved in criminal activities can earn no more than a year's probation. If the RA had been an employee in a company, he would have been fired for dereliction of duty, not slapped on the wrist. That's why students are taught never to leave their drink unattended.

As for the doctored drink, it may have been in the least foul-tasting. The young woman may not have realized that her drink had been doctored.

By Marite (Marite) on Thursday, October 07, 2004 - 08:22 am: Edit

By chance, the Harvard Crimson today has an article about Harvard's efforts to curb alcohol- related problems.

http://www.thecrimson.com/today/article503689.html

By Frazzled_One (Frazzled_One) on Thursday, October 07, 2004 - 08:27 am: Edit

Marite, you're absolutely right that doctored drinks aren't necessarily foul-tasting. As I understand it, rohypnol leaves no taste at all. The news article states that the victim and a friend of hers each accepted a drink poured by the RA, and that it did taste bad. The friend didn't finish her drink, but the victim did. None of the drinks at the party were tested during the investigation, btw.

By Marite (Marite) on Thursday, October 07, 2004 - 08:32 am: Edit

Frazzled:

I did not get a chance to read the articles as you need to register to access them. Thanks for the clarification.

By Alwaysamom (Alwaysamom) on Thursday, October 07, 2004 - 09:05 am: Edit

Wow, what a sordid story that was. The fact that the boy had plans to become a doctor make it even more distasteful, considering the slap on the wrist he received. I must admit that I've never even heard of 'naked parties' before, I'm still just shaking my head. I wonder if George and Laura Bush have read that article.

By Marite (Marite) on Thursday, October 07, 2004 - 09:13 am: Edit

Remember the twins' line at the RNC, "We were young and irresponsible"? That probably covers it.

By Mstee (Mstee) on Thursday, October 07, 2004 - 09:21 am: Edit

Out of curiousity, I googled naked parties yale. Yup, came up with other articles. So, is this just a Yale thing, or is it a tradition at other colleges as well?

By Marite (Marite) on Thursday, October 07, 2004 - 09:28 am: Edit

Some colleges, including Princeton and Harvard, have a tradition of students running naked, usually in winter, around exam time.

This reminds me of the panty raids when I was a college freshman (the practice ended after that year, as thoughts turned to more serious issues, such as the Vietnam War).

By Dadx (Dadx) on Thursday, October 07, 2004 - 09:36 am: Edit

I think each college has its bizarre "traditions" of usually harmless outlier behavior, even if it exceed the boundaries of boorishness. The biggest problem is that kids drink themselves to death.

At Princeton, a recent controversey has arisen around "Newman's Day", a day named for Paul Newman and referring to an apochrophal quote of his "Twenty four hours in a day, twenty four cans of beer in a case. Coincidence? I think not." The students supposedly drink a beer an hour all day.(I wonder who actually tries to do this).

In any case, last year a dean confiscated student printed T shirts in advance of the date, creating a controversey. You can google it up at the Daily Princetonian site.

Princeton also had developed a modern "tradition" of the nude olympics, a run held each year at the first snowfall, I believe. The administration put the kabosh on this event too.

There are lots of these activities that go on in various places. Unfortunately its fairly easy for the youthful foolishness and exuberance to devolve into regret and sadness.

..............I wonder if Jodie Foster went to those when she was there.

By Coureur (Coureur) on Thursday, October 07, 2004 - 09:51 am: Edit

One problem with these various naked events, runs and what not, that kids don't think about is that these days a guy or two are sure to be out there with their digitial cameras an videotaping equipment. And the next day naked pictures of your daughter or son appear on the internet where they remain more or less forever.

By Sokkermom (Sokkermom) on Thursday, October 07, 2004 - 10:01 am: Edit

It's a good thing that digital cameras were not around in the late 70's and early 80's when many college campuses were witnessing the Streaking craze. Many of us who observed (maybe even participated) in that fad remain somewhat unscathed.

By Leanid (Leanid) on Thursday, October 07, 2004 - 10:09 am: Edit

A thoughful mind once observed that law breaking, immorality, hedonism, nihilism and general depravity are the norm for the upper and the lower classes in a functioning civilization, whereas they are a sign of decline when the middle class joins in...

By Concerneddad (Concerneddad) on Thursday, October 07, 2004 - 10:22 am: Edit

hhhmm, new video "Bushes Gone Wild." No, it is not a gardening video.

