DPS’s handling of Los Angeles ordinance is biased

Many students who do not live in USC Housing may have noticed that the Department of Public Safety has been particularly strict about parties and other social gatherings this semester. This is because Los Angeles Ordinance No. 185451, which cracks down on loud or unruly gatherings in private residences, is in play. With the ordinance in place, the city of L.A. is mandated to shut down “loud or unruly gatherings” in private residences. 

With this context, DPS’s increased strictness on house parties makes a lot more sense. However, many students have begun to wonder why Greek Row, the source of USC’s loudest and arguably most unruly parties, has not been subject to this policing. It begs the question of just how effectively the USC community is working to equitably serve the purposes of this ordinance. 

The ordinance introduces a series of penalties for both landlords and tenants that host loud or unruly gatherings at a property they own or lease within 500 feet of a residence. Law enforcement is allowed to issue citations to responsible parties — and fines can total up to $8,000 by just the second offense. 

This may be harsh, but as of recently, it’s the law. But while students are penalized for throwing parties in independent housing, privately-owned frat houses are blasting music and serving drinks without having to abide by the same rules. What message does this send to USC students — that they can’t host an event with friends at their off-campus homes but can walk a block over and go to a huge frat party? After all, they risk a potential violation of the guidelines set by the Student Judicial Affairs and Community Standards, as well as a heavy fine for the former and likely no punishment from DPS for the latter. 

For context, University Park is predominantly occupied by USC students and occupies a relatively small area of land north of campus. And as such, this seems to be the area that DPS most heavily patrols. 

The Row is situated right in the middle of this area, parallel to campus. And according to the USC website, these Greek houses are privately owned and subject to DPS and Los Angeles Police Department policing. So, given the new ordinance, why are these loud and unruly gatherings seemingly ignored by DPS while other gatherings in the area are shut down?

Ironically, there is even more reason to police frat parties because they are actually places in which greater harm to students and the community is more likely to occur. For example, just last year, a number of USC frat houses were placed on suspension for alleged hazing violations and drug usage. 

One of the enumerated goals of this ordinance is to prevent gatherings that are a threat to the general public due to, among other things, service of alcohol to minors and public drunkenness. According to a study done by U.S. National Library of Medicine and the National Institutes of Health, out of six unique college settings — residence halls, Greek houses, off-campus residences, campus events, outdoor settings and bars/restaurants — the prevalence of drinking to intoxication was highest among Greek settings at 62.8%. 

The Addiction Center writes, “approximately 83 percent of Greek housing residents report having suffered as a result of their brothers’ and sisters’ alcohol consumption.” And more than this, a key point of these parties is that they’re exclusive to certain students. They are specifically meant for those who pay to be in Greek life. So, why are these events still happening at the same caliber despite new rules?

To be clear, the point here is not necessarily that we as college students should stop socializing and safely partying on the Row — or anywhere, for that matter. Rather, the University’s strict upholding of this new ordinance is biased. If a student is able to rush and live in a USC-sanctioned frat house and throw massively loud parties while another student is harshly penalized for having a smaller event just a block away in their own independent housing, we as a community are not effectively and fairly serving the city by working to combat what the ordinance is in place to prevent. 

Whether or not the ordinance itself is justified, it should at least be fairly upheld at and by the University.