The Nanny State Strikes Again

With less than a month to go before the Harvard-Yale Game on Nov. 21, there is an almost universal acknowledgment among Harvard students that The Game’s presence at Yale this year is sure to mean fewer intrusive rules and more fun.

Last year, while claiming to bring tailgating at The Game more in line with the rules for other university sporting events, Harvard and the City of Boston mandated all tailgating to cease by kickoff, two quarters earlier than in previous years. This announcement came on the heels of 2004’s banning of kegs, U-Hauls, and Winnebagos and prohibition on any individual bringing more than 20 gallons of beer or one gallon of hard alcohol.

Yale’s regulations, which were released recently, permit kegs, which are more efficient from an environmental perspective, and allow tailgating to continue through the third quarter.

In future years, Harvard administrators would do well to follow Yale’s example, recognizing that, while student safety is important, the sense of camaraderie and social interaction between students and alumni that occurs both outside The Game is at the heart of what makes the event special. Harvard’s current regulations dampen school spirit by enhancing the sense of intrusion and mistrust for students by the administration and the police.

Furthermore, it makes little sense for Harvard’s restrictions to be more prohibitive than Yale’s: While Yale’s arena is located far from its campus, Harvard Stadium’s proximity to dorms guarantees that many students will simply return to campus after the tailgate ends early.

Some may posit that Harvard’s 2004 regulations have resulted in a decrease in hospitalizations, even though nine were still hospitalized at last year’s Game. But even if the new rules lead to a decline in hospitalizations, there is such a thing as compromising too much in the name of safety. Were there no tailgate at all, hospitalizations would surely decline further. The balance that Yale strikes between fun and safety is more sensible than that prevailing at Harvard.