By Emeraldkity4 (Emeraldkity4) on Thursday, October 07, 2004 - 10:23 am: Edit

I wonder if Jodie Foster went to those when she was there

Well she did get her start baring her behind!

By Emeraldkity4 (Emeraldkity4) on Thursday, October 07, 2004 - 10:29 am: Edit

Reed has Renn Fayre
My daughter and her friends particpate but they keep their substance use to a minimum as they also are part of Karma/Border Patrol that keeps curious high schoolers from gate crashing and keeps everyone fed and hydrated as well as giving them a safer place to sleep it off if need be than their dorm room ( supervised)
http://web.reed.edu/reed_magazine/aug2001/columns/NoC/NoC_renn_fayre.html

By Aparent4 (Aparent4) on Thursday, October 07, 2004 - 10:41 am: Edit

As Dadx says, the "nude Olympics" were banned at Princeton several years ago. As for "Newman's Day," when I read about it in the press I emailed my party-loving son rather anxiously and was told with disgust that it is only observed by "losers" who think they will prove something by drinking a lot and that the papers were, as usual, exaggerating for the sake of a story. Was he bs'ing his mom? I don't think so. I have a pretty good bs meter. ;-) I do gather there is still streaking that goes on occasionally.

Up to now, the only place I had heard about nude parties was at Brown, my alma mater.

By Dke (Dke) on Thursday, October 07, 2004 - 11:23 am: Edit

Doesn't anyone remember "streaking" from the seventies? This is nothing new...and for some reason certain Yale singing groups (again, back then) used to hold their auditions in the nude...what's with Yale, anyway?

By Emeraldkity4 (Emeraldkity4) on Thursday, October 07, 2004 - 11:32 am: Edit

I remember streaking, in fact not so long ago someone streaked at a Mariners game.
http://www.lamelist.com/index.php?cat=6
a quasi offical part of our neighborhoods solstice parade are naked bicylists. Not as titillating as you would imagine, some of these folks you don't really want to see naked.

It isn't the naked part that bothers me, its drinking things that you don't know where theyv'e been .

By Tropicanabanana (Tropicanabanana) on Thursday, October 07, 2004 - 02:44 pm: Edit

Naked parties aren't by invitation only. I'm pretty sure there are always some everyone can go to. Because my friend went to one, and he's not on anyone's "A-list."

By Ohio_Mom (Ohio_Mom) on Thursday, October 07, 2004 - 05:58 pm: Edit

Nude Olympics? The originals were!

The thought of 'Bushes Gone Wild' terrifies me beyond measure, however.

By Ellemenope (Ellemenope) on Thursday, October 07, 2004 - 06:33 pm: Edit

How about the male students from Jacksonville U who installed a stripper pole in their dorm room (Home Depot) and had a party/contest? Grand prize was a $100 gift certificate at Victoria Secret. The girls danced clothed.

The winner was disciplined; the party throwers were put on probation (some alcohol violations; definitely improper changes made to dorm room; and "indecent behavior" charges).

Women dancing clothed doesn't seem to be a big problem, one might argue (I mean it's not like they are naked or anything.) But that kind of situation, fueled by alcohol, can get out of hand quick. I think the school was right in trying to quash it.

As for the Yale freshman who accepted a foul tasting doctored drink from the RA, she probably took the drink and didn't think twice about it because it WAS from an RA. And to someone inexperienced with drinking, all drinks taste foul.

What a nasty way to start out your freshman year.

By Ellemenope (Ellemenope) on Thursday, October 07, 2004 - 06:46 pm: Edit

Read the article in the Yale daily news. There was no evidence that the RA actually doctored the drink. He was merely an "opportunist"--ready to walk her back to her dorm.

I think that he only got probation because it turned into a "he said she consented/she said she was too drugged out to give consent". A word to the wise for any guy--don't mess around with a woman who is obviously under the influence.

By Marite (Marite) on Thursday, October 07, 2004 - 06:56 pm: Edit

The close association between alcohol ingestion and sexual assault is one reason why the Harvard Task Force on sexual harassment recommended stepping up alcohol education.
One of the problems in dealing with accusations of date rape is the fuzzy memory of at the participants, especially the victim. It makes it impossible to mete out harsher punishments to the perpetrator.

By Tabby (Tabby) on Friday, October 08, 2004 - 10:16 am: Edit

Well, the "naked part" does bother me!